Your Attitudes Toward Living

Chapter 3

What is an attitude? Where do attitudes originate? How do attitudes affect your life?

Do not turn it! You will need this paper later in class.

Journal

3.3 : Communicate a caring, respectful attitude for others within a diverse community

7.3: Demonstrate attitudes and values that will help an individual become more productive

State Standards

Attitude: a mental position, often described as a feeling

Attitudes are learned behaviorsAttitudes are either positive or negativeWithin your group, write a sketch of someone

who has a positive attitude and then someone who has a negative attitude. How do the view themselves and others? What might be some comments they may

make? Your attitudes may vary depending on the

situation

Positive and Negative Attitudes

How we take care of ourselves, how we relate to others, how we do our work all relate to our attitude.

Examples? Positive attitudes can influence your actions

in a positive way

Attitudes Affect Behavior

Self Perpetuating Cycle: The process of attitudes producing actions that produce more of the same type of attitudes

Example: Start your day with a negative attitude- put on

sloppy clothes- you feel bad- look in the mirror at school- remember you feel bad- so on

Self Perpetuating Cycle

Negative Attitudes

Positive Attitudes

Positive Actions

Negative Actions

Positive and negative attitudes contribute to your mental health

The state of your overall mental health depends on how well you deal with feelings about yourself, others, and the world around you

Mentally healthy people have a positive mental stateThey can accept themselves as they areThey feel equal to and liked by othersThey can enjoy themselvesThey believe they can handle most situations

that come their way

Mental Health

http://www.ehow.com/video_5574644_develop-positive-attitude-towards-life.html

How to Develop a Positive Attitude Towards Life

Thoughts about life experiences influence overall mental attitude

Positive thoughts=positive attitudeNegative thoughts=negative attitudeNegative mental attitude=low opinion of

themselvesPositive mental attitude=feel actions are

importantMental attitude is influenced by thoughts

about life, about yourself, and about your worth to others

Your Mental Attitude

Your Mental Attitude

Your Life Experiences and Your Thoughts

About Them

Positive Thoughts

Negative Thoughts

Positive

Actions

Negative

Actions

Attitudes

Think about your mental attitude. Answer these questions on your journal:How would you identify your mental attitude?

Negative or positiveHow does a person’s mental attitude develop?

What influences go into the development of your mental attitude?

Who helped shape your mental attitude? How did they help shape your mental attitude?

Assignment

Positive mental attitude=deal with most problems in a positive way

When people have problems they cannot solve they may react by using defense mechanisms to protect themselves

Defense mechanism: methods people unconsciously use to deal with a situation

Defense Mechanisms

Projection- placing blame on othersRationalization-giving excuses to defend a

behaviorDisplacement- taking out one’s feelings on

someone elseRegression- returning to immature behaviorIdealization- assigning excess value to

someone o somethingFantasy- meeting needs though the

imagination

Defense Mechanisms

Complete SAG, Activity B

Assignment

Defense mechanisms are only short term solutionsSolve problems that cause negative feeling to

occur instead of using defense mechanismsHow can you build a positive attitude?

Direct Attack- a method used to face a problem, recognize it, and try to solve it

Example- weight lossCompensation- a technique in which you focus on

a strength to make up for a weakness in another area

Focus on your strengths and abilities instead of your weaknesses.

Building a Positive Attitude

Set Reasonable Expectations- Don’t expect too much from yourself, but don’t expect too littleChallenge is helpful for building self-esteem

Use Positive Self- Talk- messages that you send yourself

Interpret the Facts in a positive waySelect Your Friends

Building a Positive Attitude, cont

Activity C, SAG

Assignment

Keeping a positive attitude is easy when things go well

Stress- your body’s response to the events of your lifeEvery day events can be stressful as well as major

eventsPhysical changes can vary from person to person and

event to eventPhysical symptoms:

Heart rate increaseBlood pressure riseCold or clammy handsStomach acheStomach ulcersHeart attacksDrug abuse

Coping with Difficult Events and Emotions

Psychological effects: TensionAnxiety Frustration Shaky

Causes of StressNormative Stressors- everyday stressors

Stressors can be positive or negativeCrises events- changes in life that require major

changes in your behaviorThe more sources of stress you experience at one

time, the greater is their combined effect

Stress, cont

Activity D, SAG

Assignment

Your ability to handle stress is affected by your attitude

If you have a negative attitude it will be harder to deal with stress in a positive way

Manage stress by: 1. Admit any feelings you have 2. Try to identify the event that is the source of

your stressful feelings3. Identify what you can do to manage the

stressful situation:1. Remove the source of the stress2. Remove yourself from the situation3. Change your response to the situation4. Manage the stress by focusing on a part at a time

Handling Stress

Practice relaxation techniquesDo something you enjoyKeep a schedule that includes physical

exercise Eat nutritious foodsGet plenty of rest

Reducing the Negative Effects of Stress

People of all ages feel angerAnger is not always a negative emotionHandling anger in a positive way can bring positive

resultsSometimes it is difficult to handle anger in a

positive wayKeeping anger inside can have a negative effectSteps for handling anger:

1. Admit your anger2. Identify the source of your anger3. Identify your choices for managing the situation4. Discuss the situation with a close friend5. Focus on the positive6. Forgive and go on

Anger

Anxiety- the uneasy feeling people experience when they believe something terrible will happen

Normal anxiety occurs when you recognize a threat and do something about it

High anxiety keeps people from acting in a way that corrects the problem

High anxiety can keep you from getting things done

Reduce anxiety so you can respond to the problem

Causes of anxiety: a threat to your well-being, fear of failure, conflicts, fear of the unknown, and unsatisfied needs

Anxiety

Reducing anxiety: 1. Build your self esteem2. Increase your communication skills3. Build relationships with people who support

and encourage you4. Learn techniques for relaxation

Handling Anxiety

Depression- an overwhelming attitude of sadness, discouragement, and hopelessness

Causes of depression- physical causes such as low blood sugar or chemical imbalance, past negative experiences, feelings of helplessness, negative thinking factors

Coping- relax, get some sleep, take a break from the daily routine

Doctors may prescribe a medication if the cause is physical

Suicide- depression can result in thinking about suicide

Depression

Sex roles- the culture’s definition of how males and females should behave

Sex stereotypes- widely held beliefs about the characteristics shared by all members of one sex

Most people don’t fit into rigid sex-role patterns

Establishing an acceptable sex role within the society can help you build positive attitudes

Sex Roles and Stereotypes

SAG FP. 83 1-6

Assignments

Complete p. 84 Review 1-15

Chapter Review