Personal

Development
Mental Health & Stress
What I Know
At this point, let us look at your awareness of mental health and psychological well
being. Write TRUE if the statement is correct and write FALSE if it is not.
_______________1. Mental illness is not caused by doing the wrong things. Doctors
assume that psychological state is caused by a combination of
what occurs in one's body and what happens around you.
_______________2. People with mental illnesses have a hard time dealing with their
day to day performance tasks.
_______________3. There is no cure for having a mental illness.
_______________4. People with mental illness are risky and violent.
_______________5. Mental illness is identical with being mentally disabled
(sometimes incorrectly referred to as mental retardation).
_______________6. Mental illness is a cognitive disability, which means it is a
different journey with different challenges. It is essential to treat
all people with respect because you do not know how life is like
in their shoes.
_______________ 7. It is common for all people sometimes to have and sometimes
feel like they do not know what to do. Nevertheless, it is good to
talk to others and learn what works best for you.
_______________ 8. Having a wound will not get better with just simple medication.
It also takes time, exercise, and hard work. Likewise, mental
illness is the same. One needs patience, get help from others,
and talk about it. Then, you will start to feel better, too.
_______________ 9. I cannot help a friend with a mental illness; only a doctor can.
_______________ 10. All mental illnesses are unlike but being detected with one will
not keep you from being able to develop, learn how to take care
of yourself, and get a good life like everybody else.

How do you perceive the above statements? If you think you got most of the correct answers, it only
shows that you are well-informed on this topic. In some ways, the issues dealt with here may also
be the issues you have presently.

Mental Health & Stress

Developmental tasks and challenges are being experienced during adolescence, as
studied from the previous module. Consequently, as you go along with the different
changes and transition to being adolescent, how well do you know yourself?

What’s In
ACTIVITY 1.1: Me, My Self & I
(Critical Thinking, Character Building)
Instruction: Classify or state some description of yourself on the different
aspect. You may use the image as your guide. How does this affect your thought,
feelings, and actions in dealing with life situations?

INTELLECTUAL SELF -assessment on how you reason and solve problems

:________________________________ ________________________________
EMOTIONAL SELF-feelings extreme feelings you have and don’t have:____________________________
________________________________
INTERACTIONAL SELF - strengths and weaknesses in relationships:___________________________
______________________________________
PHYSICAL SELF- describe ypurself:___________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________

How does it feel to be in the shoes of others? Let us learn from other people's lives that
might be a lot similar to you or others' life travel.

ACTIVITY 1.2: The Journey of the shoes of others

(Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Character Building)

Instruction: Put yourself to the situation of others by reading their stories below and answer
the guide questions that follows.

I grew up a middle child between two high achieving siblings. My Father and Mother had very high standards
of success and strict rules to counter my rebellious nature. During high school, I remember feeling isolated
and depressed, while sometimes feeling impulsive and hyperactive, I felt like a pendulum, consistently
swinging from one extreme to the other—a feeling I had no control over. When I was eighteen, I experienced
losing touch with reality for the first time. The medical term for this is a psychotic break. I began to think that
my whole life was being filmed as a reality TV show that everyone could watch, except for me. I believed this
was true. In many real ways, I was out of control, and within two days, I managed to spend 5,000
dollars,giveaway all of my possessions, and drop out of college. My friends became very concerned about my
behavior and state of mind and convinced me to check into a psychiatric facility where I remained for the next
three months. For some time, I continued to go back and forth between my belief that I was part of this
"scripted reality", and what was real. At times I was so out of control that my doctors needed to help stabilize
my behavior with medication and also, I needed to be physically retrained — all to keep me safe. I was told
that I had a manic episode complicated with a psychotic break. I look back on this now, knowing I made the
right decision to enter the hospital. I continue to explore how and why I experienced such a severe manic
episode. While mental illness is often hard to diagnose, so is finding the right balance of medication and
receiving the correct treatment plan. I've learned that a hospital stay can be an important part of finding that
balance. Yet, medication is only part of solving the challenge of mental illness. Prevention and early
intervention, which is recognizing the warning signs and symptoms of someone who is struggling and seeking
help before the problem gets out of control are also important.

Source: https://walkinourshoes.org/our-stories/zoey

Questions to Ponder
1. What does the main character going through?
2. What does the story would like to imply?
3. How does this story relates to you?

A huge part of my recovery and journey to wellness was in my decision to become an advocate — to speak out
on behalf of those who experience mental illness. I remember telling myself, "I am only as strong as the
history that creates me, and instead of being ashamed of my history; I decided to share it with others with
the hope that it may help someone else.” The illness that almost killed me is now the strength behind my
motives. If I have learned anything, it is that a mental condition is a gift that allows the mind to experience
the world on a different level. This gift shouldn't be abused, nor taken for granted, but embraced and used in
a manageable way to maximize individual growth.

What is It
How are you feeling right now? How have you been for the past few weeks? Are you disappointed?
Feeling stress out? Not motivated? Are you affected so much by the COVID-19 pandemic? If your
answer is YES, you are not alone. Just like our physical health, mental health is essential in our
lives. However, it is different when one has a mental illness because this includes emotional,
psychological, and social health. It can influence one's feelings, thoughts, social and emotional well-
being.
Magpantay and Danao (2016), from the 1999 Surgeon General's Report on
Mental Health, defined mental health as "successful performance of the mental
function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people,
and the ability to change and to cope with adversity." Mental illness refers to
diagnosable mental disorders characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or
behavior (or a combination thereof) associated with distress and impaired
functioning."
Most mental health problems diagnosed in adulthood begin in adolescence.
Half of the lifetime diagnosable mental health disorders start by age 14; this
number increases to three fourths by age 24. The most common disorders among
adolescents include depression, anxiety disorders, and attention-deficit/
hyperactivity disorder and substance use disorder. The table below shows some
common types of mental health.
SYMPTOMS CAUSES
1. Depression Disorder of emotion or mood Self-images, body images,
(sadness, hopelessness, misery, Separation of parents,
inability to enjoy). On Cognitive emotionally unavailable
aspects symptom manifest by parents, parents who have
negative conditions about self, high marital conflict, and
world and future. On Motivational parents with financial
symptoms are loss of interest, lack problems. Poor personal
of drive, and difficulty on starting relationships,
in experiencing peer
anything. On somatic symptoms rejection.
are loss of energy, sleep difficulties
loss of appetite and weight loss
/gain.

Extraordinary weight loss

2.Eating Disorder
Feeling negatively about
their bodies and highly
Over worrying about future events motivated to look like
and fear is a reaction to current same-sex figures in the
events. media
3. ANXIETY
Genes likely play a role in
causing anxiety, as well
as the home,
neighborhood, school, and
other environmental
factors.

No one experiences perfect mental health or well-being all the time. However, ongoing mental health
problems can affect many areas of your life, such as relationships with others, sleep appetite,
energy levels, even the ability to think clearly or make decisions, and inability to perform daily
tasks. In short, it can affect the totality of a person.
Nevertheless, one must learn to balance the different 14 aspects of one's life.
Mental health and wellness matter in as much as positive mental health allows people to grasp their
full potential, work productively, and make significant contributions to society.

Being a student, a son/daughter, a brother/sister, a choir member, an officer of the club and being
a member of the community are examples of different roles of an adolescent, that comes with
significant responsibilities. Moreover, it can be overwhelming sometimes and stressful because of its
many demands.

In this multi-tasking world, it is better to understand your situation to manage different

circumstances, solve problems, and resolve conflicts. What worries you a lot? What makes you
stressed out? But first, let us define what is stress and your stressor.

According to Merriam-Webster, the stress as a noun is a state of mental tension and worry caused
by problems in one's life, work, and many others that causes intense feelings of worry or anxiety. As
stated by Ferret in his book Peak

Performance, stress is simply the body’s response to external events (e.g., taking an exam or giving
a speech) or internal events (e.g., fear, worry, or unresolved anger). Everything one experiences
stimulate the body to react and respond.

Magpantay and Danao (2016) stated two categories of stress: eustress and
Distress

Eustress is positive stress for it is helpful—it motivates the individual to keep on working and reach
for the goal.

Distress, on the other hand, is negative stress because it could give harmful implications to the
individual, such as anxiety and depression; discourages the individual from becoming productive;
and could cause emotional, physical, and psychological problems.

The situations and pressures that cause stress are known as stressors. We usually think of
stressors as being negative, such as an exhausting work schedule or a rocky relationship. However,
anything that puts high demands can be stressful. It includes positive events such as getting
married, buying a house, going to college, or receiving a promotion. Of course, not all stress is
caused by external factors. Stress can also be internal or self-generated, when one worries
excessively about something that may or may not happen, or have irrational, pessimistic thoughts
about life.

KINDS OF STRESSORS

1. Cataclysmic events are strong stresses that suddenly occur and may simultaneously affect many
people (Feldman, 2010). Natural disasters like typhoons, coding, global warming effects, and
earthquakes are examples of this kind of stressors—likewise, man-made troubles such as terrorist
attacks, ship or plane crash, and bombings.
2. Personal stressors refer to conditions, events, situations, or anything that causes stress to an
individual. It could be positive or negative stressors such as marrying, death of a loved one, getting
a new job or job loss, starting and ending class, transferring to new schools, leaving old friends, and
many others. Moreover, stress occurs when the individual is experiencing frustration, pressure, or
conflict.

3. Background stressors or daily hassles (Feldman, 2010) are also referred to as displeasures that
could be encountered every day, such as standing in the long line while waiting for the train, stuck
in heavy traffic, noise, and pollution of the environment. Another background stressor
isexperiencing dissatisfaction with school or a job, being in an unhappy relationship, or living in
crowded quarters without privacy (Feldman 2010; Weinstein et al., 2004; McIntyre, Korn, &
Matsuo, 2008).

Stress symptoms may affect one's health, even though one may not realize it.
You may think illness is to blame for that irritating headache, frequent insomnia or decreased
productivity at work. However, stress may be the cause.
Common effects of stress
Indeed, stress symptoms can affect your body, thoughts, feelings, and
behavior. Your ability to recognize common stress symptoms can help you manage
them. Stress that is left unchecked can contribute to many health problems, like
hypertension, heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.

Headache
Anxiety
Overeating or
undereating
Muscle tension or pain Restlessness
Angry outbursts
Chest pain
Lack of motivation or focus Drug or alcohol
misuse
Fatigue
Feeling overwhelmed
Tobacco use
Change in sex drive
Irritability or anger
Social withdrawal
Stomach upset
Sadness or depression
Exercising less often

You can choose to perceive stress as a challenge or something to avoid. You can choose a positive,
optimistic outlook; use resources; and re-channel energy in positive and productive ways. Stress is
something you can learn to manage with coping strategies.

A little stress can add excitement to one’s life and may even help you to be motivated. However,
failure to cope with prolonged stress effectively can wear you down. The solution is not to avoid
stress but to acknowledge it directly by learning to manage and channel it.

You may try the following strategies:

1. Become attuned to your body and emotions. Become aware of your body and its reactions. Permit
yourself to feel several different emotions, but also learn strategies to pull yourself out of a fall.
Remember that you have the power to change negative, hurtful thoughts and to create positive
habits.

2. Exercise regularly. Experts say that exercise is one of the best ways to minimize stress, loosen up
the muscles, and promote a sense of well-being.

3. Dispute negative thoughts. Negative thinking can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy; if you say you
are going to fail, you probably will. You can change these negative thoughts to confident, optimistic,
and positive thoughts and actions.

4. Rest and regenerate your mind, body, and spirit. You do not have to practice a particular type of
meditation; just create a time for yourself when your mind is free to rest and quiet itself.
5. Use breathing methods. Deep breathing reduces stress and energizes the body.

6. Develop hobbies and interests. Hobbies can release stress. Sports, painting, reading, and
collecting can add a sense of fun and meaning to your life.

7. Create a support system. The support and comfort of family and friends can help you clear your
mind, sort out the confusion, and make better decisions. A group of people with similar experiences
and goals can give you a sense of security, personal fulfillment, and motivation.

8. Develop a sense of humor. Nothing reduces stress like a hearty laugh or spontaneous fun.

9. Plan; do not worry. Leading a disorganized life is stressful. Write down what has to be done each
day; never rely on your memory.

10. Be assertive. Assertive communication helps you solve problems, rather than build resentment
and anger, and increases your confidence and control over your life.

11. Keep a journal. Writing in a journal also helps clarify your concerns and decisions and can give
you a fresh perspective.

12. Get professional help. With a counselor's guidance, you can gain insight into
your reaction to stress and modify your perception and behavior.

What I Have Learned

To sum it up here are the key points on the module for you to remember:
A. Mental health is the way your thoughts, feelings, and behavior affect your life. A positive self-
image and satisfying relationship with others lead to having good mental health; that would turn
out to help you make rational decisions and deal positively with life challenges.

B. There are common types of mental health; depression, eating disorder, and anxiety to name a
few. In which Eating disorder has 2 types(1)Anorexia Nervosa (2)Bulimia Nervosa. While on Anxiety
disorder can be group into (1)Separation Anxiety Disorder (2) Generalized Anxiety Disorder (3)Social
Phobia (4) ObsessiveCompulsive Disorder(OCD) (5) Panic Disorder and (6) Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD)

C. It is typical for children and teenagers sometimes to have low moods, poor motivation, and
trouble with sleeping. However, changes in the usual way of living that persist for a long time may
lead to the signs and symptoms of having a mental illness.

D. There are practices you can adopt to uplift your mood, become more resilient, and enjoy life
better. In as much as it requires effort to build and maintain physical health, so it is with mental
health. One has to work harder these days to ensure strong mental health, simply because there
are so many ways that life takes a toll on our emotional well-being.

E. Stress can be referred to as people's response to events that threaten or challenge them.

F. The cause of stress is known to be stressors. It can be (1) cataclysmic events (natural calamities
and man-made troubles) (2)personal stressors (3) background stressors (daily hassles)

G. Stress affects your body, your thoughts and feelings, and your behavior.

H. Different effective stress-management strategies can diminish the ill-effects of stress. The
presence of support networks and the group can help reduce the experience of stress. Recognition
of the problem and developing stress-management skills can also be valuable preventive measures.
A physician or other health-care professional can recommend counseling or other treatments that
can reduce the long-term risks of stress.
What I Can Do
ACTIVITY 1.4: ABC Method of Self-Management
(Critical - Thinking, Character Building)
Instruction: Describe the situation in which you suffered from lack of sleep, not
eating healthy, or stressed out. Apply the ABC method to work through the
scenario and achieve a positive outcome.
A = ACTUAL EVENT
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________
B = BELIEF
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________
C = CHALLENGE
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________
At least one strategy I learned in this module that I plan to try right away is:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________
What changes must I make in order for this strategy to be effective?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________
SOURCE: Ferret,S.Peak Performance Success in Colege and beyond(7th ed,384-
388/406/408).1221Avenue of the Americas, New York:McGraw Hill, Companies,Inc.

ACTIVITY 1.5: Thinking Outside the Box;

Our Family Destress Reinforcement
(Creativity, Communication, Collaboration, Character Building)
Instruction: How do you and your family deal in this trying time we are facing right now, the COVID-
19 pandemic? Let us think outside the box. With the help of
your family members make your family destress reinforcement.
Write down five
stress or outcomes
of pandemic
COVID-19 to you
and your family.
Ask your family members and write the ways on how your whole family cope up
with the stress caused by COVID-19 pandemic?
1._________________________________________________________________
2._________________________________________________________________
3._________________________________________________________________
4._________________________________________________________________
5._________________________________________________________________

Assessment (Critical Thinking)

Matching Type. Match column A to column B. Write only the letter.
A B
1. Stresses that suddenly occur and may simultaneously
affect many people. a. EUSTRESS
2. Stress occurs when the individual is experiencing
frustration, pressure, or conflict b. BACKGROUND STRESSOR
3. Simon knew he is having difficulty coping with his Math
subject. Whenever his teacher announces their scores in
math quizzes he is being observed to be shaking and
sweating a lot. He also had an episode of difficulty breathing
while taking a major examination on that subject. c. POST TRAUMATIC
STRESSDISORDER
4. These are displeasures that could be encountered
everyday. d. DISTRESS
5. Phillip is failing this school year due to excessive
absences. He admitted to his parents that he purposely
absent himself in class because he did not want to speak on
his reporting assignment. He also refuses to stand up
whenever his teacher calls his name for recitation. He does
not even mingle with his classmates and eat alone in the
canteen. e. SEPARATION ANXIETY
DISORDER
6. This refers to the kind of stress that is helpful.
f. PANIC DISORDER
7. A kind of stress that gives harmful implications to any
individual.
g. PERSONAL STRESSOR
8. Belle and two of her classmates were being held up last
week by unknown culprits. Her cellular phone and wallet
were taken from her. Her mother observed her having
nightmares and excessive sweating during her sleep. She
also has difficulty going to school alone that her mother
always accompanies and pick her up from school.
h. OBSESSIVE- COMPULSIVE
DISORDER
9. Mia is an incoming senior high school student. But she
does not want to go to school anymore because the school is
in a different town. This means she will be staying alone in
the dormitory with some unfamiliar students. She worries a
lot that something that may happen to her parents if she will
be with them at all times. She also had an idea that she
might be lost or kidnapped. This gives her a hard time that
she cries all night long and having nightmares. i. CATACLYSMIC EVENTS
10. Lisa is known to be prim and proper student in school.
But his teacher is worried about her inordinate behavior in
 j. SOCIAL PHOBIA
23keeping her things in an orderly manner. She has difficulty
finishing tasks due to repetitive answer sheets being thrown
on the waste basket because of erasures. She also lost her
focus on a school task whenever she is trying to arrange her
school materials which she would like to get it orderly even if
it means doing it over and over again.

Additional Activities
Portfolio Output 4: My Mental Health Awareness
(Critical - Thinking, Creativity, Character Building)
Instruction: For online users make an INFOGRAPHICS on mental health and
psychological well-being awareness.
For offline users on one-fourth white cartolina/bond paper be creative and artistic
to make a SLOGAN about mental health and psychological wellbeing awareness.