SA 1 REPORT: GROUP 4

CHAPTER 8: EMOTIONS AND MENTAL HEALTH

Breckenridge and Vincent (1981) said that emotional well-being is a primary factor in a
child's mental and personality development. A child inherits not only physical structure but also
the psychological structures of emotional and mental potentiality called psychological
constitution.
Abraham Sperling, (1976) defines an emotion as a "state of agitation," "distribution of
equilibrium," "an intense, random and disorganized response to a stimulus."

Classifications of Emotions
There is a wide spectrum of emotions.
Personal emotions are based on self, such as self. Assertion, self-preservation, self-
control, self-assurance, self-adequacy, self-sufficiency and self- esteem.
Social emotions are the strong feelings people have because they are part of the
society they move in sympathy is the most fundamental of them all. Other examples are love,
recognition, friendship, belongingness, compassion, and sympathy.
Intellectual emotions are based on love for the truth. People possess intellectual
emotions when they develop guiding principles and philosophies, systems of values and high
moral standards. Novelty and loftiness of ideals are good examples.
The aesthetic emotions are wholly influenced by the cultural background. Examples
are admiration, elation, appreciation, sacrifice, heroism, and patriotism.

How Powerful Is Emotion?

Emotion can propel man into action It is a strong power which drives man to carry heavy
objects in times of fire and in times of war, in times of calamities and in times of emergencies.
Emotions provide inspiration to do and accomplish things which could hardly be attained
under normal situations.
Emotions provide the color of the environment the individual moves in. His perception of
the world depends on the kind of emotion which overwhelms him, thus limiting or expanding his
world accordingly.
A person should know how to manage his emotions. He should know how to properly
direct and tailor his emotions toward his goals. Positive emotions such as love and curiosity
should be properly directed. Emotions may be compared to water which given the right canals
will not overflow and will not devastate humanity.
Effects of Emotions
Emotions are accompanied by glandular, muscular, mental, and physical effects on the
human organism. Usually, a person with intense emotions would have either a reddish face or a
pale face, hair standing all over the body. Profuse perspiration, trembling of the legs and joints,
or uncontrollable tears.
Unpleasant emotions cause the excessive secretions of glands which effect the normal
functions of the body such as digestion, respiration, and excretion. They also cause tenseness
of the muscles, higher breathing rate, and faster heartbeat. The posture becomes unstable and
shaky.
Strong emotions can block the learning process. Unmanageable strong emotions can
retard growth and development of the mind. However, pleasant emotions like love, joy,
happiness, and satisfaction can arouse the enthusiasm of persons, accelerate the learning
process, and may result in the fulfillment of the person.
Emotions make life colorful. Time is short and its passing unnoticed when people are in
love. Positive emotions motivate a man into action when he is happy over success. The span of
life is shortened because of negative emotions. As the Bible has put it, “Envy and anger shorten
one’s life, worrying brings on premature old age.” (Sirach 31-24)

Control of Emotions:
Man is capable of controlling emotions since he is endowed with the intellect and the
will. Self-control is the ability to do an act with a balanced mind. A person having this quality
thinks well before he speaks. Unlike animals, man must be able to overcome any impulse. This
can be done by self-control.
There are certain practices that need to be followed in order to have poise and self-
control. Rivera et. Al. (1973) offer the following advice:
1. Refrain from gambling and other vices.
2. Avoid unwholesome habits such as drinking liquor, smoking, overeating, etc.
3. Control your temper and language.
4. Take criticisms calmly and good-naturedly
5. Cultivate the habit of denying yourself some of the luxuries of life.
6. Shun all forms of vice, and endeavor to help in checking and eliminating them.

Mental Health
Mental health results when an individual balances his needs, desires and aspirations
against realities in the environment. To be able to do this, he must have an objective
assessment of himself as a social being. Frequently the roots of all human problems are so
deeply imbedded in the past that a person sometimes needs help to make the causes surface.
 Only a person with strong self-confidence can overcome multifaceted forms of problems.
These include an adolescent’s problem, choice of a career, mate, occupational problems,
marital problems, adjustment with in-laws, and financial problems. Acceptance, adaptations,
and decision-making can be achieved by a mature individual.
Human adjustment as an aspect of mental health is a continuous and unending process.
A solid and strong family foundation and back-up for any person are a source of support in time
of life crises.
A. In Employment
There are several situations in an employment setting where mental health should be
present. Immediate adjustment can promote good mental health. Supervisors are cognizant of
the problem of adjustment for newly selected employees. Other employees in the same
organization should offer acceptance, belongingness, and positive forms of treating the new
employees.
In the same way, new employees should take every opportunity to learn the intricacies of
the new job and the responsibilities they assume. They should show a positive attitude toward
work and those people with whom they will have a working relationship.
A briefing for the new employees regarding the physical facilities, regulations, policies,
and administrative personnel is considered a gain for the company in the long run.
B. In Social Life
One of the greatest blessings we have is the love and friendship of other people. This
form of happiness makes our life truly worth living.
Give others a chance to see your excellent qualities. Instill in their minds all your positive
qualities, because people easily form lasting impressions. Mentally individuals are always
positive in outlook and this optimism will be a plus factor in their social adjustments.
C. What is a Balanced Life?
Balance means moderation in everything. It means that one does not spend all of his
time in work or all of his time in play. Balance means one does not have to wrap his entire life
around one person or thing exclusively. One can never depend on a single source of support
and still expect to survive.
One should never lose balance by attempting to please everyone, or feel devastated
when he is criticized. Remember, the first sign of success is shown when one begins to be
criticized. When a person is achieving above par, he is noticed and becomes the source of envy
for others.
D. What is Satisfying Work?
Satisfying work has a very strong and positive influence on mental hygiene. Satisfying
work fulfills one's innermost needs and gives strong outlets for one's ego needs and creative
interest. It is the source of one's own happiness.
 It is not just a sound mind in a sound body, but it is a state that is intimately related to the
whole of human existence. It is the condition of the whole personality characterized by one's
ability to face reality in both defeat and victory and to function effectively in a dynamic society.
Adjustment and Frustrations
Adjustment is a process and not an end in itself. It is a happy and comfortable
relationship between one's self and one's environment. There is always the processing of
situation and environment and the resiliency and adaptability of the individual until he reaches
the stage of satisfaction and ultimately, happiness. As the wisdom of a philosopher says, "God,
give me the courage to change the things which I can change, the serenity to accept the things
which I cannot, and the wisdom to know the difference."
An individual is likely to become well-adjusted by changing his environment to meet his
individuality and also by submitting to the reasonable demands of the situations in which he
finds himself. On the other hand, he can avoid situations and people he feels uneasy with. He
can create settings where he can progress and stand out.
Neither do conformity and rebellion represent adjustment or maladjustment. One can be
harmonized with a situation and events without sacrificing his own values and principles.

How To Live With Oneself

The whole drama of life springs out of our basic “ want.” Dr. Murray D. Bars states this in
one of his speeches delivered more than 5,000 times.
Here they are:
1. I want to live. “How long?” “Forever.” A person will normally preserve himself. If it is a
question of saving one out of two, between himself and a friend, between himself and a
brother, himself and a mother, still it is himself who will win. Self preservation is an
innate tendency which nobody can question.

2. I want a feeling of importance. The ego of the person is flattered when it is being fed
with importance, recognition, and a feeling of being useful and needed. One will always
go a long way if his ego is bolstered and elevated.

3. I want a mate. An old maid who claims that she is truly happy is telling a lie. A woman is
born to a man and a man to a woman. Persons of opposite sex always attract each
other. It is most fulfilling to have a mate when both minds meet and when the man
stands as the father, husband, playmate, and co-worker at the appropriate time. Both
husband and wife should there fore be properly attuned in growth, professionally,
physically, spiritually, socially, and morally. Each one should support the other.

4. I want a little variety/change. Life is boring without variety or change. A monotonous

life kills motivations, initiative, interests, goals, and ambitions. It is very difficult to drag
the years through monotonous events. Challenges, problems, innovations, and rich
provoking situations can provide variety and color in one's life. The ups and downs of life
can make it more interesting and one can continue hoping for a better tomorrow.
Major Signs of Mental Health
1. Maintaining self-confidence is trusting oneself to cope with the difficulties which cross
one's way

2. Making adjustments is making oneself able to fit in almost all situations confronting
him. Tension is always present at every beginning stage. Later when one becomes
conditioned to the new situation, tensions gradually disappear and acceptance creeps in
until one begins to feel comfortable in that situation.

3. Controlling emotions. Emotional blocks have a detrimental effect on the individual. A

person is kept from using his logical thinking when he is enveloped with emotions. He is
likely to be caught off guard and, with all probability, he cannot respond appropriately
since he is shrouded with emotions.

4. Positive self-concept. A high regard for oneself should be encouraged and maintained.
One can maintain a certain degree of respectability if he first respects himself. In view of
this positive self- concept, one will be less tempted to do wrong. lest his values be
trampled.

5 Steps to Happiness
1. Laughter. “Give yourself an emotional and physical lift by including laughter and play in
your life on a regular basis."
It is not always easy to find time to play because we always have the tendency to work
hard. We must always make time slots for play on a regular basis.

2. Confidence. One way to happiness is to talk to yourself lovingly in front of a mirror, to

act lovingly towards yourself in the presence of others, and to be proud of yourself in
public. Standing up for yourself is vital to bringing out your creativity. Love is a serious
business. Love if you feel it, immerse yourself in it, live in it, and it will forever change
your life.
Low self-esteem is a barrier to the development of our prosperity because it keeps us
from developing our full potential. To the degree that we have low self-esteem, we tend
to separate our- selves from success.

3. Taking Risks. Every successful person agrees that there is risk in the pursuit of
achievement. We get energy for taking risks when we face our fear and act in spite of it.
Fear of failure keeps us from risking but willingness to risk is a measure of our
consciousness of prosperity,
4. Creative boost. The following are seeds of creativity.
 a. Productivity: Most productive people are creative. In the process of working and
being productive, one has the opportunity to become creative.
b. Analytical thinking: Unconsciously, this breaks down concepts and ideas into
their component parts. To understand something thoroughly, one has to see
beyond its sur- face structure.
c. Independent thinking: Be an independent thinker. Information is collected,
analyzed, and stored in order that one can render an independent judgment.
d. Unconventionality: What make unconventional people different from others are
their ideas and not the clothes that they wear.

5. What can one do when he wants to change but doesn’t know how:
a. Dare to love yourself in a world that gives no guarantee.
b. Pay attention to what you feel.
c. Nobody can really tell you the answer to life’s problems.
d. If what you are doing is not getting you what you want, try something different.
e. When you are considering a specific change, make a list of all possible things
that could happen.
f. Before you change, take a few moments to compliment yourself for some specific
at tributes.
g. If you decide to have a change, do it. Insight and understanding change nothing -
action does it.
h. After you try a change, evaluate the results.

Ways To Take Yourself out of The Blues and Black Moods.

1. Learn about yourself. Chart your moods. What are the kinds of irritations which provoke
your temper? What are your idiosyncrasies? Each one has his own.

2. Self-pity is the worst enemy. This will slow the pace of growth and progress because one
tends to be myopic when he indulges in self-pity.

3. Exercise. This will help in the circulation of the blood. It strengthens the heart and
extremities and it prolongs life.

4. Be conscious if your morale is becoming low. Count your blessings as a kind of antidote.
What are the causes of demoralization?

5. Be realistic about yourself. Balance your goals and ambitions with facts about you.
There should be a happy medium between the two so that realization is possible.

6. Do something you enjoy. There are many hobbies and recreational activities one can
resort to when feeling blue. Playing the piano, singing, dancing, writing, swimming,
viewing T.V., listening to music, just looking at the tall trees in the woods, being alone in
a seashore, going to the movies, or visiting flashy restaurants and leaving their recipes -
anyone of these helps one overcome black moods.
 7. Don’t panic. Time is a great healer. It will allow situational problems to settle by
themselves. To panic will cause more harm than good.

8. Involve yourself with life. No matter who gets hurt, no matter how serious the problem is,
this world should continue to go around. Better do the best you can. Live it to the brim.

How Frustration and Conflicts Influence Our Lives

Frustration is experienced by an individual when his action meets some form of
interference which prevents or delays its completion.
It is an individual experience because it is a relative matter. What may be frustrating to
one may not be frustrating to another person. Barriers which are the prime sources of frustration
exist everywhere.

Factors of Frustration
1. Physical factors
a. Poor health
b. Physical defects such as obesity, shortness in height or excessive height, being ugly,
and speech defects.
2. Intellectual factors
a. Lack of ability to achieve a certain goal.
b. Possession of abilities way beyond the requirements of a task.
3. Socio-economic factors
a. “Keeping up with the Joneses”.
b. Financial constraint in attaining one's ambition like taking up medicine.
c. Social discrimination due to financial difficulty in falling within a social group.
4. Interruption and disturbances
a. Frustration due to minor disturbances like noise while reading newspapers.
b. Changes in one's usual way of life.
5. Cultural origins
a. To live happily in this world means abiding by certain unwritten standards which pervade
the cultural groups- customs, traditions, system, and habitat of certain cultural groups.
The Aetas, the Mangyans, the Manobos, and the Igorots have their respective cultural
systems.

The Symptoms of Failing Adjustments

Kaplan and Baron (1961) list some warning signs of personality failures.
1. Physical symptoms
a. Lack of muscular control like hands shaking, tremors.
b. General feeling of weakness, fatigue without apparent reasons, stammering, speech
block, frequent urination.
c. Hypochondriasis-playing sick to avoid disagree able situations.
2. Emotional symptoms
a. Insomnia-can’t muster sleep, restlessness.
b. Depression-constant worry, blue moods, indifferent attitude.
c. Hyper-activity-scatterbrain, always doing some thing without finishing.
d. Sensitivity-can't accept criticism.
e. Sadism-likes to see others suffer, hostile, morose.
f. Self-persecution-bitterness toward the world, hates other people, and gets frustrated
about everything one does.
g. Fluctuation in moods, excessive fears, and obsessions.
3. Social symptoms
a. Distrusts people
b. Happy when alone
c. Feels he is always right
d. Does not speak to people unless they speak first.
4. Behavioral symptoms
a. Unable to make decisions
b. Over-eating
c. Unchanged dogmatic ideas