Personal

Development
Quarter 1 – Module 8:
Understanding of Mental Health and
Psychological Well-being

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CO_Q1_Personal Development SHS Module 8
 Lesso

n 8 Stress and Mental Health

“You can’t change how people treat you or what they say about you. All
you can do is change how you react to it.” -Mahatma Gandhi
Each of us has our own battle. We encounter different challenges in life,
and it is up to us on how to deal with each challenge. Nowadays, most
adolescents like you deal with different issues with friends, family, academics,
relationships, and even pressure that could lead to stress and worst, depression.
There are several ways on how to deal and cope with stress. Most of the time,
dealing with stress differs from person to person. It is better to assess yourself
first for you to know what strategy you can easily adapt to deal with stress.

What’s In

As you learned on the previous module, happiness depends on you alone.

Being happy is something that you must declare on yourself. We are all
responsible for our own happiness. We take control of the things that will give
impact and influence on our life. Imagine you are browsing your Facebook
timeline, and you saw the following pictures posted by your friends. Draw the
reaction you will give in each post.
YOUR REACTIONS:

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 Notes to the
Students might haveTeacher
different reactions. What is more important is how they
will react on each picture. With their reaction, you can identify what can make
them happy and what can make them sad or
lonely.

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 What’s New

Activity 1.1 Color the Fun Game

On this activity, you will need crayons and paper. Get a sheet of paper and
make a table just like the example below. Get another piece of paper, divide it
into 12 then color each pair (red, orange, yellow, blue, green and violet), making
2 sets of color. After coloring the paper, crumple and make a tiny circle just like
nips. Pick one from those paper (do this like a lottery). Answer the table below
according to the color you picked. Do this until you finish all the 12 crumpled
papers.

COLOR OF THE NIPS TASK ANSWER

What makes you feel

RED
angry?

What makes you feel

YELLOW
loved?

What makes you feel

ORANGE
lonely/sad?

What makes you feel

BLUE
happy or excited?

What makes you feel

GREEN
worried or afraid?

What makes you feel

VIOLET
relaxed or chill?

After doing the activity, what did you feel? Were you able to recall
memories that make you feel happy? sad? lonely? angry? afraid? relaxed? How
did your heart react on each color? Did it beat fast? When you wrote down your
answers, did you still have the same feeling you felt with those things? Have you
moved on to the things that made you cry? Did you feel uncomfortable?

What is It

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 As a Senior High School student, you’re probably familiar with the
experience of stress—a condition characterized by symptoms of physical or
emotional tension. An individual may feel when he/she is struggling to accept
changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses. It may give tension
which will lead into various responses such as anger, frustration, and
nervousness. What you may not know is that it’s a natural response of the mind
and body to a situation in which a person feels threatened or worried. Stress can
be positive (the excitement of preparing for your 18 th birthday) or negative
(dealing with a loss of a family member).
Stress was used to describe a variety of unpleasant feelings such as
overtime we feel angry, conflicted, overwhelmed, frustrated or fatigued.
Demanding or threatening events are often referred as stressors. These events
can cause stress, the organism’s biological and behavioral response to the
stressor.
Prolonged stress can cause high blood pressure, weaken the immune
system and contribute to diseases such as obesity and heart disease. It can also
lead to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression—disorders that
are becoming more common in youth. In a 2018 study, researchers analyzed
data from the National Survey of Mental Health and found that rates of anxiety
and depression had increased in kids ages 6 to 17, from 5.4% in 2003 to 8.4% in
2011-12.

Stress comes in different forms. But like adults, adolescents can find
healthy ways to cope. Together, teens and their parents can learn to spot the
signs of excess stress and, with the right tools, manage it.

RECOGNIZE SIGNS OF STRESS

Signs of stress in adolescents can show up in a number of ways:

• Irritability and anger. Stressed-out teens might be more short-tempered or

argumentative than normal.

• Changes in behavior. A once-active teen now doesn’t want to leave the house.
Sudden changes can be a sign that stress levels are high.

• Trouble sleeping. A teen might complain of feeling tired all the time, sleep
more than usual or have trouble falling asleep at night.

• Neglecting responsibilities. If an adolescent suddenly drops the ball on

homework, forgets obligations or starts procrastinating more than usual, stress
might be a factor.

• Eating changes. Eating too much or too little can both be reactions to stress.

• Getting sick more often. Stress often shows up as physical symptoms.

Adolescents who feel stress often report headaches or stomachaches.

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WAYS TO COPE WITH STRESS
As an adolescent, you can learn how to manage stress that can lead to happier
and healthier lives. Here are some tips to help you keep stress at bay.

• Keep a positive attitude.

• Be assertive instead of aggressive. Assert your feelings, opinions, or
beliefs instead of becoming angry, defensive, or passive.
• Exercise regularly. Your body can fight stress better when it is fit.
• Eat healthy, well-balanced meals.
• Learn to manage your time more effectively.
• Make time for hobbies, interests, and relaxation.
• Get enough rest and sleep. Your body needs time to recover from stressful
events.
• Don't rely on alcohol, drugs, or compulsive behaviors to reduce stress.
• Seek out social support. Spend enough time with those you enjoy.
• Seek treatment with a psychologist or other mental health professional
trained in stress management to learn healthy ways of dealing with the
stress in your life.

Mental Health
As defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary, it is a condition of being sound
mentally and emotionally that is characterized by the absence of mental illness
and by adequate adjustment especially as reflected in feeling comfortable about
oneself. It is also a positive feeling about others, and the ability to meet the
demands of daily life. Having a good mental health is also a state of the overall
wellbeing of a person associated with, can set and aim your goals,
enjoying your life to the fullest, can have and maintain a good relationship with
other people especially your classmates and colleagues and lastly, you are able
to manage and recover from loneliness and stress. A good mental health doesn’t
necessarily mean being happy or successful all the time. Most people feel
depressed, lonely, or anxious now and then, but those with good mental health
can take these feelings in stride and overcome them. When such feelings or
moods persist and interfere with a person’s ability to function normally, though,
it may be a sign of a more serious mental health problem and time to seek help.
Wellbeing is the holistic view of our self and our health. As an adolescent,
there are several factors that could influence your wellbeing such as pressure
due to exams, assignments and projects, family issues, financial status,
relationships among other people, and mobile addiction. It is your task to cope
with stress and manage your mental health.
Having a good mental health means that you are stable enough to face
challenges brought by the different daily circumstances. Whatever life may bring
to you, you can ‘bounce back’ and get to action again.

Mental Health Indicators

Here are some known indicators of mental health:

• Emotional well-being: life satisfaction, happiness, cheerfulness,

peacefulness.

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 • Psychological well-being: self-acceptance, personal growth including
openness to new experiences, optimism, hopefulness, purpose in life,
control of one’s environment, spirituality, self-direction, and positive
relationships.
• Social well-being: social acceptance, belief in the potential of people
and society, personal self-worth and usefulness to society,
and a sense of community.

11 TIPS FOR MENTAL AND HEALTH WELL-BEING

Below are some tips on how to take care and cultivate one’s mental health
and well-being:

1. Get enough sleep and rest. Sleep affects our physical and mental
health but can be the first thing you trade in when you get busy or
stressed.

2. Take time out for things you enjoy. Balance in life is important, so
taking time out for things you enjoy can make a difference to how you
think and feel.

3. Be active and eat well. Your physical and mental health is closely
linked, so adding exercise and nutritious food every day can make you
feel better.

4. Nurture relationships and connect with others. Your connection to

others is what builds you up and keeps you strong.

5. Learn to manage stress. If you have trouble winding down or

managing thoughts you may find relaxation, yoga or writing your feelings
down helpful.

6. Get involved and join in. Being part of a group with common interests
provides a sense of belonging so find out about sporting, music,
volunteer or community groups locally.

7. Build your confidence. Learning improves your mental fitness and

taking on a new challenge can build confidence and give you a sense of
achievement.

8. Be comfortable in your own skin. Everyone is unique and should be

celebrated. Know who you are and what makes you happy.

9. Set realistic goals and deal with tasks one at a time. It is good to
be specific when you set a goal to help keep you on track.

10. Reach out for help when you need it. Everyone needs support from
time to time. Talking to a family member, a friend, your doctor or one of
the many services available can make all the difference.

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What I Have Learned

Activity 1.2 Sharing is caring

In this activity, you will write the threats and opportunities of the given
situation. Use the illustrations below to indicate your answers. Write your answer
on a 1 whole sheet of paper.

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 Consistent first honor from Transferring to another school
grades 7-10

THREATS:
THREATS:

OPPORTUNITIES:
OPPORTUNITIES:

HOW TO COPE WITH THIS

HOW TO COPE WITH THIS
STRESS:
STRESS:

Elected as the
Class President Having your first
boyfriend/girlfriend

THREATS: THREATS:

OPPORTUNITIES: OPPORTUNITIES:

HOW TO COPE WITH THIS HOW TO COPE WITH THIS

STRESS: STRESS:

Activity 1.3
In this activity, you will write the things that you have learned by writing your
own definition of the following terms.

1. STRESS

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 2. STRESSOR

3. MENTAL HEALTH

4. PERSONAL WAYS TO COPE WITH STRESS

5. HOBBIES TO CULTIVATE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL

-BEING

What I Can Do

Learning the Skill: Stress as Stimulus, Response and Relational

1. List down experience that you had when it comes to stress.

2. Identify whether it is stress as stimulus, response, or relational.
3. On the fourth table, write ways on how you can nurture your mental health
and well-being.
Stress as Stress as Stress as Ways to nurture
Stimulus Response Relational mental health

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Assessment

Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate
sheet of paper.

1. Which of the following is not a thought when it comes to a positive stress?

What thoughts come to the mind when you are under negative stress?
A. Everything will be under control if you do not panic.
B. You can get help immediately.
C. You think that there is no solution on your current situation,
D. You think that everything happens for a reason. Therefore, you must
stay positive.

2. Which of the following statements is FALSE?

A. Stress can change your mood
B. Prolonged stress can lead to depression
C. Stress is not emotional
D. Moodiness is an emotional symptom of stress

3. It means learning to develop skills that would enhance our body’s

adjustment when we are subjected to the pressures of life.
A. Stress
B. Stress management
C. Mental health
D. Stressor

4. Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE about stress

management?
A. Stress management helps you break the hold stress has on your life.
B. Stress management helps us control our health in a positive sense.
C. Stress management is learning about the connection between mind
and body.
D. Stress management teaches us to avoid all kinds of stress.

5. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. In small quantities, stress is good
B. Too much stress is harmful
C. All stress is bad
D. A and b are correct

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6. What are the questions you need to ask yourself while you are assessing
yourself for stress?
A. Where do you feel stress in your body?
B. How do you know when you are stress?
C. How do you react to stress?
D. All of the above

7. Which of the following mindfulness meditation techniques can help relieve

stress?
A. Body Scan
B. Walking Meditation
C. Mindful Eating
D. All of the above

8. It is a simple reaction to an input that disturbs physical and mental

balance.
A. Emotion
B. Stress
C. Depression
D. Experience

9. The given examples - such as a high-stress job, overcrowding, and long

commutes to work - are under what categories of stress?
A. Stress as result
B. Stress as stimulus
C. Stress as response
D. Stress as relational

10. When performing deep abdominal breathing, focusing on a soothing word,

visualizing of tranquil scenes, repeating prayer, yoga, and tai chi, are
performing what category of stress?
A. Stress as result
B. Stress as stimulus
C. Stress as response
D. Stress as relational

11. The trouble that comes from imperfect people around us is what
category of stress?
A. Stress as result
B. Stress as stimulus

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 C. Stress as response
D. Stress as relational

12. Which is NOT TRUE about stress?

A. If you ignore stress, it will go away.
B. Women appear more distress than men.
C. Stress is hormonal response from the body.
D. Stress can overburden your mind with incessant worries.

13. Which of the following does not describe mental health?

A. A condition of being sound mentally and emotionally that is
characterized by the absence of mental illness
B. A positive feeling about others, and the ability to meet
the demands of daily life
C. Easily giving up with life challenges and doubting yourself
D. Being able to manage and recover from loneliness and stress

14. The following are the factors that can influence your well-being EXCEPT
A. TV news
B. pressure from school activities
C. financial issue
D. family problem

15. Which of the following are stress busters?

A. Trying to find something funny in a difficult situation
B. Developing a support network
C. Taking a mindful walk
D. All of the above

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