YOUTH

DEVELOPMENT
SESSION (YDS)
OBJECTIVES
• At the end of the session participants will learn about
mental health and common mental health issues.
• At the end of the session participants will learn healthy
ways to cope with stress.
• At the end of the session participants will know how to
support others struggling with mental health issues.
• At the of the session participants will be able to apply the
learned coping mechanisms in their daily lives.
 ACTIVITY NO. 1
1. On a given meta cards, list down the things
that make you feel stressed today
2. Select and emoji that represents your feeling
today.
IMPORTANCE OF
MENTAL
HEALTH
 Mental Health
• Mental health is a state of well being in which the
individual realizes his or her own abilities, can
cope with the normal stresses of life, can work
productively and fruitfully and is able to contribute
to his or her own community
• Fear, worry and stress are normal responses to
perceived or real threats and at times when we are
facing with uncertainty or the unknown.
 COMMON MENTAL HEALTH
ISSUES AMONG STUDENTS
• Stress – Almost all students will experience some form of stress
at school, usually triggered by academic pressure or personal
circumstances (family conflict, relationship issues and peers)
• Anxiety – While it’s normal to be nervous in stressful situations,
people with Anxiety often feel overly anxious under pressure
(sometimes to the point of panic attacks) or experience low-level
anxiety all the time, regardless of the situation.
• Depression – Again, while it’s normally to sometimes feel down,
these feelings are categorised as Depression when they continue
for over two weeks, recur regularly (e.g. once a month), or have
significant negative impact on an individual’s quality of life.
 What is Stress?
*Stress is the feeling of being overwhelmed or
unable to cope with mental or emotional pressure.
•Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical
tension. It came from any event or thought that
makes you feel frustrated, angry, or nervous.
•Is not necessarily something bad- it all depends
on how you take it.
 Types of Stress
• Eustress – Enhance function

• Distress – Detrimental to function

 Stress
“A Matter of Judgment”
In becoming stressed, people must therefore
make two main judgments
-They must feel threatened by the Situation
-They must doubt that their capabilities and
resources are sufficient to meet the threat.
 SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY

• Feelings of panic, fear or uneasiness

• Problems sleeping
• Catastrophic Thinking (obsessing over the worst
case scenario)
• Heart palpitations
• Difficulty concentrating
• Panic attacks
SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION

• Exhaustion and lack of energy

• Problems sleeping
• Difficulty concentrating
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Loss of interest in activities which used to bring joy
What are the causes of Stress?
• Money
• Loss of job
• Death of a loved one
• Health problems
• Emotional problems (depression, anxiety, anger,
grief, guilt and low self-esteem)
• Getting Married/Divorce
 Effects of Stress in our Body and
in Mental Health
• Feelings of Fear, anger, sadness, worry, numbness or frustration
• Changes in appetite, energy, desires and interest
• Difficulty in concentrating and making decisions
• Difficulty in sleeping or having nightmares
• Physical reactions such as headaches, body pains and stomach
problems
• Increase use of tobacco, alcohol and other substances
• Worsening Mental Health conditions
• Can cause health problems
Coping Mechanism
 Coping with Stress

• Learning to cope with stress in a healthy way will make you,

the people you care about and those around you become
more resilient and could have a stable mental health.
• Taking care of yourself can better equip you to take care of
others.
• Helping others to cope with stress through phone calls or
video chats can help you and your loved ones feel less lonely
or isolated.
Healthy Ways to Cope with Stress

1. Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to

news stories, including those on social media.
2. 2. Take care of your body such as…
* take a deep breath, exercise regularly or meditate
* try to eat healthy foods or well-balanced meals
* Get a plenty of sleep
* Avoid excessive drinking of alcohol, using of
tobacco/cigarettes and other substance use.
3. Make time to unwind
4. Connect with others
5. Connect with your community or faith based
oragnizations.
 HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT
SOMEONE
Whether you notice someone is acting differently, or they disclose to you
that they are struggling, you can use these five steps to support them.

A – Assess for risk

L – Listen non-judgementally
G – Give reassurance & information
E – Encourage appropriate professional help
E – Encourage self-help and other support
CREATING A POSITIVE CULTURE
AROUND MENTAL HEALTH
MODELLING THE WAY
•Be open & honest about your own mental health
•Check in regularly – give people the opportunity to discuss
how they’re doing
•Encourage self-care – Especially at stressful times,
encourage people to rest & relax
•Establish support networks – Set up a buddy scheme &
encourage people to check in with each other
ACTIVITY NO. 2
1. Sharing to groupmates
2. Select emoji to represent what are you
feeling today after the discussion
THANK YOU
FOR COMING
TODAY!