Understanding Emotions

1
Understanding Emotions
2
Activity

• Brainstorm a situation that would provoke an
  emotional response Write it down.
• Exchange the situation with another group.
• Read the new situation with your group and come
  up with a reasonable way to handle it.

3
Understanding Emotions

• Emotions are signals that tell your mind and
  body how to react.
• Sometimes referred to as feelings, emotions are
  your responses to certain thoughts and events.
• Learning about your emotions will help you
  understand the relationship among physical,
  mental and emotional and social health throughout
  adulthood.

4
List of Emotions
Emotion Definition Description
1. Happiness Being satisfied or feeling positive Energetic, creative, sociable.
2. Sadness Being disappointed or rejected, experiencing a loss Discouraged, low energy, crying, depressed
3. Love Strong affection, deep concern and respect Caring, loyalty, connections, honesty
4. Empathy Ability to imagine and understand how someone else feels Listen attentively, communication, connection to emotions
5
List cont.
Emotion Definition Description
5. Fear A feeling/ anxiety which can be caused by a presence or a feeling of danger. Phobia- An exaggerated fear Scary feeling, danger, can be imagined,
6.Guilt Results from acting against ones values or from failing to act to bring a better outcome Negative outcomes, blame
7. Anger a reaction to being emotionally or physically hurt. Hostility- the intentional use of unfriendly or offensive behavior Triggered feeling, hate, fighting
6
Hormones

• What is a hormone?
• A hormone is a chemical secreted by your glands
  that regulates the activities of different body
  cells
• How do hormones affect your emotions?
• Hormones may cause mood swings quickly between
  extreme emotions such as elation (joy or being
  proud) and depression
• Hormones may cause you to have mixed emotions
  such as being happy but jealous for a friend.

7

• http//science.kqed.org/quest/video/emotions-revea
  led/

8
Managing Emotions
9
Managing Emotions

• Objective 1 Identify ways in dealing with
  emotions in a positive way
• Objective 2 Demonstrate strategies for
  communicating emotions and needs in healthful
  ways.
• Objective 3 Identify and describe ways to manage
  difficult emotions.

10
Dealing with Emotions

• You have learned various positive and negative
  ways of expressing your emotions from your
• Environment
• Experiences
• Others
• Negative ways of dealing with your feelings do
  nothing to help you solve your problems.
• Examples
• Over-exaggerating emotions for effect
• Pretending the feelings are not there at all
• Intentionally hurting yourself or someone else

11
Strategies for Responding to Your Emotions

• What is causing the emotional reaction?
• Does the intensity match the situation?
• Will it matter tomorrow, next week, month or
  year?
• What are the consequences of your reaction?
• What can you do to reduce the reactions and
  feelings?
• Do something constructive
• Exercise
• Speak to someone you trust and value.

12
Other Ways to Manage Emotions

• Understand what triggers you.
• You cannot change how you feel, but you can
  change how you react.
• Separate yourself from the situation, if
  possible.
• Take slow deep breaths.
• Listen to music that makes you feel better.
• Analyze the cause by writing it down or talking
  about it.

13

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vkxAGjmVSOII

14
Difficult Emotions

• 1) Defense Mechanisms- (full list on pg. 190)
• Mental processes that protect individuals from
  strong or stressful emotions and situations.
• Suppression- Holding back or restraining.
• Can provide temporary escape from an unpleasant
  situation
• Ex Using alcohol and drugs to hide your feelings
• Denial- Unconscious lack of acknowledgment of
  something that is obvious to others
• Ex Having an eating disorder, lying to yourself
  and those around you (denying).
• In the long run, defense mechanisms may keep you
  from facing what is really troubling you. They
  create temporary escapes and do not resolve the
  problem.
• Read figure 7.4 on page 190

15
On your own paper, write in the correct defense
mechanism.

• 1. stating that you were fired because you didn't
  kiss up the boss, when the real reason was your
  poor performance
• 2. sitting in a corner and crying after hearing
  bad news throwing a temper tantrum when you
  don't get your way
• 3. forgetting sexual abuse from your childhood
  due to the trauma and anxiety
• 4. trying to forget something that causes you
  anxiety

16
Answers

• Rationalization stating that you were fired
  because you didn't kiss up the boss, when the
  real reason was your poor performance
• Regression sitting in a corner and crying after
  hearing bad news throwing a temper tantrum when
  you don't get your way
• Repression forgetting sexual abuse from your
  childhood due to the trauma and anxiety
• Suppression trying to forget something that
  causes you anxiety

17
Difficult Emotions Continued

• 2) Handling Fear
• An emotion many people work to overcome
• Identify your fear
• Analyze the situation that causes the fear
• Talk about your fear with those you trust.
• Some fears are healthy and natural, as long as
  they are rational
• 3) Dealing with Guilt
• Guilt can be a very destructive emotion
• What is causing the feeling?
• Learn from your experiences and try not to repeat
  them.
• Be true to yourself and take responsibility for
  your actions.

18
Difficult Emotions Continued

• 4) Managing Anger
• Anger can be one of the most difficult emotions.
• Get to the underlying source of your anger and
  address it
• If there is nothing you can do about the source
  of your anger, there is always a way to cope with
  the feelings.

19
Strategies for managing anger

• Try seeing an upsetting issue from the other
  persons perspective.
• Learn and find ways to relax
• Practice trusting other people
• Develop your listening skills
• Learn to be assertive (not passive or aggressive)
• Redirect your energy

20
Video clip

• https//www.youtube.com/watch?veRaTpTVTENU

21
Interactive study guide

• http//glencoe.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/dl/free/00787
  26549/359990/InterActCh7Ls4.html

22
Flashcard Activity

• http//www.glencoe.com/qe/efcwin.php?qi10381

23
Online Practice Quiz

• http//glencoe.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0078726549/st
  udent_view0/chapter7/online_quizzes.html