O.K. Ways to Express Anger 

• Screaming in a private place like a closed car, into the wind, or in the woods
• Kicking a can down the street or in the basement
• Beating the floor with a towel or pillow
• Beating the bed with a tennis racquet or shoe
• Smashing bricks with a bat or hammer
• Throwing books or shoes, ripping magazines or newspapers
• Splitting wood or pounding nails
• Target or skeet shooting
• Buying old dishes at garage sales and then smashing them
• Tiring housework like window washing, wax stripping, garage cleaning
• Jogging, swimming, and running
• Just plain crying
• Distracting yourself with books or movies
• Saying, “I am angry because…”
• Punching a ball or pillow
• Yelling into a pillow or in the shower
• Stomping your feet or clapping your hands
• Writing an angry letter and tearing it up when you are finished
• Writing in your journal
• Scribbling with a red crayon on an old newspaper and scrunching it into a ball to toss at a wall
• Punching a punching bag

Study Skills

I.                   Why do schoolwork?
a.      Practice makes perfect !
b.      Schoolwork shows what you know before you move on or learn something new.
c.       Doing schoolwork regularly keeps you prepared for tests; studying for tests is EASIER!
d.      Doing your schoolwork prepares you to be a good contributor to class discussions.

II.                Hints for homework
a.      Do assignments that are due the next day FIRST!
b.      Or do your hardest/most difficult/most unpleasant assignment FIRST.
c.       Plan to spend at least an hour every day on homework.  Give yourself a short break every 15-20 minutes of work, but DO NOT watch television during your break!
d.      Study at the same time and same place every day.
e.      Check your homework and correct any mistakes.
f.        Put the homework to be turned in the next day in a place where you won’t forget to take it to school.

III.             When you make a low grade
a.      Find out exactly why and what you did wrong.
b.      Learn what you didn’t know.
c.       Or talk to your teacher and ask that the lesson be explained ONE MORE TIME.
d.      Get someone else to work with you until you understand the lesson.  The one who helps you can be a friend, a relative, or a tutor.
e.      Don’t give up!  Keep on trying!

Suicide Prevention

Suicide is the intentional taking of one’s own life.  Some young people view suicide as a way to escape problems.  Other young people view suicide as a way to gain attention.  Others view suicide as a way to get even with those who have rejected or hurt them.  However, suicide is a final choice.  Suicide cannot be undone.  Suicide is a permanent solution to temporary problems.  Suicide does not solve problems – it creates additional problems.  There is always a better choice.

Practicing suicide prevention strategies is a powerful protective factor.  Suicide prevention strategies are techniques that can be used to help prevent a person from thinking about, attempting, and completing suicide.  Some important suicide prevention strategies are:

Know Suicide Hotline Numbers.  Write down suicide hotline numbers and other crisis hotline numbers.  Keep those numbers handy so you will have them when needed. 

                        National Youth Suicide Hotline:     1-800-621-4000

                        Mental Health Crisis Hotline:          1-800-347-5827

                        Vanderbilt RESPOND:                    327-7000

                        Emergency Response:                      911

Know What To Do When You Feel Down.  When you feel depressed, decide on a plan of action.  Try to determine what is bothering you.  Make a list of your strengths and the positive aspects in your life and review your list.  Make a list of what you can do to make yourself feel better; for example, planning an activity you enjoy.  If you are angry, practice the anger management skills discussed in earlier lessons.  If you feel stressed, practice the stress management skills previously discussed.  Tell others that you are feeling down.

Build A Network Of Support.  Develop a support network of caring people who will listen to you, offer advice, and help you during hard times.  Share your fears, feelings, and disappointments.  Your support network may include friends, family members, adult mentors, school counselors, clergy, and teachers.

Get Involved In Rewarding Activities.  When you are involved in rewarding activities, you are more productive.  You have something for which to live.  If you are involved in activities you enjoy, you will be happier, have more self-worth, and be better able to manage your stress.  Playing a sport, learning a craft, or helping others through community service are examples of activities you might find rewarding.  One warning sign of suicide is a lack of interest in activities.  If you find yourself losing interest in activities you once enjoyed, make an effort to discover new activities in which you can become involved.

Coping with Stress and Anxiety

When we experience a lot of stress in our lives, we must find positive ways to cope with it.  People seem to get themselves in the most troublesome situations when they use unhealthy ways of coping with their stress.  Learning to cope in healthy ways with stress is one key to success in life.  The following list describes healthy and unhealthy ways of coping with anxiety and stress:

Healthy Coping
Writing out a positive step-by-step plan
Taking care of your health
Doing something helpful for someone else
Talking about it with a friend, or family member
Going to a counselor or other professional helper
Doing something active
Taking time to relax
Using humor
Directing your attention to something constructive
Using your faith
Playing a musical instrument
Positive self-talk (“I can handle this,” “I’ll be okay,” “One step at a time.”)

Unhealthy Coping
Eating too much (or too little)
Taking it out on someone (or something) else
Refusing to talk about it with others
Avoiding (running away or escaping)
Oversleeping
Using alcohol/drugs
Smoking
Making excuses
Denying a problem exists
Hurting yourself physically (or thinking about it)

If you are engaging in unhealthy coping habits, please see your guidance counselor for assistance.