Choose... Healthy Lifestyles!

Transcription

1 Chse... Healthy Lifestyles! By eating nutritius fd and getting enugh sleep, exercising in mderatin, and aviding tbacc, alchl and ther drugs. Make imprtant decisins that demnstrate self-respect. The best way t becme cmfrtable abut mental health is t talk abut it. Start the cnversatin tday! Need help? Kids Help Phne

2 Mental Health Matters Activity Pster: Chse Level: Find the Cmplete Mental Health Tlkit at:

3 Activity: Chse Healthy Lifestyles My Muntain f Md Magnifiers! Outcmes Career and Life Management (High Schl): Pster: Chse General Outcmes General Outcme 1: Persnal Chices Students will apply an understanding f the emtinal/psychlgical, intellectual, scial, spiritual and physical dimensins f health and the dynamic interplay f these factrs in managing persnal well-being. General Outcme 2: Resurce Chices Students will make respnsible decisins in the use f finances and ther resurces that reflect persnal values and gals and demnstrate cmmitment t self and thers. Chse General Outcme 3: Career and Life Chices Students will develp and apply prcesses fr managing persnal, lifelng career develpment. P1. analyze the dimensins f health and their interrelatedness, the impact f the determinants f health, and the dynamic nature f balance in life describe the cmbinatin f factrs that cntribute t persnal well-being examine the determinants f health and their effect n lifestyle chices explain the hlistic nature f well-being demnstrate an understanding f the interrelated and interdependent aspects f well-being and healthy lifestyles describe the imprtance f balance in life and the changing/dynamic nature f this balance P2. evaluate chices and cmbinatins f chices that can create barriers t achieving and maintaining health, and identify actins t imprve health appreciate the value f psitive attitudes abut self when making chices analyze pr chices r lack f ability t pursue healthy chices and decisins assess the effects f substance use and abuse tbacc, alchl, drugs n health evaluate the impact f situatins f risk and risks in cmbinatin describe hw peer pressure and the expectatins f thers influence chices develp and implement a persnal plan t imprve ne aspect f well-being P6. determine practices and behaviurs that cntribute t ptimal physical well-being describe hw individuals have cntrl ver physical and ther dimensins f well-being analyze safety/risk-taking behaviurs, nutritius chices, fitness and exercise as cntributrs t physical well-being develp and implement health actin plans P12. examine aspects f healthy sexuality and respnsible sexual behaviur explain the nging respnsibility fr being sexually healthy examine a range f behaviurs and chices regarding sexual expressin describe sexually healthy actins and chices fr ne s bdy, including abstinence analyze strategies fr chsing respnsible and respectful sexual expressin describe the ways in which persnal values influence chices assess the cnsequences f being sexually active

4 Teacher Backgrund: Chsing healthy lifestyles early in develpment is imprtant fr all aspects f ur being lng-term physical and emtinal health, scial cnnectedness, relatinship satisfactin, emplyment success and verall self-esteem. Making psitives chices is impacted by many factrs such as persnal experiences, envirnment, adult rle mdels, peer influence, media messaging and genetic and bilgical predispsitins. The cncept f risk and prtective factrs play an imprtant rle in whether healthy r unhealthy lifestyle chices are made. Essentially this means that things such as early experiences f stress and trauma, negative parental relatinships, may predispse children t be at greater risk fr unhealthy chices such as tbacc, drug and alchl use and abuse, early sexual invlvement, and ther risky behavirs. Things such as psitive family invlvement, schl cnnectedness, psitive relatinship with an adult mentr, and access t healthy leisure activities mediate these risks and influence children t make mre psitive chices in all f these areas. Other factrs include pprtunities t learn, experience and practice psitive scial, recreatinal and cmmunity invlvement. By increasing yung peple s awareness f these factrs and by prviding them basic infrmatin, strategies and pprtunities t experience their benefits yu will be helping that child build their wn rad t emtinal, physical, educatinal and scial success. T assist yung peple in cuntering their predispsitin t mental health cncerns such as substance abuse, addictin, depressin and suicide, yu need t identify thse at risk. But that is nt easy. Many peple, especially the yung, keep their wrries and negative behaviurs secret and dn t knw where t turn r hw t ask fr help. In fact, abut half f the yung peple wh take their wn lives are in regular cntact with health and scial-services systems, with the ther half hidden in plain sight (the warning signs ften apparent nly in retrspect). Dr. Stan Kutcher, the Sun Life Financial chair in adlescent mental health at Dalhusie University in Halifax, says there are gd diagnstic methds and treatments but peple are reluctant t cme frward when they are sick, and their friends and family members ften dn t knw hw t help them. There is still tremendus stigma abut mental illness. Schl is the ideal setting fr preventin. Schl administratins are ften requested t prvide lectures such as suicide-preventin, althugh there is little evidence indicating they are as effective as hped. Rather, research shws the best rute is prmting mental wellness, t give yung peple tls fr dealing with stress, change, and emtinal challenges, and knwledge regarding where they can g fr help and hw t cmmunicate their cncerns. Having prfessinal supprts readily available is als essential. Tremendus success has been fund in lcating mental health, scial wrk and addictins service prviders in schl-based ffices. Additinally, sprts, arts and cmmunity grups realize that yung peple in distress dn t necessarily just turn t their parents but may cnfide in a trusted cach, teacher, religius figure r emplyer. Fr that reasn, it is imprtant t include these cmmunity partners in mental health educatin and preventin lessns and campaigns, bth t increase their wn knwledge and skill base, but t als cntribute t their accessibility t students wh may need t benefit frm their supprt.

5 There is als a need t create an envirnment in yur schl and cmmunity where peple are mre cmfrtable seeking help. Many cuntries have invested in anti-stigma campaigns; smething the Mental Health Cmmissin f Canada has made a pririty. This can be dne in many ways in yur wn classrm, simply by pening up natural dialgue and infrmatin sharing n the tpic f mental health and inviting in lcal resurces t de-mystify the services they can prvide children and their families. When cnsidering hw t build mental wellness campaigns fr yur students, keep in mind that yu can incrprate infrmatin and resurces that may be f use t certain yuth ppulatins. Sme behaviurs and persnal characteristics indicate certain grups f yung peple at a higher risk: thse wh rutinely cut themselves, binge drinkers, sexual minrities, victims f sexual abuse, and abriginals. Yung men are abut five times mre likely t die f suicide than yung wmen, and they are particularly hard t reach. By prviding psitive mental health messages, infrmatin, and strategies that are beneficial t all yuth but may be particularly appealing t these grups yung peple, yu will be reaching thse mst vulnerable in yur classrm. Simply by creating a psitive, accepting and engaging envirnment fr these lessns yu will als increase pprtunities fr yung peple t chse healthy lifestyle attitudes and behavirs. Objectives: Students will be able t understand hw chsing healthy lifestyles benefits ur whle being (physical, mental, spiritual, scial) by identifying activities they already d and describing hw they impact their mind, bdy and relatinships. Students will be able t describe barriers t chsing healthy lifestyles as well as strategies t vercme them. Students will learn and experience new healthy lifestyle chices fr themselves and their families t practice. Students will have pprtunities t be reminded t practice daily healthy lifestyle chices and will be able t reprt prgress ver time. Create an Envirnment t Learn and Grw: Place the Chse Pster in a prminent place in the classrm. Put a daily Chse message, affirmatin r qutatin n the bard. Ask students t help create these. Begin the day referencing the qutatin and having sme students reflect n what the wrds mean t them in rder t help set the tne. Affirmatins: I can make healthy chices t take care f myself It s imprtant t take gd care f myself and I can learn t d it It s kay t ask fr help. I dn t have t d things all by myself

6 Qutatins: The greatest wealth is health Virgil Yur lifestyle hw yu live, eat, emte, and think determines yur health. T prevent disease yu may have t change hw yu live Brian Carter Fllw yur dreams, wrk hard, practice and persevere. Make sure yu eat a variety f fds, get plenty f exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle Sasha Chen Yur bdy hears everything yur mind says Nami Judd Decrate the walls with supprting psters, advertising, graphic images and artwrk created by the students r cllected frm lcal mental health prfessinals. Have students chse a pht, drawing r ther image f their wn chsing r creatin that represents the cncept f Chse Healthy Lifestyles and have them place smewhere they will see it regularly during their day (binder, cmputer, mirrr, phne, etc.). Have students create a public recrd recrding their grup and individual activities, accmplishments and achievements in relatinship t the cncept f Chse. Activity: My Muntain f Md Magnifiers! Descriptin: This activity helps yung peple build a list f healthy activities, habits and chices they can make daily that will help elevate their md and make them feel mre in cntrl when stressed r experiencing negative emtins. Each student will fill ut their persnal cpy f My Muntain f Md Magnifiers (attached) until they feel they have enugh tips t scale any challenge t their mental health. Set the md by playing a cuple sngs: an lder ne they might nt be familiar with such as Katrina and the Waves Walking n Sunshine and a current psitive sng yu can get frm the class (ensure that it is indeed a psitive-fcused sng and nt just ne that is ppular). The teacher intrduces the class t psitive md altering ptins, prviding sme detail, drawing psitive suggestins frm the class, and having students practice sme as they g thrugh them: Altruistic Actins Vlunteer wrk r simple acts f kindness have been fund t benefit the persn giving their time r effrt. It als increases ur self-esteem and self-wrth. Have everyne say ne nice thing t the persn next t them ensure everyne says a psitive thing and hears a psitive thing abut them. Hw des everyne feel nw?

7 Exercise and Physical Activity When yu dance r exercise, endrphin release is enhanced. As a result, yu feel happier. G t the gym, wrk ut at hme, walk arund the blck, r just walk up a flight f stairs instead f taking the elevatr yu will instantly feel better. Have everyne stand up and d a dance f yur chice Bird Dance, The Macarena, The Hkey Pkey, etc. that everyne shuld knw. Sufficient and Satisfactry Sleep Getting enugh quality sleep will help imprve yur md, energy and enthusiasm the next day. Reducing screen time prir t ging t bed will assist in getting t sleep faster. Cmpleting an evening ritual that prepares yu fr bed will als allw yu t get t sleep faster - brush teeth, change int bedclthes, set ut clthes fr the next day, r whatever makes sense t yu that will trigger yur brain t knw sleep is cming sn. Have everyne place their heads n their desks fr a full, quiet, 2 minute nap. Feel free t sing the students a favrite lullaby f yurs. Fd Chices Eat Brazil nuts (unless allergic!) fr example, which are rich in sertnin. Other fds t cnsume are fds with a high Omega-3 fatty acid cntent and antixidant fds. Avid alchl and ther depressants. Cffee can cause a temprary energy and md bst but can als cause agitatin and negatively affect sleep. Aviding eating r ver-eating due t stress as they are bth negative cping reactins. Chse healthy fds, drink plenty f water and reducing sugar intake will all help keep yur md level. Hand ut a md-bsting snack such as sunflwer seeds r dark chclate (ask abut allergies befre passing arund). Affirmatins Psitive self-talk is pwerful. I am a gd persn, I can set gals and accmplish them, I can get thrugh this all can make changes in ur md, brain chemistry and ability t cpe. Have everyne say ut lud at the same time ne affirming thing abut themselves. Smile Lk fr things that make yu smile. Petting a dg, watching a child play, lking at art, r breathing in the mrning air wrks fr sme peple. Open yur eyes and seek whatever mves yu t feel jyful. Even the act f physically making yur face int a smile increases a sense f well-being. Have everyne practice this by putting a big smile n their face and hling it fr a full minute. Feeling better? Laughter Watching a funny mvie r cmedy shw will enhance yur md. Laughing will make yu frget fr a while what it was yu felt sad abut. Laughing is als gd fr the immune system as well that is hw pwerful it is.

8 Have a cuple f students tell 2 r 3 jkes as lng as they are apprpriate and funny. Alternatively, shw a clip f smething funny that will get them t laugh ut lud. Persnal Care Maintain yur persnal hygiene even if yu dn t feel yu have the time r energy bath r shwer, put n clean clthes, etc. this daily self-care prcess will make yu feel better and have peple respnd t yu mre psitively. Yu culd pass arund sugar-free breath mints at this pint. Avid Tbacc, Alchl, Marijuana and ther Drugs Many peple use these substances t relax, cpe, fit in, r simply because they think they are fun, hwever, the ptential csts t yur physical and mental health are well knwn what are sme f them? Have the students identify sme alternative activities t these substances that have benefits but fewer risks t their mental and physical health. Music Listen t music that mves yu in a psitive way. Sing in the shwer. Create music if yu have any instruments at hand, r have students rap ut a perky rhythm n their desks tgether. Relax Yga, meditatin and prgressive relaxatin exercises help calm ur bdies and ur minds. Have everyne perfrm a simple yga exercise invlving standing and stretching. Psitive Peple Spending time with peple we enjy and care abut helps us increase ur psitive feelings, reduce stresses, and encurages us t g ut and be scially active. If yu can t cnnect with peple yu want t in persn, call them and tuch base thrugh vice at least. Have everyne identify smene wh bsts their md that they will get in tuch with this week. Wrap up the activity by asking fr any last suggestins frm the class. Ensure everyne has nted a number f items n their Md Magnifier sheets. Ask fr students t vlunteer t share which f the things were mst appealing t them. Have the students keep the sheets smewhere they will have easy access t them if they ever need t recall a technique t help them maintain a psitive mental health md. Materials: My Muntain f Md Magnifiers! hand ut fr each student (cpy attached). Music t be played. Snacks such as sunflwer seeds r chclate. Sugar-free breath mints.

9 Mtivating affirmatins fr the bard r wall. Discussin: Hw did it feel t try sme f these techniques tday? Did yu feel different during r after? Why shuld yu be able t d this? Is it easier t say yu will try t d these things than t actually make a plan t d them? Why is it imprtant t make a plan nw t increase yur psitive mental health habits? Hw can yu use yur My Muntain f Md Magnifiers t help? Hw d yu think learning t use a number f these strategies culd help yu ver the curse f the next week? The next year? Five years frm nw? If yu are feeling bad abut yurself and things like these md magnifiers dn t seem t help wh is a safe persn yu can yu share these feelings with? Cnclusin: Tday, we ve explred sme psitive mental health chices that can help us imprve ur mds. We knw sme techniques that we can use t help us when we are dwn, but mre imprtantly, we shuld incrprate as many as pssible int ur daily habits t help us maintain a gd emtinal perspective. We have learned that it is imprtant that we take respnsibility fr ur mds and hw we manage them and enhance ur psitive feelings. We knw that using ur affirmatins t remind us hw special, unique and strng we are is imprtant t keep us feeling gd abut urselves, especially when we are having trubles. If we find it hard t feel gd abut urselves we knw safe peple t talk t abut these feelings. We can use what we learned tday t help urselves and thers. Take Hme Activity: Have students place their Muntain f Md Magnifiers in their binders, n their bedrm walls at hme, r wherever they will see them daily s that they can be reminded f tls, strategies and habits that can help increase their psitive feelings. Other Ideas: Muntain f Md Magnifiers Cllage: Use the strategies discussed by the student as a starting pint t develp a cllage f wrds and images taken frm magazines and newspapers that represent these psitive strategies, habits and practices. Smile Bard: Have students create a Bulletin Bard where they can place images, wrds, phts, pems, and ther items that make them smile when they see them. They can add t this ver a perid f time. Have a few students vlunteer t share their Smile Bards, what they have chsen t display, and hw they use the bard, with the class as inspiratin t thers. Refusal Skills: If yung peple have learned prcesses t make healthy decisins and have decided t say n t smething they can be supprted by teaching them sme basic refusal

10 skills. Rle-Playing is ften suggested as a means f learning these skills, hwever, if this technique is utilized, ensure that the teacher assumes the rle f the ne prmting the negative chice instead f a student and be exceptinally clear that yu wuld never prmte negative chices. If the students are nt at a stage t make these distinctins, avid rle-playing ther than fr students t practice statements and behavirs that reinfrce their saying n when necessary. Sme suggestins fr refusal techniques are: Demnstrate being assertive if smene wants them t d smething that they have decided that they dn t want t. Fr example, if smene wanted them t smke marijuana with them, a student culd stand up straight, lk the ther persn in the eye, and say in a firm vice, "I'm nt ging t smke with yu!". Reinfrce that as yung adults they have the right t determine their wn path and shuld endeavr t be less vulnerable t peer pressure as a result. Cmment that using this cnfident demeanr may help in sme situatins, and that there are ther ways they can refuse, such as: Say "N" r "N, thanks," ver and ver if necessary. "N, I have decided nt t d that in my life." "N thanks, I dn't smke." Call it what it is. "That's unhealthy (lying, bullying, using drugs, etc.) and I dn't d that." Talk abut smething else. "Have yu finished yur prject?" "What's ging n ver there?" Ask questins. "What are yu asking me t d?" "Why wuld yu want t d that?" "What is yur prblem?" Give reasns. "I dn't want t get int truble." "I think differently than yu." "If I did that I wuld feel bad abut it." Use humr r sarcasm. "Yu have t be kidding; that can hurt the inside f my bdy." "Sure, that's all I need t d; then I'd be stned fr the test I have t write later!" Suggest ding smething else. "Let's grab a cffee." "Let's g t a mvie." If yu want their friendship, keep the dr pen. "If yu decide t d smething safer, let me knw." "I'll be at hme if yu want t d smething we d bth enjy." Teach the students that when all else fails t ignre the ther persn r grup and walk away.

11 Cllabrate with yur Fellw Teachers: Discuss ways t incrprate elements f these activities and cncepts with clleagues wrking in physical educatin and sprts teams, fd sciences, art classes, cafeteria management, and student cuncil. Share yur activities and discussin ideas with fellw teachers within yur schl and cmmunity. Present mini-presentatins f successful activities at staff meetings, schl prfessinal develpment pprtunities and cmmunity events. Invlve the Schl, Parents and Cmmunity: Develp ways t expand the activities t schl-wide campaigns, cntests, and events in rder t reach a larger prtin f the schl ppulatin. Utilizing schl annuncements, newspapers, scial media, websites, street advertising fr related mental health messages and highlighting related events can be effective. Present mini-presentatins f successful activities schl pen huses, parent/teacher nights, and cmmunity events fr parents and cmmunity partners t help increase awareness, knwledge and skills in the area f children s mental health. This can be dne in cllabratin with lcal mental health and addictin staff, and health prmtin and educatin prfessinals. Utilize Parent Grups as a means t share infrmatin and activities that can be used at hme t reinfrce the cncepts f psitive mental health fr the child, siblings, parents and guardians. Apprach lcal physical recreatin, arts, businesses and vlunteer rganizatins t find ways t amplify yur wrk and increase messaging t a cmmunity-wide basis. Assessment Strategy: Students participate in the related activity, discussin, and creatin f Muntain f Md Magnifiers, cllages and Smile Bards. Students identify 5 ways that they can try t imprve their md n a daily basis and hw that will benefit them. Fllw up and Review: Nte in yur calendar peridic fllw up perids when yu will briefly revisit the cncepts and healthy practices experienced in these activities. Have students identify tw ways that discvering their strengths and uniqueness has had psitive benefits fr them r thers wh knw them.

12 Cntinue t have students peridically add t their Smile Bard until it is a rich and layered piece f art displaying all they have discvered that imprves their md thrughut the schl year. Additinal Resurces: Alberta Educatin Mental Health Matters: Alberta Health Services Addictin and Mental Health, Infrmatin fr Teachers: Canadian Mental Health Assciatin: Crisis Supprts: Child Abuse Htline KIDS (5437) Kids Help Phne Suicide Crisis Htline Eating Disrder Htline STD AIDS INFO Line Lcal Resurces: Parent Assciatins Libraries Arts, Recreatin, Sprts, Vlunteer, and Business partners

13 MY MOUNTAIN OF MOOD MAGNIFIERS! A Dzen Gd Ideas:

14 A Plan t Make a Habit f Ding These Things: Where will I Pst this List? When will I Lk at this List? Hw culd ding these things help me? Hw Many Times will I Practice these things every week? Wh Else can I suggest these things t? Wh can I talk t if I have truble feeling better? My Prmise t take gd care f me: Signature: Date:

15 Outcmes Career and Life Management (High Schl) General Outcmes Chse General Outcme 1: Persnal Chices Students will apply an understanding f the emtinal/psychlgical, intellectual, scial, spiritual and physical dimensins f health and the dynamic interplay f these factrs in managing persnal well-being. General Outcme 2: Resurce Chices Students will make respnsible decisins in the use f finances and ther resurces that reflect persnal values and gals and demnstrate cmmitment t self and thers. General Outcme 3: Career and Life Chices Students will develp and apply prcesses fr managing persnal, lifelng career develpment. P1. analyze the dimensins f health and their interrelatedness, the impact f the determinants f health, and the dynamic nature f balance in life describe the cmbinatin f factrs that cntribute t persnal well-being examine the determinants f health and their effect n lifestyle chices explain the hlistic nature f well-being demnstrate an understanding f the interrelated and interdependent aspects f well-being and healthy lifestyles describe the imprtance f balance in life and the changing/dynamic nature f this balance P2. evaluate chices and cmbinatins f chices that can create barriers t achieving and maintaining health, and identify actins t imprve health appreciate the value f psitive attitudes abut self when making chices analyze pr chices r lack f ability t pursue healthy chices and decisins assess the effects f substance use and abuse tbacc, alchl, drugs n health evaluate the impact f situatins f risk and risks in cmbinatin describe hw peer pressure and the expectatins f thers influence chices develp and implement a persnal plan t imprve ne aspect f well-being P6. determine practices and behaviurs that cntribute t ptimal physical well-being describe hw individuals have cntrl ver physical and ther dimensins f well-being analyze safety/risk-taking behaviurs, nutritius chices, fitness and exercise as cntributrs t physical well-being develp and implement health actin plans P12. examine aspects f healthy sexuality and respnsible sexual behaviur explain the nging respnsibility fr being sexually healthy examine a range f behaviurs and chices regarding sexual expressin describe sexually healthy actins and chices fr ne s bdy, including abstinence analyze strategies fr chsing respnsible and respectful sexual expressin describe the ways in which persnal values influence chices assess the cnsequences f being sexually active