Managing Strong Emotions
True of False: Acting opposite is a strategy for changing our emotions that starts with changing our behaviors
True
True or False: Getting active can’t improve mood or help us accomplish goals.
Answer: false - research shows getting active can improve mood or help us accomplish goals.
True or False: Practicing relaxation daily, or throughout each day, helps us manage stress and anxiety.
Answer: true
True or False: Self-care is regularly engaging in activities to take care of our emotional, mental, and physical health.
Answer: true
If our urges are to attack, lash out, fight, or say mean things when we feel angry, what might acting opposite look like?
Answers may vary: speak softly, say/do kind things, leave the situation, use mindfulness.
Getting active for at least 15 minutes through sports, dance, exercise, or anything that gets your heart rate up improves energy and can offer an important sense of accomplishment. What is one activity you can do at home to get active?
Answers will vary: doing a DIY project, spending time with family members, dancing to your favorite song.
When we’re anxious or stressed, our bodies respond to help us deal with whatever it is we find scary or stressful. Relaxation can help us to find calm in these situations. What do your thoughts sound like when you’re anxious or stressed?
Answers will vary: racing thoughts, worried thoughts, negative thoughts.
True or False: Self-care looks the same for everyone.
Answer: false - self-care looks different for everyone, as we all have different families, home lives, interests, and access to resources.
If our urges are to withdraw, avoid friends, and stay in bed when we feel sad, what might acting opposite look like?
Answers may vary: talk to friends, do something active.
Getting active for at least 15 minutes through sports, dance, exercise, or anything that gets your heart rate up improves energy and can offer an important sense of accomplishment. What is one activity you can do at school to get active?
Answers will vary: playing an instrument, joining in gym class, playing a sport, going for a walk at lunch.
When we’re anxious or stressed, our bodies respond with uncomfortable feelings to help us manage whatever it is we find scary or stressful. Relaxation can help calm these uncomfortable feelings. What do you feel in your bodies when you are stressed or anxious?
Answers will vary: tension, body aches, headaches, restlessness, irritability.
Name an activity that is self-care for you.
Answers will vary: drinking water, sleeping 8 hours at night, exercising, connecting with others, being kind to yourself
If our urges are to avoid, distract, and get a lot of reassurance when we feel scared, what might acting opposite look like?
Answers may vary: confront, face our fears, act bravely.
Sometimes barriers get in the way of people getting active. What is one barrier you could encounter when making a plan to get active?
Answers will vary: the weather, too much homework, too tired, etc.
When we’re anxious or stressed, our bodies respond to help us deal with whatever it is we find scary or stressful. Relaxation can help us to find calm in these situations. What do your behaviors look like when you are stressed or anxious?
Answers will vary: avoiding, trying to do too much at once.
Sometimes we do things in the name of self-care, but we end up doing them too much and it becomes unhelpful. What is an example of something we can do for self-care that if we take too far that could be harmful to us?
Answers will vary: sleep, video games, exercise.