Mental Health- Coping Strategies

T2 W3
 Lesson Snapshot

Learning Intent:
• Discover some coping strategies for mental health

Success Criteria:
• I can recall 3 coping strategies
• I can apply 1 coping strategy to myself
 What is coping?

• People often think ‘coping’ is about doing well or even thriving. But most
of the time, coping is about just getting by in hard circumstances.
• It’s that inner strength or resilience that allows you to put one foot in front of
the other when you feel like giving up.
• Different coping strategies work differently for different people, which is
what can make coping so tricky.
 Changes across time

• The biggest shift in mental health concerns among students lies

in anxiety and related conditions, including increased stress,
heightened mental vigilance, and the inability to cope with life
challenges. We're also seeing growing rates of suicidal
behaviour and general self-harm.
 Unhealthy vs healthy coping mechanisms

• Using your base of knowledge from this unit. List 3 examples of

unhealthy coping mechanisms that NRL players may use to
cope with stress.
1. Alcohol and Drugs
2. Gambling
3. Not Seeking Help
 Check your answers

• Lets watch the video below and see if our answers match up
with the opinions of a professional.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyIyxeMXKeg
 Coping Mechanisms for Students

• School students experience an array of mental health

conditions, such as burnout and stress, anxiety, depression,
and eating disorders.
• Here are a few basic mental health coping strategies students
can use to promote good mental health.
 Regularly Check In With Yourself

• This check-in process involves asking questions like the following:

• How am I really doing, emotionally and socially?
• Am I satisfied with my life and its direction?
• Do I feel known and valued by the important people in my life,
including myself?
• Am I experiencing anxiety, depression, and/or stress?
 Guess the Player

1.

Jai Arrow
 Guess the Player

2.
Raymond
Faitala-Mariner
 Guess the Player

3.
Tepai Moeroa
 Guess the Player

4.
Morgan
Smithies
 Guess the Player

5.

Shaun Lane
 Guess the Player

6.
Jacob Kiraz
 Guess the Player

7. Selwyn Cobbo
 Guess the Player

8. Brian To’o
 Guess the Player

9.
Victor Radley
 Guess the Player

10.

Herbie
Farnworth
 Breathing exercises

• As you read this, focus on your belly button.

• Breathe naturally, evenly, and at a speed that feels comfortable.
• Focus on sending your breath right down to your belly button – so your stomach
rises and falls with each breath.
• Don’t breathe really deeply, as this can actually make you hyperventilate.
• Just keep your breathing even and natural.
• Do this for five slow, even breaths.
• Take a moment to reflect on how this makes you feel.
 Mindfulness

• Mindfulness strategies are all about being 'present' by

connecting with one or more of your five senses. They are
sight, sound, smell, taste and touch.
• Focus on 3 things you can hear, 3 things you can smell, and 3
things your body can physically feel
 Talk to someone you trust

Counselling assists and supports people by helping them:

• Think about things in different ways
• Learn about patterns in your thoughts and behaviours
• Create a safe place to support a calm, learning environment, which can reduce
your stress and anxiety
• Promote positive changes in your brain through exploring alternate
perspectives and options
• Be supported to try new strategies
 Self-care

• Watch the video below and discover what self care looks like.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjO2-tUDECo
 Exit Ticket

• Coping strategies plan.

• Your task for the remainder of the lesson is design a coping strategies plan for
when/ if you need to use one.
• Your plan needs to contain 1 element from each of the branches you copied down.
• E.g. Check ins- How am I really doing, emotionally and socially?
• Answer- Emotionally I am doing well, I have no overwhelming feelings, socially I
have had a very large last 3 weeks so this weekend I am planning on just having
some ‘me’ time to help me re-centre myself.