SPONGE

3. Give an example of what you could do to help control yourself when you become angry.

4. What sort of person would you look for to help you solve a conflict between you and another person.

Wellness Day 2

Wellness

Section 2

Addiction, Anger

Management and Conflict Resolution

Mental Health

• We have now learned about mental, social and emotional health and how they affect your life.

• However, no one ever achieves perfect health in all three areas. There are many dysfunctions that can plague a person’s mind.

Addiction• An addiction is a

strong need to take a drug or engage in a specific behavior.

• Addictions can harm physical health, harm relationships and cause legal and financial problems.

Signs that a Person has an Addiction

• People with addictions will participate in unhealthy activities instead of dealing with their feelings of anxiety, depression, boredom or loneliness.

• They will participate in the unhealthy activity, even though there are very negative consequences.

• They may try to stop participating in the activity, but are unable to do so.

Addiction• One of the most

familiar addictions is drug addiction.–Some people drink

alcohol or smoke cigarettes to avoid dealing with problems.

–Some depend on harder drugs to change their mood.

Addiction• Many common forms of

addiction involve eating.– Some people may become

addicted to eating huge amounts of food (binging) to help them deal with their feelings.

– Others can become addicted to throwing up their food (purging) to avoid gaining weight.

Addiction

• Even a behavior that is normal or healthy can become addictive when carried to the extreme.– Sometimes a person

becomes so obsessed with their health they can form an exercise addiction.

Addiction

• There are hundreds of very rare addictions, including:– Shopping– Playing video games– Internet addiction– Television addiction– Workaholism– Eating toilet paper

Anger• Anger can range from

slight irritation to intense rage.

• It’s usually a response to being hurt, frustrated, insulted or rejected.

• An Anger Trigger is a thought or event that causes a person to be angry.

Types of Anger• Hidden Anger is anger that

is not recognized and is expressed in an inappropriate way.– For example, being sarcastic

or blowing up easily.

• Hidden anger builds and eventually cannot be hidden. This sort of anger is linked to tantrums, stiff muscles, high blood pressure and types of cancer.

DEAR ABBY: I am a 16-year-old girl, and I'm pretty popular in my high school. I'm blessed to have several close friends, and we always have a great time together. My grades are good, and I get along well with my mom, dad and little brother. So what's the problem, you're probably wondering. I had an argument with my girlfriend “Amber” recently. It was over a “guy issue.” I won't go into details because we did end up working it out, but Amber said something during the blowup that has me worried. She said that sometimes my anger gets out of control and concerns her. Two other girls who were with us at the time agreed with her. That floored me. This is the first time I've heard about this. I mean, Mom sometimes calls me “Tammy Temper” – and has accused me of “throwing fits.” But my friends never called me on it. In the fight with Amber, she said my fists were clenched and she was afraid I might hit her. (I didn't think so.) I don't want to scare people. I value my friends. I look forward to going to college and making new friends and having new experiences. I don't want to have a reputation as a hothead. Can you help me? – “Tammy Temper” In Harrisburg, Pa.

Infants show frustration by beating their heads against the side of their cribs, screaming or holding their breath until they turn red. Young children throw tantrums, yelling, kicking or hitting. But as we grow older, we learn to recognize what is upsetting us before we react, and learn to handle the emotion in acceptable ways. Anger is an important subject. While many people have been taught from early childhood to suppress it, it is also important to learn how to express it appropriately. Admitting our anger verbally is one way. It's like releasing steam from a pressure cooker, which is both appropriate and healthy. Mature adults express emotions without “throwing fits” or making bullying gestures. Because your mother calls you “Tammy Temper” and your friends are voicing concern, the time has come for you to take control.

Projection• Projection is thinking other people have the emotions or responsibilities that you have, but cannot admit.– For example, someone

who scores poorly on tests may blame the teacher for his or her failure.

– Someone who is constantly blaming others for their problems is projecting.

Anger Management

• Anger Management skills are helpful ways to control and express anger.

• The following skills can help a person manage their anger:

1. Write down what happened (and be honest.) This will help you judge the situation once you have calmed down. You can decide if you overreacted and find out exactly what caused your anger.

Anger Management

2. Use “I” statements to control anger.

• Self statements keep the blame off of others and help you work out your own feelings.

• For example, “I am in control” or “I am not going to hurt anyone.”

Anger Management

3. Help control anger by exercising.

• Exercising while you’re angry will help you settle down.

• Exercising when you’re not angry will help your emotional health in general.

Anger Management

4. Rehearse what you will do and say before you get angry.

• By imagining what will happen the next time you get angry you can be ready and plan how to keep the situation under control.

Types of Conflict• Conflict is a disagreement between one or

more people, whether they be family, friends or strangers.

Types of Conflict• There are 4 types of

conflict:

1. Intrapersonal conflict is a conflict that occurs within a person.

– For example, a person may be conflicted about whether to do homework (what they should do) or watch TV (what they want to do.)

Types of Conflict

2. Interpersonal conflict is a conflict that occurs between two or more people.

– For example, two people argue about who is out in a game of dodgeball.

Types of Conflict• Intragroup conflict is a conflict that occurs

within a group of people.– For example, during the Civil War, Americans

fought each other even though many of them were family.

Types of Conflict

• Intergroup conflict is a conflict that occurs between groups of people.– For example, bickering often erupts between

Democrats and Republicans in Congress.

Responding to Conflict• There are three

ways that people respond to conflict:– In Conflict

Avoidance, a person will stay away from conflict at all expense.

– This sort of person almost never tells people when they disagree with them.

Responding to Conflict• In Conflict Confrontation

a person will seek out conflict.– This sort of person tries to

dominate arguments and bully around others they argue with.

• In Conflict Resolution people use a set of skills to manage conflicts and find a win-win solution.

Conflict Resolution Skills• People who practice conflict resolution skills

try to find win-win solutions to problems. Here are some steps to resolve conflict:– Ask for a mediator: A mediator is a trusted

person to help supervise a solution to your conflict.

– Remain calm.– Set the tone: shake hands and avoid blame– Take responsibility for actions: Admit what

you’ve done wrong and move on without blame.– Actually listen to each other.– Agree on a solution and stick to it.