Lesson 1: MENTAL HEALTH AND UNDERSTANDING STRESS

“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.”

A. Mental Health

The World Health Organization defines mental health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not
merely the absence of disease.”

Being healthy therefore includes sound mental health not just a healthy body. It is the condition where both the body and the
mind are functioning properly.

B. Understanding Stress

Stress is simply a body’s response to events that make one feel threatened or upset. When the body senses danger, whether it is
real or not, the body’s defenses becomes rapid and automatic. This is the stress response, also known as fight-or-freeze reaction.

The Body’s Response to Stress

Negative stress, also known as distress is the condition of the body where its well-being is threatened or attacked.

Eustress or positive stress has the following Distress or negative stress has the following
characteristics: characteristics:
 Motivates, focuses energy  Causes anxiety or concern
 Is short-term  Can be short-term or long-term
 Is perceived as within our coping abilities  Is perceived as outside of our coping
 Feels exciting abilities
 Improves performance  Feels unpleasant
 Decreases performance
 Can lead to mental and physical
problems

C. Common Areas of Stressor that affect adolescents (peer, family, school, community)

Factors or aspects in life that produce stress are called stressors. Stressors are both external situations and internal conditions that
create problems.

Positive personal stressors- receiving good grades and recognition in the school, belonging to a circle a friends, learning a new
hobby, taking a vacation or leisure trips.

Family, school, and peer concerns such as the following are frequent causes of distress: excessive school demands, low and/or
failing grades, conflicts with classmates and friends, inadequate skills necessary to carry out tasks, and making presentations in
front of classmates and teachers.

Among the internal factors that can cause stress are:

o Repetitive negative though patterns and unrealistic and high expectations.

o Unreasonable fears (e.g. fear of heights, speaking on stage)
o Too much worrying about future events (game competition)
COMMON PHOBIAS
Angrophobia- fear of becoming angry Claustrophobia- fear of being enclosed
Androphobia- fear of men Enochlophobia- fear of clouds
Agtophobia- fear of heights Haphephobia- fear of being touched
Brontophobia- fear of thunder and lighting Laliophobia- fear of speaking

Lesson 2: COPING WITH STRESS AND DEPRESSION

“One friend, one person who is truly understanding, who takes the trouble to listen to us as we consider our problem, can change
our whole outlook on the world.”

Coping with Stress

 Talk to and stay connected to others

 Get busy and be active
 Take care of yourself
 Take information breaks
 Reaching out and talking to others
 Taking care of one’s self

Warning Signs of Stress Effective Coping

 Inability to concentrate
 Inability to slow down and relax
 Strong anger over minor irritations
 Often that things often go wrong
 Frequent prolonged feelings or boredom
 Frequent unexplained fatigue
 Sleep problems
 Psychosomatic, symptoms and disorders
 Reliance on alcohol, tobacco, drugs for
relaxation
 Clumsiness/frequent accidents
 Ability to adapt changes
 Ability to work under authority, rules and
limits
 Ability to carry tasks efficiently
 Ability to show warmth, care and love
 Self-direction
 Sense of humor and fulfillment
 Tolerance of others and frustration
 Depression is a common mental disorder that can affect anyone. It is characterized by severe sadness, low self-worth,
difficulty in focusing, loss of appetite, and loss of interest.

How Do People React to Loss and Grief?

1. Denial

Denial is a normal reaction to death or loss and should never be interpreted as “not caring”. In this stage, the individual is
protected from experiencing the intensity of the loss.

2. Anger

In this stage of grief, the individual usually feels helpless and powerless. The individual feels like being left alone because
of the loss or death of loved one. The anger can be extended toward life.

3. Bargaining

In this stage of grief, people usually become obsessed with thoughts of what could have been done to prevent the loss.

If this stage prolonged and not dealt with properly and resolved, then the individual may develop an intense feeling of
guilt and anger and can delay the healing process.

4. Depression

The individual starts to realize the extent and effect of the loss. This is manifested through the following common signs:
insomnia, poor appetite, crying spells, fatigue, and lack of interest and energy.

5. Acceptance

The individual begins to come to terms with all the emotions and feelings that he has experienced when the death
occurred. Healing process begins when the individual begins to integrate the loss into the individual’s life experiences.

Depression can be diagnosed and treated by non-specialist however the more complicated case of depression or those who
did not respond to first-line treatment may be handle by specialist.

Lesson 3: COMMON MENTAL DISORDER AND MANAGEMENT

“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”

-Mother Teresa

Mental Disorders are generally characterized by abnormal thoughts, emotions, behavior and relationships with others.

COMMON MENTAL DISORDERS

A. Mood Disorders

Having bad mood is different from mood disorder. It can increase the risk for non-communicable diseases like heart
disease, diabetes etc. One in ten people aged 18 and above have mood disorders.

With early treatment, people with mood disorders can lead productive lives.

B. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Identifying Threats and Red Flags

The three main features of ADHD are inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsivity.

Prevention, Coping and Treatment

The exact cause of ADHD is not known unless a comprehensive evaluation is done by a trained professional.

ADHD treatment may include medicine to control the symptoms, therapy, or both. The establishment of structure for
treatment at home and at school is important.

C. Bipolar Disorder

Identifying Threats and Red Flags

If the swing from joy to sadness occurs often and overwhelms the person, then the condition may already be bipolar
disorder also known as manic depressive disorder.

Bipolar disorders have two phases/poles:

1. Manic phase-overactivity and restlessness. High level of energy and talks extremely fast but cannot stay on one subject.

2. Depressive phase- sadness, little initiative, less self-confidence and physical activity and by a feeling that there is not much
point in doing anything.
 Persons suffering from bipolar disorder experience mood swings from great excitement to great depression.

Prevention, Coping and Treatment

Bipolar disorder is best treated by medications, psychotherapy or combination of both.

D. Schizophrenia

Identifying Threats and Red Flags

Schizophrenia means “split mind”, which refers to a breakdown in logical thought process. Characterized by having both
hallucinations and delusions.

Hallucination is described by those who experienced it as “like a tape playing in my head”.

Delusions on the other hand are false beliefs that usually involve misinterpretation of perceptions or experiences.

Prevention, Coping and Treatment

Persons with schizophrenia need full support and care provided by the family and community.

E. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Identifying Threats and Red Flags

Someone who feels the need to check things repeatedly, or have certain thoughts to perform routines and rituals over
and over. The repeated rituals may cause distress and get in the way of daily life. These frequent upsetting thoughts are called
obsessions. What makes the difference in the rituals of OCD is that they perform their rituals even though doing so interfere their
daily life as they find the repetition distressing.

People with OCD generally have the following characteristics:

o Repeated thoughts or images about many different things.

o Cannot control the unwanted thoughts and behavior
o Get distressed when performing the behaviors or rituals
o Spend hours on the thought and rituals, which cause distress.

Prevention, Coping and Treatment

 Psychotherapy is useful to teach a person different ways of thinking, behaving and reacting to situations.
 Medications prescribed by doctors to help treat OCD are anti anxiety medications and antidepressants.

F. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Identifying Threats and Red Flags

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is real mental illness. This is acquired after living through or seeing a traumatic event,
such as war, typhoon, sexual assault, physical abuse, or a bad accident PTSD makes one feel stressed and afraid after the
danger is over. A person with this may be having emotional reactions and feels agitated dissociated, nervous, sad, scared of
sleeping alone at night, temper tantrums, and worried.

Kinds of Traumatic Events

 One-time traumatic event like rape and separation or sudden death of parents.
 Repeated trauma that happens over and over again like physical or emotional abuse, gang violence, and sexual
abuse.

Prevention, Coping and Treatment

PTSD is treated by medicines, talk therapy, or both for 6-12 weeks. However, trreatmenr takes longer for other people.
Professional help should be consulted if the child is not recovering. Support should be extended to minor victims.

Strengthening the Mental Health System in the Philippines

The World Health Organization Assessment Instrument for Mental Health System (WHO-AIMS) proposes the following to
strengthen mental health in the Philippines.

1. Support the legislation of Mental Health Act.

2. Establish linkage between home and school, health program.

3. Provide education and information sessions regarding mental health.

4. Strengthen the role of the family, school, and community on mental health.

5. Collaborate with the local health units and other non-governmental organizations for community care service.