Describe healthy and unhealthy self-management strategies for stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, loss, and grief

Standards Alignment

• TEKS.115.26.06D primary
  describe healthy and unhealthy self-management strategies for stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, loss, and grief;
• TEKS.115.26.06E primary
  identify causes and effects associated with disordered eating and eating disorders such as bulimia, anorexia, and binge eating disorder and the importance of seeking help from a parent or another trusted adult for oneself or others related to disordered eating;
• TEKS.115.26.06F primary
  discuss the suicide risk and suicide protective factors identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the importance of telling a parent or another trusted adult if one observes the warning signs in self or others;

Lesson Overview

This Grade 6 health education lesson focuses on helping students describe healthy and unhealthy self-management strategies for stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, loss, and grief. Students will also identify causes and effects of disordered eating and discuss suicide risk and protective factors. The lesson is grounded in TEKS standards and designed to develop students' skills to identify and manage mental health concerns appropriately.

Learning Objectives

• Describe healthy and unhealthy self-management strategies for stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, loss, and grief.
• Identify causes and effects associated with disordered eating and eating disorders such as bulimia, anorexia, and binge eating disorder.
• Explain the importance of seeking help from a parent or trusted adult for oneself or others related to disordered eating.
• Discuss suicide risk and protective factors as identified by the CDC.
• Recognize the importance of telling a parent or trusted adult if warning signs of suicide are observed in oneself or others.

Success Criteria

• Students can list examples of healthy and unhealthy self-management strategies for mental health challenges.
• Students can identify causes and effects of disordered eating and explain why seeking help is important.
• Students can describe suicide risk and protective factors and know when to seek help.
• Students demonstrate respectful listening and empathy when discussing mental health topics.

Prerequisite Knowledge

Students should have a basic understanding of emotions and recognize common feelings such as sadness, anxiety, and stress. They should be familiar with the concept of seeking help from trusted adults.

Key Vocabulary

• Stress
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Trauma
• Loss
• Grief
• Self-management strategies
• Disordered eating
• Bulimia
• Anorexia
• Binge eating disorder
• Suicide risk factors
• Suicide protective factors
• Trusted adult

Materials and Resources

• Whiteboard or chart paper
• Markers
• Scenario cards describing different mental health situations
• Handouts listing healthy and unhealthy self-management strategies
• CDC suicide risk and protective factors summary (simplified)

Teacher Preparation

• Review TEKS standards TEKS.115.26.06D, 06E, and 06F.
• Prepare scenario cards illustrating stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, loss, grief, and disordered eating.
• Prepare a simplified summary of CDC suicide risk and protective factors for discussion.
• Plan role-play activities to practice seeking help and respectful listening.

Detailed Lesson Notes

Understanding Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, Loss, and Grief

Stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, loss, and grief are emotional and mental health challenges that affect how people feel and behave. Stress is the body's response to challenges or demands. Anxiety is worry or fear about what might happen. Depression is a prolonged feeling of sadness or hopelessness. Trauma is a deeply distressing experience that can affect mental health. Loss and grief relate to the feelings after losing someone or something important. Recognizing these feelings helps students understand why managing them healthily is important.

Healthy Self-Management Strategies

Healthy self-management strategies are actions people take to cope with mental health challenges in ways that support well-being. Examples include talking to a trusted adult, practicing relaxation techniques like deep breathing, engaging in physical activity, maintaining a balanced routine, expressing feelings through journaling or art, and seeking professional help when needed. These strategies help reduce negative feelings and promote recovery.

Unhealthy Self-Management Strategies

Unhealthy strategies are behaviors that may temporarily mask feelings but ultimately harm mental health. Examples include withdrawing from friends and family, ignoring feelings, substance use, self-harm, disordered eating behaviors, or refusing to seek help. These strategies can worsen stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, loss, and grief and lead to more serious problems.

Disordered Eating and Eating Disorders

Disordered eating includes unhealthy eating behaviors that can lead to eating disorders such as bulimia (binge eating followed by purging), anorexia (extreme restriction of food intake), and binge eating disorder (eating large amounts of food uncontrollably). Causes include stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, or social pressures. Effects can be physical and emotional health problems. It is important to seek help from a parent or trusted adult if these behaviors or concerns arise for oneself or others.

Suicide Risk and Protective Factors

The CDC identifies suicide risk factors such as feelings of hopelessness, social isolation, history of trauma, or mental health disorders. Protective factors include strong family support, access to mental health care, problem-solving skills, and connectedness to community. Recognizing warning signs like talking about wanting to die or feeling trapped is critical. Students should understand the importance of telling a parent or trusted adult if they observe these signs in themselves or others to get help early.

Worked Examples

Classroom Activity

Students work in groups to analyze scenarios, identify feelings, and suggest healthy and unhealthy self-management strategies.

Guided Practice

Independent Practice

1. Foundational: What is one healthy way to manage feelings of stress or anxiety?
2. Developing: Name one unhealthy self-management strategy someone might use when feeling sad or overwhelmed.
3. Application: If a friend is showing signs of disordered eating, what should you do?
4. Analysis: Explain why it is important to recognize suicide risk factors and tell a trusted adult if you observe warning signs in yourself or others.
5. Challenge: Compare healthy and unhealthy self-management strategies for grief and explain how they affect recovery.

Independent Practice Teacher Answer Key

1. 1. Talking to a trusted adult or practicing deep breathing are healthy ways to manage stress or anxiety.
2. 2. Withdrawing from friends or refusing to talk about feelings is an unhealthy self-management strategy.
3. 3. Encourage the friend to talk to a parent or another trusted adult and offer support.
4. 4. Recognizing suicide risk factors helps prevent harm by allowing timely help. Telling a trusted adult ensures the person gets support and professional care.
5. 5. Healthy strategies like talking about feelings and seeking support help process grief and promote healing. Unhealthy strategies like isolation or substance use can delay recovery and worsen mental health.

Guiding Questions

• What feelings do you notice when someone is stressed or sad?
• How can you tell if a coping strategy is healthy or unhealthy?
• What causes disordered eating and what effects does it have?
• Who can you talk to if you or a friend needs help?
• What are some warning signs of suicide to watch for?

Common Misconceptions

• All coping strategies that make someone feel better immediately are healthy.
• Disordered eating is just about food choices and not related to emotions or mental health.
• Talking about suicide or warning signs will make someone more likely to attempt it.
• Only adults can help with mental health issues; peers cannot support each other.
• Ignoring feelings will make stress or sadness go away on its own.

Differentiation

Assessment

• Students participate in scenario discussions identifying healthy and unhealthy strategies.
• Students complete role-plays demonstrating help-seeking behavior.
• Students write or share healthy and unhealthy strategies and explain their importance.
• Name one healthy and one unhealthy way to manage stress or grief.
• Explain why it is important to tell a trusted adult if you see warning signs of suicide.
• Identify one cause and one effect of disordered eating.
• Create a presentation or poster about healthy self-management strategies for mental health challenges.
• Write a reflection on how they would support a friend experiencing anxiety or grief.
• Research and report on suicide protective factors and how to promote them in their community.

Answer Guide

• Identify one healthy and one unhealthy self-management strategy for stress.
  Answer: Healthy: Talking to a trusted adult. Unhealthy: Avoiding friends and isolating oneself.
• What is a cause of disordered eating?
  Answer: Stress, anxiety, or trauma can cause disordered eating.
• Why should you tell a trusted adult if you see warning signs of suicide?
  Answer: Because they can help get support and keep the person safe.
• Give an example of a suicide protective factor.
  Answer: Having strong family support or access to mental health care.
• Explain why unhealthy coping strategies can be harmful.
  Answer: They can make feelings worse and lead to more serious problems.

Real-Life Application

Encourage students to talk with their family about healthy ways to manage stress and emotions and identify trusted adults they can turn to for help.

Homework or Home Connection

• Encourage students to talk with their family about healthy ways to manage stress and emotions and identify trusted adults they can turn to for help.

Lesson Summary

Students learned to identify healthy and unhealthy self-management strategies for mental health challenges such as stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, loss, and grief. They explored causes and effects of disordered eating and understood the importance of seeking help. They also discussed suicide risk and protective factors and the critical role of trusted adults in supporting mental health and safety.

Teacher Notes

Use the exact standards alignment and retrieved-source provenance stored with this enrichment.

Related Lessons