Mental Health - Mental health means generally accepting and liking oneself and adapting to and coping with the emotions, challenges and changes that are a part of life. A person with good mental health is described as one who: Feels good about her/himself Feels comfortable with other people Is able to meet the demands of everyday life

Feedback is defined as messages from others that tell you how they feel about you. From the moment you are born, you begin to receive, process, and store these messages. These can be verbal and non- verbal.

Feedback comes from: Adults that took care of you Brothers and sisters Extended family Neighbors Teachers Coaches Friends Peers Media

Emotions are your feelings and they influence everything you do. They have affects on your thinking, relationships, behaviors, and successes. Emotions can sometimes be so strong that you will want to act on them right away before having a chance to think.

Everyone has fears, if you did not have any fear you probably would not be here now. Fear can be a safeguard, a protection against danger.

Hormones cause your heart to beat faster. Increased supply of blood to your heart and large muscles. Blood vessels in other parts of your body constrict. Breathing rates increase.

Anger is often thought of as a negative emotion due to the fact that anger is often expressed in negative or violent ways.

Here are some healthy and safe ways to handle anger: 1. Channel energies into productive work or activity. 2. Get away by yourself. 3. Do some physical exercise. 4. Hit a pillow or punching bag. 5. Count to 10 slowly and take deep breaths. 6. Call a friend and talk about what is making you angry. 7. Listen to music and take your mind off of the situation. 8. Write down what you are feeling.

The Mind-Body Connection Emotions can affect your physical health. Over time, if you do not deal with your emotions, fatigue and stress can cause physical illnesses.

Facts to consider: 1. People who hold in emotions and are highly stressed may experience increased heart rate and higher blood pressure. 2. People who have positive attitudes live longer than people with negative attitudes. 3. People who have positive attitudes about illnesses are more likely to survive longer.

Facts to consider: 4. Living with mental stress can lead to panic attacks and a lower ability to handle pain. 5. People who are frequently hostile have a higher rate of heart attacks. 6. People under 30 tend to get sick more often from daily stress than those who are older.

Ways To Improve Your Mental Health: 1. Acknowledge that you are feeling a strong emotion. 2. Identify the emotion’s source – what triggered the feeling. 3. Express that emotion in a constructive way. 4. Share your feelings with someone you trust.

Ways To Improve Your Mental Health: 5. Feelings are not facts. Remember you may not have control of how you feel but you do have control over how you act. 6. Remember, no matter how upset you get this problem will pass. 7. If you have a strong or disturbing emotion that lasts a long time – it affects relationships and the quality of your life – get help.