SELF CONCEPT

Imagine yourself looking into a mirror. What do you see? Do you see your ideal
self or your actual self? Your ideal self is the self that you aspire to be. It is the one
that you hope will possess characteristics similar to that of a mentor or some
other worldly figure. Your actual self, however, is the one that you actually see. It
is the self that has characteristics that you were nurtured or, in some cases, born
to have

The actual self and the ideal self are two broad categories of self-concept. Self-
concept refers to your awareness of yourself. It is the construct that negotiates
these two selves. In other words, it connotes first the identification of the ideal
self as separate from others, and second, it encompasses all the behaviors
evaluated in the actual self that you engage in to reach the ideal self.

The actual self is built on self-knowledge. Self-knowledge is derived from social

interactions that provide insight into how others react to you. The actual self is
who we actually are. It is how we think, how we feel, look, and act. The actual self
can be seen by others, but because we have no way of truly knowing how others
view us, the actual self is our self-image.

The ideal self, on the other hand, is how we want to be. It is an idealized image
that we have developed over time, based on what we have learned and
experienced. The ideal self could include components of what our parents have
taught us, what we admire in others, what our society promotes, and what we
think is in our best interest.

There is negotiation that exists between the two selves which is complex because
there are numerous exchanges between the ideal and actual self. These
exchanges are exemplified in social roles that are adjusted and re-adjusted, and
are derived from outcomes of social interactions from infant to adult
development. Alignment is important. If the way that I am (the actual self) is
aligned with the way that I want to be (the ideal self), then I will feel a sense of
mental well-being or peace of mind. If the way that I am is not aligned with how I
want to be, the incongruence. or lack of alignment, will result in mental distress or
anxiety. The greater the level of incongruence between the ideal self and real self,
the greater the level of resulting distress. Personal development modules ultimate
aim is greater self-knowledge that will lead to higher alignment between these
two personality domains.
PERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS
Personal effectiveness means making use of all the personal resources talents,
skills, energy and time, to enable you to achieve life goals.

Your knowledge of yourself and how you manage yourself impacts directly on
your personal effectiveness. Being self-aware, making the most of your strengths.
learning new skills and techniques and behavioral flexibility are all keys to
improving your personal performance.

Our personal effectiveness depends on our innate characteristics - talent and

experience accumulated in the process of personal development. Talents first are
needed to be identified and then developed to be used in a particular subject area
(science, literature, sports, politics, etc.).

Experience includes knowledge and skills that we acquire in the process of

cognitive and practical activities. Knowledge is required for setting goals, defining
an action plan to achieve them and risk assessment.

Skills also determine whether real actions are performed in accordance with the
plan. If the same ability is used many times in the same situation, then it becomes
a habit that runs automatically, subconsciously. Here are some skills thatwill
greatly increase the efficiency of any person who owns them:

1. Determination. It allows you to focus only on achieving a specific goal without

being distracted by less important things or spontaneous desires. It may be
developed with the help of self-discipline exercise.

2. Self-confidence. It appears in the process of personal development, as a result

of getting aware of yourself, your actions and their consequences. Self-
confidence is manifested in speech, appearance, dressing, gait, and physical
condition. To develop it, you need to learn yourself and your capabilities, gain
positive attitude and believe that by performing right actions and achieving right
goals you will certainly reach success.

3. Persistence. It makes you keep moving forward regardless of emerging

obstacles - problems, laziness, bad emotional state, etc. It reduces the costs of
overcoming obstacles. It can also be developed with the help of self- discipline
exercise.
4. Managing stress. It helps combat stress that arises in daily life from the
environment and other people. Stress arises from the uncertainty in an unknown
situation when a lack of information creates the risk of negative consequences of
your actions. It increases efficiency in the actively changing environment..

5. Problem-solving skills. They help cope with the problems encountered with a
lack of experience. It increases efficiency by adopting new ways of achieving goals
when obtaining a new experience.

6. Creativity. It allows you to find extraordinary ways to carry out a specific action
that no one has tried to use. It can lead to a decrease or an increase of costs, but
usually the speed of action is greatly increased when using creative tools.

7. Generating ideas. It helps you achieve goals using new, original, unconventional
ideas. Idea is a mental image of an object formed by the human mind, which can
be changed before being implemented in the real world. For generating ideas you
can use a method of mental maps, which allows you to materialize, visualize and
scrutinize all your ideas, which in turn contributes to the emergence of new ideas.
These are just some, but the most important personal effectiveness skills which
make the achievement of any goal easier and less costly

BUILD ON YOUR STRENGTHS AND WORK ON YOUR WEAKNESSES

Most failures emanate from weaknesses that are not recognized or probably
recognized but not given appropriate attention or remedy. This could be a
weakness in communications, personality or ability. Instead of giving up or
indulging in self-pity. take action. Go for speech lessons, get skills upgrading,
attend personality development sessions or whatever appropriate remedies to
your perceived weakness.

Instead of simply focusing on your weaknesses, recognize your own talents and
abilities, build on them, utilize them to your greatest advantage. This is where you
can build your name and popularity. Handicapped people like Jose Feliciano and
other blind singers did not brood over their physical handicap. They recognized
that they have a golden voice so they search for ways to enrich that talent
Reading: Story: YOU NEED TO TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR FUTURE
There are three kinds of people in this world:

The first is the Moviegoer. This person watches the movie of their lives, admires
some parts and criticizes others. Aside from that, they do nothing else. All she
says the whole day is, "I like this thing and but I don't like that thing." The
Moviegoer feels she has absolutely no control of their lives except to comment
about it. Moviegoers are the most pathetic, miserable people in the world. The
second is the Actor. This person does not only watch the movie of her life. She
actually realizes she's the Actor and can control a big part of her life. She can
actually make or break the movie - by how well she delivers her lines and how she
portrays her character, Actors are a happy bunch, realizing they're the start of the
show and enjoy some level of control. But many times, they wish the movie would
end in another way - but realize that they have no say in such things. The third is
the Scriptwriter. This person does not only watch, and she doesn't only act, but
she actually creates the entire movie from her mind. She determines what she will
say, what she will do, and how the movie will end. She realizes she has enormous
control over her life, and sees to it that the movie of her life will turn out beautiful

THE POWER OF JOURNAL WRITING: UNFOLDING YOUR PERSONAL JOURNEY

The purpose of journal writing is to help you become the Scriptwriter of your life.
There are four (4) practical reasons to maintain a journal:

1. It is cost-efficient and available. Emotional stress can be dealt in many ways

like talking to a friend over a cup of coffee, eating, travelling, shopping. painting
and many more but writing is the most inexpensive. Notebook and pens are easy
to find, available and do not cost so much.

2. It is preventive and pro-active. Writing yields self-awareness. When you write,

you can discover your strengths and limitations. You will know what your
reactions are in different situations and what better ways to prevent, avoid, or
face your fears.

3. It is creative and productive. Journal writing expounds your imagination. You

can see various dimensions of your problem, different points of view and better
solutions.
4. Lastly, it is personal and private. Unless you want to share your stories, you
have the choice to keep them to yourself. Writing is your time alone. It is your
way of loving yourself. You will not be judged by your writing

ASPECTS OF THE SELF

The self-concept is represented by several aspects of the self. It is conceived as
collection of multiple, context-dependent selves. This construct believes that
context activates particular regions of self-knowledge and self-relevant feedback
affects self-evaluations and affect. A deeper look on the different aspects of self
can identify specific areas for self-regulation, stability and improvement.

In a nutshell, an individual is composed of three basic but very different aspects of

the self. They are the physical or tangible aspects as they relate to the body, the
intellectual and conscious aspects as they relate to the mind, and the emotional
and intuitive aspects as they relate to the spirit. All three aspects of the self work
together in perfect harmony when attention is paid to all three simultaneously.

Many individuals put a strong emphasis on the physical aspect of the self. The
body is tangible, obvious, and we respond to it easily. More time and money is
spent on enhancing the physical component than either of the other two aspects.
This does not mean, however, that the body is healthy or strong. The body
provides a place to house the spirit (often experienced as feelings) and the mind
(often experienced as thought).

It may be important to some that their mind be prominent and well educated.
The mind is important, as it is the part of the self that directs the other two
aspects. The mind learns what to do and communicates the information to the
body and the feelings. What the mind believes, the body manifests or acts on, and
the emotions feel, or respond with. People store both healthy and destructive
thoughts and beliefs and responds to life's circumstances in the most prominent
manner. The mind provides access creativity and serenity which are necessary for
such processes as prayer, forgiveness, acceptance, and passion.

human emotions are the most feared aspect of the self, as individuals are
reluctant and unprepared to manage them. Managing feelings is like trying to
hold water in the palm of your hand. They are illusive and deceptive. A decision
made under emotional stress and strain usually impacts emotions negatively.
Negative emotions that are not managed are stored and repressed. Repression is
destructive to a content self since all feelings, not only negative ones are stored
away. Accessing feelings when they are needed now becomes difficult, leaving the
individual numb and hopeless.

For instance, a girl realizes that she is giving much attention on the physical
aspects and less attention on her intellectual self. in this way, she can discover
how much money and time spent maintaining her physique and its consequences
in her grades. By this honest evaluation of herself, she can plan effective actions
to improve her study habits. She can start seeking for help and for related books
to read or browse articles to help her improve her study habits.

MODULE 4
Reading: THE PASSAGE TO ADULTHOOD: CHALLENGES OF LATE
ADOLESCENCE

Physical Development
-Most girls have completed the physical changes related to puberty by age 15.
-Boys are still maturing and gaining strength, muscle mass, and height and are
completing the development of sexual traits.

Emotional Development
-May stress over school and test scores.
-Is self-involved (may have high expectations and low self-concept).
-Seeks privacy and time alone.
-Is concerned about physical and sexual attractiveness.
-May complain that parents prevent him or her from doing things independently.
-Starts to want both physical and emotional intimacy in relationships.
-The experience of intimate partnerships

Social Development
-shifts in relationship with parents from dependency and subordination to one
that reflects the adolescent's increasing maturity and responsibilities in the
family and the community, Is more and more aware of social behaviors of friends.
-Seeks friends that share the same beliefs, values, and interests.
-Friends become more important.
-Starts to have more intellectual interests.
-Explores romantic and sexual behaviors with others.
-May be influenced by peers to try risky behaviors (alcohol, tobacco, sex).
Mental Development
-Becomes better able to set goals and think in terms of the future.
-Has a better understanding of complex problems and issues.
-Starts to develop moral ideals and to select role models.

Reading:ENCOURAGEMENT 101: The Courage to Be Imperfect

by Timothy D. Evans, Ph.D.

Encouragement is the key ingredient for improving your relationships with others.
It is the single most important skill necessary for getting along with others so
important that the lack of it could be considered the primary cause of conflict and
misbehavior. Encouragement develops a person's psychological hardiness and
social interest. Encouragement is the lifeblood of a relationship. And yet, this
simple concept is often very hard to put into practice.

Encouragement is not a new idea. Its spiritual connotation dates back to the Bible
in Hebrews 3:11 which states "Encourage one another daily." Encouragement, as
a psychological idea, was developed by psychiatrist Alfred Adler in the early 20th
century and continued to evolve through the work of Adler's follower Rudolph
Dreikurs. However, even today, relatively few educators, parents, psychologists,
leaders or couples have utilized this valuable concept. Most of the time, people
mistakenly use a technique like praise in an effort to "encourage" others.

Half the job of encouragement lies in avoiding discouraging words and actions.
When children or adults misbehave, it is usually because they are discouraged.
Instead of building them up, we tear them down; instead of recognizing their
efforts and improvements, we point out mistakes; instead of allowing them to
belong through shared decision-making and meaningful contributions, we isolate
and label them.

Most of us are skilled discouragers. We have learned how to bribe, rewaRd and,
when that fails, to punish, criticize, nag, threaten, interrogate and emotionally
withdraw. We do this as an attempt to control those we love, bolstered by the
mistaken belief that we are responsible for the behavior of everyone around us,
especially our spouses and children. These attempts to control behavior create
atmospheres of tension and conflict in many houses.
Most commonly, we discourage in five general ways:
-We set standards that are too high for others to meet because we are overly
ambitious.
-We focus on mistakes as a way to motivate change or improved behavior.
-We make constant comparisons (self to others, siblings to one another).
-We automatically give a negative spin to the actions of others.
-We dominate others by being overly helpful, implying that they are unable to do
it as well.

Encouragement is not a technique nor is it a special language used to gain

compliance. Encouragement conveys the idea that all human beings are
worthwhile, simply because they exist. In one sentence, Mr. Rogers does more for
a child's sense of adequacy than a hundred instances of praise when he says, "I
like you just the way you are." Not I like you when you do it well enough, fast
enough and get it all correct. Encouragement develops children's psychological
hardiness ability to function and recover when things aren't going their way. their

Encouragement enhances a feeling of belonging which leads to greater social

interest. Social interest is the tendency for people to unite themselves with other
human beings and to accomplish their tasks in cooperation with others. The
Junior League mission of "developing the potential of women and improving
communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers" is
rooted in the idea of social interest.

The first step to becoming an encouraging person is to learn to distinguish

encouragement from discouragement. As a rule, ask yourself: Whatever I say or
do, will it bring me closer together or farther apart from this person?

We all have the power to be more encouraging people. The choice, as always, is
yours.
Reading:THE POWER OF PERSONAL DECLARATIONS
by Dr. Emily De Carlo

So often we accept the declarations that others have made concerning our own
lives, well-being or fate. It is imperative that we recognize that in order to achieve
what we want in life, we must not give our power away to others by accepting
their declarations concerning our affairs. When one decides that he or she will
boldly declare good fortune, wellness, joy, etc. relative to his or her life, all of
heaven will break loose! Goodness and mercy shall surely follow.

From birth, we are often told what we are going to be. Sometimes, this is a good
thing, but suppose you have been told time and time again that "you will not
amount to anything just like your mother or father"? This is a dangerous
declaration because it sets into motion the actualization of an unwanted
occurrence. All of us want to amount to something! In order to counteract this
and all of the negative eclarations with their destructive potential, one must
consciously replace them with one's own declarations. In so doing, you are now in
control of setting into action what you really want to occur. You can declare that
goodness and mercy shall surely follow you all the days of your life!

The following are some declarations that you may want to make concerning your
life:

I declare:

-that I am totally free of all addictions.

-that I will survive any attempts of others to control my life. that I am free in my
mind, body, and emotions.
-that I am free to set goals and reach them.
-that I am a loving individual with the capacity to give love.
-that I am a child of God with all rights and privileges thereof.
-that I will contribute to the welfare of others.
-that I will be an ambassador of goodwill to all I meet on the journey.
-that I will be a good example for others to follow.
-that I will help all that I can to reach their goals.
-that I will speak words of encouragement to others.
-that I will find the goodness in life and focus on it.

-that I will not succumb to the negative influences of others.

-that I will read the information that will encourage my personal,
and spiritual growth.
-that I will commit to being the best I can be.

These declarations are meant to encourage you to take control of the influences
in your life. They are suggestions as to what positive things you can speak about
your own life instead of accepting whatever has been said about you in the past.
You now have the authority to plant the seeds of love, encouragement and
victory in your garden, thereby crowding out the weeds of negativity that may
already have taken root! Just as in a garden, you may have to pull and pull until
you get some weeds out. Sometimes, the negative comments and declarations of
others have taken such a stronghold in our lives, that we must persist until we see
the bough not only fall, but break into pieces. Don't be discouraged if you don't
reach your goals overnight. Just remember that even a small stream of water will
crack concrete eventually!

Reading: BEING HAPPY

You may have defects, be anxious and sometimes live irritated, but do not forget
that your life is the greatest enterprise in the world. Only you can prevent it from
going into decadence. There are many that need you, admire you and love you.

I would like to remind you that being happy is not having a sky without storms, or
roads without accidents, or work without fatigue, or relationships without
disappointments.

Being happy is finding strength in forgiveness, hope in one's battles, security at

the stage of fear, love in disagreements.

Being happy is not only to treasure the smile, but that you also reflect on the
sadness. It is not just commemorating the event, but also learning lessons in
failures. It is not just having joy with the applause, but also having joy in
anonymity.

Being happy is to recognize that it is worthwhile to live, despite all the challenges,
misunderstandings and times of crises.
You sent
Being happy is not inevitable fate, but a victory for those who can travel towards
it with your own being.
Being happy is to stop being a victim of problems but become an actor in history
itself. It is not only to cross the deserts outside of ourselves, but still more, to be
able to find an oasis in the recesses of our soul. It is to thank God every morning
for the miracle of life.

Being happy is not being afraid of one's feelings. It is to know how to talk about
ourselves. It is to bear with courage when hearing a "no". It is to have the security
to receive criticism, even if is unfair. It is to kiss the children, pamper the parents,
have poetic moments with friends, even if they have hurt us.

Being happy means allowing the free, happy and simple child inside each of us to
live; having the maturity to say, "I was wrong"; having the audacity to say,
"forgive me". It is to have sensitivity in expressing, "I need you"; to have the
ability of saying, "I love you." So that your life becomes a garden full of
opportunities for being happy...

In your spring-time, may you become a lover of joy. In your winter, may you
become a friend of wisdom. And when you go wrong along the way, you start all
over again. Thus you will be more passionate about life. And you will find that
happiness is not about having a perfect life but about using tears to water
tolerance, losses to refine patience, failures to carve serenity, pain to lapidate
pleasure, obstacles to open the windows of intelligence.

Never give up Never give up on the people you love. Never give up from being
happy because life is an incredible show. And you are a special human being

MODULE 3:
A personal timeline portrays the influential events and happenings of a person's
life so that he can understand where he has gone wrong and right in the past. It
helps to plan the future in a better constructive way.

Reading: DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES

Human Development focuses on human growth and changes across the lifespan,
including physical, cognitive, social, intellectual, perceptual, personality and
emotional growth.
The study of human developmental stages is essential to understanding how
humans learn, mature and adapt. Throughout their lives, humans go through
various stages of development.

The human being is either in a state of growth or decline, but either condition
imparts change. Some aspects of our life change very little over time, are
consistent. Other aspects change dramatically. By understanding these changes,
we can better respond and plan ahead effectively.

DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE

1. PRE-NATAL (CONCEPTION TO BIRTH): Age when hereditary endowments and

sex are fixed and all body features, both external and internal are developed.

2. INFANCY (BIRTH TO 2 YEARS): Foundation age when basic behavior are

organized and many ontogenetic maturation skills are developed.

3. EARLY CHILDHOOD (2 TO 6 YEARS):

Pre-gang age, exploratory, and questioning. Language and Elementary reasoning
are acquired and initial socialization is experienced.

4. LATE CHILDHOOD (6 TO 12 YEARS): Gang and creativity age when self-help

skills, social skills, school skills, and play are developed.

5. ADOLESCENCE (PUBERTY TO 18 YEARS): Transition age from childhood to

adulthood when sex maturation and rapid physical development occur resulting
to changes in ways of feeling, thinking and acting.

6. EARLY ADULTHOOD (18 TO 40 YEARS): Age of adjustment to new patterns of

life and roles such as spouse, parent and bread winner.

7. MIDDLE AGE (40 YEARS TO RETIREMENT): Transition age when adjustments to

initial physical and mental decline are experienced.

8. OLD AGE (RETIREMENT TO DEATH): Retirement age when increasingly rapid

physical and mental decline are experienced.
reading:HAVIGHURST'S DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS DURING THE LIFE SPAN

Robelt J. Havighurst elaborated on the Developmental Tasks Theory in the most

systematic and extensive manner. His main assertion is that development is
continuous throughout the entire lifespan, occurring in stages, where the
individual moves from one stage to the next hy means of successful resolution of
problems or performance of developmental tasks. These tasks are those that are
typically encountered by most people in the culture where the individual belongs.
If the person successfully accomplishes and masters the developmental task, he
feels pride and satisfaction, and consequently earns his community or society's
approval. This success provides a sound foundation which allows the individual to
accomplish tasks to be encountered at later stages. Conversely, if the individual is
not successful at accomplishing a task, he is unhappy and is not accorded the
desired approval by society, resulting in the subsequent experience of difficulty
when faced with succeeding developmental tasks. This theory presents the
individual as an active learner who continually interacts with a similarly active
social environment.

Havighurst proposed a bio psychosocial model of development, wherein the

developmental tasks at each stage are influenced by the individual's biology
(physiological maturation and genetic makeup), his psychology (personal values
and goals) and sociology (specific culture to which the individual belongs).

THE DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS SUMMARY TABLE

INFANCY AND EARLY CHILDHOOD (0-5)

-Learning to walk
-Learning to take solid foods
-Learning to talk
-Learning to control the elimination of body wastes
-Learning sex differences and sexual modesty
-Acquiring concepts and language to describe social and physical reality
-Readiness for reading Learning to distinguish right from wrong and developing a
conscience

MIDDLE CHILDHOOD (6-12)

-Learning physical skills
-necessary for ordinary games
-Building a wholesome attitude toward oneself
-Learning to get along with age-mates
-Learning an appropriate sex role
-Developing fundamental skills in reading, writing, and calculating
-Developing concepts necessary for everyday living
-Developing conscience, morality, and a scale of values
-Achieving personal independence
-Developing acceptable attitudes toward society

ADOLESCENCE (13-18)
-Achieving mature relations with both sexes
-Achieving a masculine or feminine social role
-Accepting one's physique
-Achieving emotional independence of adults
-Preparing for marriage and family life
-Preparing for an economic career
-Acquiring values and an ethical system to guide behavior
-Desiring and achieving socially responsibility behavior

Reading: LIVING MINDFULLY

Living mindfully is like being an artist: you need the right tools to practice your
craft, and you need to constantly refine your technique to achieve your creative
potential. In the same way, using the present moment tools below will help you to
hone a consistent mindfulness practice that will in time lead to a more aware,
compassionate and fulfilling way of life.

Tool 1: Breathe Mindfully. Use your breath as an anchor to still your mind and
bring your focus back to the present moment.

Tool 2: Listen Deeply. Listen with intention; let others fully express themselves
and focus on understanding how they think and feel.

Tool 3: Cultivate Insight. See life as it is, allowing each experience to be an

opportunity for learning.

Tool 4: Practice Compassion. Consider the thoughts and feelings of others and let
tenderness, kindness and empathy be your guides.
Tool 5: Limit Reactivity. Observe rather than be controlled by your emotions.
Pause, breathe, and choose a skillful response based on thoughtful speech and
non- violence under every condition.

Tool 6: Express Gratitude. Practice gratitude daily and expand it outward,

appreciating everyone and everything you encounter.

Tool 7: Nurture Mutual Respect. Appreciate our common humanity and value
different perspectives as well as your own.

Tool 8: Build Integrity. Cultivate constructive values and consistently act from
respect, honesty and kindness.

Tool 9: Foster Leadership. Engage fully in life and in community. Share your
unique talents and generosity so that others can also be inspired.

Tool 10: Be Peace. Cultivate your own inner peace, becoming an agent for
compassionate action and social good.

Which tools do you use most often? Which tools do you use least often? Can you
think of ways to incorporate those tools into your life? Which one could you try
today?
Activity 3. Brain Dominance
Instruction: Write “yes” on the line provided if it applies to you and “no” if it doesn’t. Which of
these apply to you?

LEFT:
___ I am very organized.
___ I remember faces more than names.
___ I think things through before making a
decision.
___ If someone’s mad at me, I can tell even
without the person saying a word.

RIGHT:
___ I daydream a lot.
___ I hate taking risks
___ I tend to get emotional.
___ I make a to-do-list
___ I trust my “gut instinct”

If you have more “yes” answers from the left column, you are probably left-brain dominant,
while if
you have more “yes” answers from the right column, you are probably right-brain dominant.
.

THE DOMINANT SIDE OF THE BRAIN

LEFT DOMINANCE RIGHT DOMINANCE

Classical music Popular music
Being on time A good times
Careful planning To visualize the outcome
To consider alternative To go with the first idea
Being thoughtful Being active
Monopoly, scrabble, or chess Athletics, art, or music

There is nothing good or bad about either preference. Both orientations can be equally
successful in accomplishing a single task; however, one may be more appropriate over the
other
depending on the situation.

THE POWER TO ACT:

The brain has three major parts -- the cerebrum, the cerebellum and the brain
stem.
The brain stem connects the spinal cord and the brain. It controls functions that
keep people alive such as breathing, heart rate, blood pressure and food digestion.
Those activities occur without any thought. You aren't telling yourself, "Inhale.
Exhale. Inhale." You're just breathing.

The cerebellum - That region controls voluntary movement. When you want to lift
your fork, wave your hand, brush your hair or wink at a cutie, you form the thought
and then an area in the cerebellum translates your will into action. It happens so
quickly. Think about how little time passes between your desire to continue reading
this sentence and the time it takes your eyes to move to this word or this one. It
seems automatic, but it isn't.

Neurons, the basic functional units of the nervous system, are three-part units
and are key to brain function. They are comprised of a nerve cell body, axon and
dendrite, and they power the rapid-fire process that turns thought into movement.
The thought moves as an electrical signal from the nerve cell down the axon to a
dendrite, which looks like branches at the end of nerve cells. The signal jumps from
the end of the dendrite on one cell across the space, called a synapse, to the
dendrite of another cell with the help of chemicals called neurotransmitters. That
signal continues jumping from cell to cell until it reaches the muscle you need to
wave, wink or walk.
The cerebrum is the largest of the three brain sections, accounts for about 85
percent of the brain's weight, and has four lobes. The lobes-frontal, parietal,
temporal and occipital -- each have different functions. They get their names from
the sections of the skull that are next to them. The parietal lobe helps people
understand what they see and feel, while the frontal lobe determines personality
and emotions. Vision functions are in the occipital lobe, and hearing and word
recognition abilities are in the temporal lobe.
Drug damage
Because so little recovery occurs to brains damaged after age 3, the effects of
drugs and alcohol on the brain might be lasting. Doctors know what inhalants,
steroids, marijuana, cocaine and alcohol do to the brain when people use them.
"The question scientists can't answer now is if the damage is permanent," said Sue
Rusche, co-author of "False Messengers," a book on how addictive drugs change
the brain. Inhalants, such as glue, paint, gasoline and aerosols, destroy the outer
lining of nerve cells and make them unable to communicate with one another. In
1993, more than 60 young people died from sniffing inhalants, according to National
Families in Action, a drug education center based in Atlanta. Studies have found
that marijuana use hinders memory, learning, judgment and reaction times, while
steroids cause aggression and violent mood swings. Ecstasy use is rising among
young people, Rusche said, and scientists have found that drug destroys neurons
that make serotonin, a chemical crucial in controlling sleep, violence, mood swings
and sexual urges. While doctors and scientists know about some effects drugs have
on the brain, they don't have a full picture, Rusche said. "When people start using a
drug, the scientists know nothing about it. These people are volunteering to be
guinea pigs," said Rusche, who is co-founder and executive director of National
Families in Action. "Once enough people take it, scientists apply for grants and start
studying it. People are inventive. They find new drugs or new ways to take old
drugs-like crack from cocaine. "There's a lot we won't know about until later," she
said. "The classic example is cigarettes. We allowed people to smoke for 100 years
before we knew about all the horrible things that nicotine will do.
Source: Christy Oglesby, CNNfyi Senior Writer, December 5, 2000 from
http://edition.cnn.com/fyi/interactive/news/brain/structure.function.html

SELF ESTEEM AND BODY ESTEEM

Does any of this sound familiar? "I'm too tall." "I'm too short." "I'm too skinny." "If
only I were shorter or taller; had curly hair or straight hair; had a smaller nose; or
had longer legs, I'd be happy."
Are you putting yourself down? If so, you're not alone. As a teen, you're going
through lots of changes in your body. And, as your body changes, so does your
image of yourself. It's not always easy to like every part of your looks, but when you
get stuck on the negatives it can really bring down your self-esteem.

Why Are Self-Esteem and Body Image Important?

Self-esteem is all about how much you feel you are worth — and how
much you feel other people value you. Self-esteem is important because feeling
good about yourself can affect your mental health and how you behave. People with
high self-esteem know themselves well. They're realistic and find friends that like
and appreciate them for who they are. People with high self-esteem usually feel
more in control of their lives and know their own strengths and weaknesses.

Body image is how you view your physical self — including whether
you feel you are attractive and whether others like your looks. For many
people, especially people in their early teens, body image can be closely linked to
self-esteem

What Influences a Person's Self-Esteem?

Puberty and Development

Some people struggle with their self-esteem and body image when they begin
puberty because it's a time when the body goes through many changes. These
changes, combined with wanting to feel accepted by our friends, means it can be
tempting to compare ourselves with others. The trouble with that is, not everyone
grows or develops at the same time or in the same way.

Media Images and Other Outside Influences

Our tweens and early teens are a time when we become more aware of celebrities
and media images — as well as how other kids look and how we fit in. We might
start to compare ourselves with other people or media images ("ideals" that are
frequently airbrushed). All of this can affect how we feel about ourselves and our
bodies even as we grow into our teens.

Families and School

Family life can sometimes influence our body image. Some parents or coaches
might be too focused on looking a certain way or "making weight" for a sports team.
Family members might struggle with their own body image or criticize their kids'
looks ("why do you wear your hair so long?" or "how come you can't wear pants that
fit you?"). This can all influence a person's self-esteem, especially if they're
sensitive to other peoples' comments. People also may experience
negative comments and hurtful teasing about the way they look from classmates
and peers. Although these often come from ignorance, sometimes they can affect
body image and self-esteem.

What Is Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand, use, and manage our
emotions.

Emotions are what you feel on the inside when things happen. Emotions are also
known
as feelings.

1. Afraid: feeling fear and worry

2. Angry: feeling mad with a person, act or idea
3. Ashamed: feeling bad after doing wrong
4. Confident: feeling able to do something
5. Confused: feeling unable to think clear
6. Depressed: feeling sad, blue, discouraged, and unhappy
7. Embarrassed: feeling worried about what others may think
8. Energetic: feeling full of energy
9. Excited: feeling happy and aroused
10. Glad: feeling joy and pleasure
11. Jealous: feeling upset when someone has something that you would like to
have or they get to do something you wanted
12. Lonely: feeling alone and that nobody cares
13. Proud: feeling pleased for doing well
14. Relaxed: feeling at ease and without worry, calm
15. Stressed: feeling tense, tired, uneasy, and overwhelmed

TYPES OF RESPONSES:
PASSIVE RESPONSE: Behaving passively means not expressing your own needs
and feelings or expressing them so weakly that they will not be addressed.
AGGRESSIVE RESPONSE: Behaving aggressively is asking for what you want or
saying how you feel in a threatening, sarcastic or humiliating way that may offend
the other person(s).

ASSERTIVE RESPONSE: Behaving assertively means asking for what you want or
saying how you feel in an honest and respectful way that does not infringe on
another person’s right or put the individual down.

MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES:

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
ADHD is common and can make it hard to focus and sit still. ADHD makes it hard to
finish things, and makes thoughts jump around. Kids who have ADHD can learn to
control their thoughts and bodies by figuring out what helps them focus, or by
talking to a doctor or mental health professional. Some kids with ADHD do better in
school if they can do their work in a quiet room. Sometimes medicine can help too.
Even though having ADHD can make some things harder people who have ADHD
are just as smart as other people. They can still do well in school and in life.

Anxiety (Panic Disorder)

Have you ever been nervous? Maybe from a test, a speech, or a big game? When
you’re nervous, your heart starts pounding, you breathe fast, or your stomach might
feel funny. Feeling anxious and nervous is common. But a person diagnosed with
an Anxiety Disorder will have these feelings suddenly and often. These strong,
sudden feelings of stress or fear are called “panic attacks.” A panic attack can make
your chest or stomach hurt, your heart speed up, make you feel afraid, dizzy, or feel
like you can’t breathe. Even kids can have panic attacks. People who have panic
attacks sometimes feel scared to go places because they are afraid of having an
attack. Their daily life can be scary, but they can get help, get better and be okay.

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder changes the way the brain understands the world.
People diagnosed with autism can have a hard time talking about their feelings,
understanding people’s actions, and being social. They can also be very
sensitive about being touched. To a person diagnosed with autism, being hugged
can be scary and uncomfortable. Kids who have autism are just as smart as other
kids. They can be very good at things like math or music. Just because some things
are hard for kids with autism, they are not acting mean or weird. Their brains just
work in a different way. They still make friends and learn how to work and play with
others.

Bi-Polar Disorder
Everybody has feelings that change. When something good happens, you feel
happy. If something bad happens, you feel sad. Bi-polar disorder changes the way
people feel emotions. If people have bi-polar disorder, their emotions can go
from happy to sad very quickly. They can be very cheerful one moment, and very
angry, sad and tired the next moment. When people with bi-polar disorder
experience intense feelings of happiness it is called “mania.” They can’t think clearly
or sleep well, and they might do things without thinking about them first. When
people with bi-polar disorder feel intense sadness and tiredness, it is called
“depression.” Having bi-polar disorder can be very tiring and stressful. Medication
can help. Talking to a mental health professional, friends and family can also help
someone with bi-polar disorder learn how to manage feelings and live a healthy life.

Depression
Depression is a mental health challenge that makes people feel very sad all the
time. It can change how you think, feel, and act. It can even make your body feel
sick too. A person diagnosed with depression can feel so sad that it makes it
hard to think clearly. Someone diagnosed with depression might feel very sad every
day, or feel that nobody loves them. They might not want to do things they used to
think were fun. People diagnosed with depression may not know why they
feel so sad. Even if you have a good life, you can struggle with depression. It is
good to have family and close friends to talk to and help when things are bad, and
talking to a mental health professional about these strong feelings can help.
Depression can be very hard, but people with depression can get better too, and
learn how to enjoy life.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Sometimes if you see or live through something very scary, you can keep feeling
afraid even after the scary part is over. It is normal to feel afraid sometimes, but
people with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) feel scared even if they are
safe and there is nothing to be afraid of. Kids with PTSD might have very bad
dreams that seem real, or think something bad is going to happen again. Even
when they are safe, the feelings of fear are very real. Talking to a mental health
professional or friends and family can help. It takes time and hard work, but kids
who are diagnosed with PTSD can learn ways to handle their fears and can live
healthy, happy lives.

Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia makes it hard for people to know what is real and what is not real.
Schizophrenia can make the brain think it sees or hears things aren’t there. A
person diagnosed with schizophrenia can also start to think
that people are trying to control them or read their minds. Even though the things
they see, hear, believe or feel might not be true, their brains think they are rand
true, and that can be very scary. Having schizophrenia does not mean person is
violent or bad. Usually, people do not get this illness until their late teens or early
adulthood, and there are ways to make their lives better, like therapy and
medication.

Common Eating Disorders

The most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa
(usually called simply "anorexia" and "bulimia"). But other food-related disorders,
like avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, binge eating, body image disorders,
and food phobias, are becoming more and more commonly identified.
1. Anorexia
People with anorexia have a real fear of weight gain and a distorted view of their
body size and shape. As a result, they eat very little and can become dangerously
underweight. Many teens with anorexia restrict their food intake by dieting, fasting,
or excessive exercise. They hardly eat at all — and the small amount of food they
do eat becomes an obsession in terms of calorie counting or
trying to eat as little as possible. Others with anorexia may start binge eating and
purging — eating a lot of food and then trying to get rid of the calories by making
themselves throw up, using some type of medication or laxatives, or exercising
excessively, or some combination of these.
2. Bulimia
Bulimia is like anorexia. With bulimia, people might binge eat (eat to excess) and
then try to compensate in extreme ways, such as making themselves throw up or
exercising all the time, to prevent weight gain. Over time, these steps can be
dangerous — both physically and emotionally. They can also lead to compulsive
behaviors (ones that are hard to stop). To have bulimia, a person must be binging
and purging regularly, at least once a week for a couple of months. Binge eating is
different from going to a party and "pigging out" on pizza, then deciding to go to the
gym the next day and eat more healthfully. People with bulimia eat a large amount
of food (often junk food) at once, usually in secret. Sometimes they eat food that is
not cooked or might be still frozen, or retrieve food from the trash. They typically
feel powerless to stop the eating and can only stop once they're too full to eat any
more, or they may have to go to extreme measures (like pouring salt all over a
dessert to make it inedible) to get themselves to stop eating. Most people with
bulimia then purge by vomiting but also may use laxatives or excessive exercise.
Although anorexia and bulimia are very similar, people with anorexia are usually
very thin and underweight, but those with bulimia may be an average weight or can
be overweight.

Source: Walk in our Shoes. http://walkinourshoes.org/content/Classroom_Lesson_Plans.pdf)