BHMS 2011Decision-Making

Presentations

We Are Faced with Making Decision Everyday Some are more important than others MinorWhat am I eating for lunch?What shirt should I wear?What game do I play?What hat should I use?What flavor candy should I

eat?

MajorWhat friends do I choose to

hang out with?Where do I go to college?Should I smoke that pipe?When should I be sexually

involved?

Decisions, Decisions,Decisions … Some decisions are clear-cut; like Math problems,

some have one solution However, some aren’t very clear; they may have

many different ways of resolving them? Make good decisions by employing the

F.A.S.T. Method

F.A.S.T. Steps to Making Good Decisions In LifeF – Freeze and Think• What needs to be decided? What is the

problem?• Focus on the actual problem and not on

symptoms. Symptoms may merely indicate the existence of something else.

• Do not drown in your emotions.

Don’t Lose it People!

F.A.S.T. Steps to Making Good Decisions In Life

A – Alternatives• Brainstorm alternatives or solutions to

solve the issue/problem.• Write down every possible alternative that

comes to mind.• Seek input from family, friends, the

internet (reliable sites), or professionals.

F.A.S.T. Steps to Making Good Decisions In Life

S – Solution• Which solution seems to be the best

choice?

• What are possible positive and negative outcomes of this solution?

• After doing the above, is it still a good solution?

F.A.S.T. Steps to Making Good Decisions In Life

T – Try it!• Choose a decision that matches your personal

values/goals.

• Choose a decision that has the least negative and most positive consequences.

• If it doesn’t work, ask yourself why and make changes in the plan—then retry it.

F.A.S.T. Steps to Making Good Decisions In Life

F-Freeze and ThinkProblem/Issue:You are at lunch with five of your best

friends. After getting lunch you see your best friend putting down a classmate of yours in front of everyone.

Put F.A.S.T. into PracticeA – Alternatives (Best friend is

putting your classmate down)▪Ignore it

▪Start putting your best friend down

▪Call an adult for help

▪Join your friend in putting down that classmate

▪Tell your best friend to stop

Put F.A.S.T. into PracticeS - Solution: Join your friend in putting down the classmate

Positives Consequences▪ You can have some fun▪ You’ll get to join your buddy (and other friends)▪ You may get the attention of others▪ You may feel some power

Negative Consequences▪ The classmate will feel really sad, rejected, and/or may not want to come to school▪ You may get suspended▪ The classmate may press harassment charges against you ▪ Your classmate may commit suicide

The Price of Silence

Put F.A.S.T. into PracticeF-Freeze and ThinkProblem/Issue:

You’re in the room alone with your boyfriend (or girlfriend) and you’re significant other wants to make-out with you

Put F.A.S.T. into PracticeA – Alternatives (Boy/Girl in Room)▪ Walk out of the room

▪ Make-out

▪ Tell other person that I’m “saving” myself

▪ Call for your mother

▪ Change the subject

▪ Slap him

Put F.A.S.T. into Practice

▪ Not put self in a too “hot” to handle situation

▪ Get to cool off▪ Preserve my virginity▪ Gives me a chance to think about

the person—if I really want to be with him

▪ Friends will not think I’m “easy”▪ Parents will be proud of me for

waiting▪ Avoiding risk of becoming pregnant

▪ He may make up rumors about me▪ He will be angry at me▪ He will break up with me

S - Solution: Walk out of room

List out Positive and Negative Consequences for Each Solution that You Think Would Work

Positives Consequences Negative Consequences

What is Your Relationship Reality?

Put F.A.S.T. into Practice

F-Freeze and ThinkProblem/Issue: While walking home, a high

school student stops you and asks if you want to smoke some “pot” with him

A – Alternatives (Pot Smoker)▪ Smoke the pot with him▪ Tell person “No Way” and run like the wind▪ Walk past person and ignore what was said▪ Run away and call my older brother to beat the

person up▪ Say “No Thanks” “I don’t smoke”

Put F.A.S.T. into Practice

Put F.A.S.T. into Practice

▪ Get high and feel good for a short while

▪ Meet a new friend

▪ Parents will smell the pot on my clothes and ground me

▪ I’ll get high and the smoker will steal my wallet

▪ The stuff I smoke may be a more dangerous drug

▪ Smoking pot will lead to other harmful drugs, which can make me an addict

▪ I will not graduate from high school

S - Solution: Smoke the pot with him

List out Positive and Negative Consequences for Each Solution that You Think Would Work

Negative ConsequencesPositives Consequences

Gateway to … ?

Last thoughts…

▪ Attempt to predict the outcome (positive/negative) of each decision before you need to make decisions

▪ Ask others around you for help

▪ Other people who had to make your decisions in the past can share the wisdom of making better decisions

Reasons Why People Do Not Make their Own Decisions Fearing failure. Fearing success. Believing that others will expect perfection if

succeed once. Lacking the ability to set priorities, so I don’t know what to do first. Not knowing where to get the information I need to help me decide. Hoping someone else will decide. Having little experience in making decisions and feeling

overwhelmed. Not being willing to sacrifice immediate comfort for the long-term

gain. Fearing others will disapprove of my decision. Thinking, "I can’t do something if no one else that I know is doing it." Believing my decisions won’t matter. Not knowing who you are