Mental andEmotional Health

Character cannot

be developed in

ease and quiet.

Only through

experience of trial

and suffering can the

soul be strengthened,

ambition inspired, and

success achieved.

Helen Keller,the first deaf and blind

college graduate

Character Versus ActionsCompare The actions of one person can affect the lives of manyothers. Research someone in your community who has helped thecommunity. Go to the library and ask a librarian to help you findinformation in local newspapers. What character traits does the person possess? How do these traits affect the persons actions?Prepare an oral report about the person and present it to the class.

TEST YOUR EMOTIONS IQTrue or False?

1. When youre angry, its best notto say anything so you donthurt anyones feelings.

FALSE: Not saying anything canoften make the problem worse.There are appropriate ways toexpress your feelings while minimiz-ing the impact on another person.

2. Depression is a sign of weakness.

FALSE: Depression occurs for manyreasons, including a chemical imbal-ance or a lifestyle change, whichare not a persons fault. Some formsof depression go away, while othersrequire medical treatment.

3. Only disorganized people feelstress.

FALSE: Stress is the result of feelingthreatened or worried. Disorganiza-tion can increase stress, but organ-ized people also can feel stress.

72 UNIT 2 Mental and Emotional Health

LESSON 8Developing Good Character

LESSON 9Developing a Healthy Mind

LESSON 10Expressing Emotions and

Managing Stress

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Visit www.glencoe.com to find regularly updated statistics on teen depres-sion. Using the information provided, determine the answer to this question:How many teens suffer from depression?

Visit www.glencoe.com to use , an interac-tive tool that helps you determine your health status.

LESSON 11Dealing with Depression

LESSON 12Dealing with Loss and Grief

UNIT 2 Mental and Emotional Health 73

WHATS YOUR VERDICT?To evaluate this advertisement, use the criteria for analyzing and evaluating healthmessages delivered through media and technology that you learned in Unit 1.

EVALUATING MEDIA MESSAGES

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http://www.glencoe.comhttp://www.glencoe.com

Developing GoodCharacter

I will develop good character. I will interact in ways that help create a positive

social-emotional environment.

Ahigh regard for oneself because one behaves in responsible ways is. Self-respect should not be confused with conceit.Conceit is excessive appreciation of ones worth. This lessonexplains how to develop good character, improve self-esteem, and maintain self-respect. It also describes ways to improve the social-emotional environment.

self-respect

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What Youll Learn1. Discuss ways parents and guar-

dians teach family values. (p. 75)2. Identify traits and behaviors

associated with having goodcharacter. (p. 75)

3. List and discuss ways todevelop, maintain, or improveself-respect. (p. 77)

4. Describe responsible actionsthat promote positive self-esteem. (p. 78)

5. List ways a positive social-emotional environmentimproves health status. (p. 79)

6. List and discuss strategies toimprove the social-emotionalenvironment. (p. 80)

Why Its ImportantThere is a saying, Actions speaklouder than words. To have anddisplay good character, youractions must be consistent withyour beliefs.

Key Terms self-respect value good character self-control delayed gratification self-esteem positive self-esteem social-emotional environment social-emotional booster social-emotional pollutant

Writing About Good Character Suppose your baseball team winsthe championship game. Some of your teammates start to taunt theother teams players, calling them losers. Your teammates urge you tojoin in. After you read the information about good character on page 75,write a response to this situation in your health journal.

74 UNIT 2 Mental and Emotional Health

8

What traits describe you? Are you trustworthy? Do you show respect for

others? Are you responsible? Are you fair? Are you compassionate?

Do you demonstrate good citizenship? The traits that describe you

are a key to what you value. Your values are the building blocks for character.

What to Know About Good CharacterValues A standard or belief is calleda Parents, guardians, mentors,and teachers teach a value system tochildren by setting an example forchildren to copy. They express beliefsthey want children to cherish. Theyalso teach values by setting standardsfor childrens behavior. For example,suppose your parent, guardian, men-tor, and teacher value responsibility.They teach you to be responsible bysetting an example. They work hardand do what they promise to do. Youcopy their behavior. They teach you bysetting standards for your behavior.They might give you assignments tocomplete and make sure that you fol-low through.

Character The degree to which a per-son regulates his or her own behavioris A person who usesself-control to act on responsible val-ues has For exam-ple, suppose you value honesty. Tohave good character you must act inways that are honest. At the drug-store, you give the clerk a $10 bill fora magazine. The clerk gives youchange for a $20 bill. If you have goodcharacter, you use honesty and avoidthe temptation to keep the extrachange.

When you have good character, self-control helps you delay gratification.

is voluntarilypostponing an immediate reward inorder to complete a task before enjoy-ing a reward. For example, supposeyou need to study for a test tomorrow.But tonight is the opening night of amovie you want to see. A friend tellsyou to see the movie instead of study-ing. You use self-control and study,and delay going to the movie untilafter the test.

Delayed gratification

good character.

self-control.

value.

Values That Are the Building Blocks forGood Character

Compassion You demon-strate compassion when youare sensitive to the needs,wants, and emotions of oth-ers, and you are forgiving.

Good citizenship Youdemonstrate good citizen-ship by obeying laws andrules, showing respect forauthority, and protecting theenvironment.

Fairness You are fair whenyou abide by the rules andare a good sport, and do nottake advantage of others.

Respect You show respectwhen you treat others as youwant to be treated andrefrain from violence.

Responsibility You showresponsibility when you do what you promise andare accountable for yourdecisions.

Trustworthiness You aretrustworthy when you aredependable, loyal, and honest.

Honesty You are honestwhen you refuse to lie, steal,or mislead anyone.

CORBIS

LESSON 8 Developing Good Character 75

Make theConnectionGood Character Formore information onmaking responsibledecisions thatdemonstrate goodcharacter, see page 61in Lesson 6.

76 UNIT 2 Mental and Emotional Health(tt)Photodisc/Getty Images

Having high regard for oneself is self-respect. People have self-respect

because they behave in responsible ways. Do you have self-respect? To

help you develop and maintain self-respect, there are three steps to

follow: make a character check to determine if your actions reflect responsible

values, control the belief statements that motivate you, and choose actions that

promote self-respect.

How to Develop Self-RespectMake a character check. Are youproud of your actions? Do youractions reflect responsible values?Good character is your use of self-control to act on responsible values.If you behave in ways that contradictresponsible values, you do not havegood character. For example, if youhave good character, you would notfeel good about yourself if you lied toothers or cheated someone. Behavingin these ways would not build goodcharacter. Luckily, you can changeyour thoughts and actions to help youhave good character.

Throughout life, you must makechecks of your character. Make a listof responsible values. Ask yourself ifyour actions reflect these values. Askresponsible adults who have goodcharacter for feedback. If youractions do not reflect the values thatyou listed, you should change youractions to reflect these values.

Control the belief statements thatmotivate you. You may have goodcharacter and act in ways that reflectresponsible values, but still lack self-respect. Some teens have inter-nalized negative belief statements.

These belief statements, such as, Iam worthless, or I will fail no mat-ter how hard I try, have different ori-gins. Parents, guardians, otherresponsible adults, and trained coun-selors can help teens change negativebelief statements. Remember, youcontrol the belief statements thatplay in your mind. You might want tomake a list of responsible actionsthat you choose. Then turn this listinto positive belief statements, suchas, I am worthy because I am fair,and Others respect me because Imake responsible decisions thatshow respect for others. Doing thiswill help you feel worthy, and you willknow why others should respect you.This is the key to self-respect.

Choose actions that promote self-respect. Do you respect yourself? Doyou expect others to respect you?There is truth to the saying, Actionsspeak louder than words. If you sayyou have self-respect, you must treatyourself in ways that show yourespect yourself. Other people willnotice your behavior and will haverespect for you.

1. What is self-control?

2. How is self-controlrelated tocharacter?

3. How can you develop self-respect?

Pay attention to y