Expressing Emotions and Stress ManagementLesson 10

What is emotion?

•Emotion is a specific feeling. For example: Happiness when you get an A on a test or sadness and anger when you get an F on a test.

Mind Body Connection

•How many of you think your emotions don’t affect anyone unless you lash out?

•The truth is that your emotions affect your heart rate and blood pressure. Prolonged increase will result in physical damage or death.

5 Steps to Expressing Emotion and Protecting your Health1. Identify the emotion2. Identify the source of the emotion (Why

do I feel this way)3. Decide whether to respond right away (If

I react right now could I regret it later)4. Choose a healthy response•Journaling•Discussing feelings with a trustful person

5 Steps to Expressing Emotion and Protecting your Health•Drawing a picture or making a sculpture5. Protect your health: What do I need to

do to keep my emotions in a healthy balance ? Sleep more, listen better, talk less, design a schedule

Anger Danger

•Hidden Anger: Anger that is not recognized-being negative, making cruel remarks to others, being sarcastic

•What may be causing the anger? Low levels of serotonin may influence how you perceive events.

Symptoms of Anger

•Rapid breathing, increased heart rate and blood pressure, sweating, decreased sensitivity, increased muscle strength due to blood sugar levels

Anger Management Skills

•Self Inventory-recognize the cause or cues that set you off

•Self Statements- words that you can say to yourself when experiencing triggers “I can manager this situation, or I’ll count to ten”

•Use I messages vs. You messages- I feel this instead of you making me feel. I is less threatening and doesn’t sound like you are blaming a person.

• Journaling, writing, drawing, sculpting

Anger Management Continued

•Rehearse what triggers your anger•Release steam in a healthy way running,

screaming into a pillow vs. hitting a person

•Counseling to discover cues, triggers, and management plan

Stress• The response your body makes to daily activity.• General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)-Alarm

stage body gets ready for action adrenaline-you freeze at dog and start to back away slowly body may feel hot

• Resistance Stage- body tries to regain internal regulation-blood flow decreases muscles relax

• Exhaustion Stage- Some people aren’t able to leave the Alarm Stage. This is unhealthy because the increased blood flow/blood pressure damages arteries/vessels…premature death