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An emotion is a tendency to move toward something assessed as favorable, and move away from something that may be assessed as unfavorable. The terms �emotions� and �feelings� are often used interchangeably. Emotions are normal and healthy; it is the way that we handle them that sometimes becomes unhealthy.. The Emotional concerns for a college student:
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What are the most common negative emotions for a college student? |
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The most common
negative emotions that
students deal with are: Anger, Hostility, Worry and Anxiety, and
Depression. Below, these emotions are defined in the text Wellness:
Guidelines for a healthy lifestyle Anger:
Anger is usually a temporary
emotion that combines physiological and emotional arousal. It can range
in severity all the way from intense rage to �cool� anger that
doesn�t really involve arousal at all. Hostility:
Hostility is an ongoing accumulation of anger and irritation. It is a
permanent kind of anger that shows itself in its response to trivial
happenings. People experience real problems that warrant anger, but
hostile people get equally angry about trivial things. Generally a
hostile person has an orientation toward hurting other people, either
physically or verbally. Worry & Anxiety:
Worry is a state in which we dwell on something so much it causes us to become Depression: Depression is much more than an occasional sad mood. Depression is characterized by a low energy state: the person feels apathetic, hopeless, and withdrawn from others. A depressed person does less and loses interest in people, abandons hobbies, and gives up in school or work. How do I deal
with these negative emotions? Taking responsibility and
analyzing your reactions is necessary to deal with your emotions. If
Each of us, alone, is completely responsible for the way he/she feels.
Of course, if someone screams at you, you respond. However, the way you
respond depends entirely on your personality and on your patterns of
behavior. One of the major problems
that humans have when dealing with emotions is blaming other people.
When an angry person turns hostile it is imperative that they seek help.
If you have a friend that turns hostile on a regular basis or if you
yourself see some of these tendencies in you make a point of talking to
a councilor. For people who have a tendency to become angry at the drop
of a hat look at anger in this way; most angers are based on the angry
child within us, on the principles of irrationality and traumatic
incidences. In realizing the origins of anger you will learn to deny
those situations which cause frustrations. Both worry and anxiety are
addressed in the Toolbox section of the
website. Depression is addressed in the section below.
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Am I suffering from Depression? |
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to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition) a major depression is
indicated by the presence of five or more of the following symptoms over a
two week period:
1 - Presence of depressed mood, such as feelings of emptiness or deep sadness, tearfulness, extreme reluctance to socialize with others etc. for much of the time. The mood does not lift as the day progresses, or with normally mood enhancing stimuli. Depressed mood is often worst in the morning and interferes with normal activity. 2 - A much reduced interest or pleasure taken in most or all activities. 3 - Large change in appetite, which is usually much reduced but may be increased. The depressive has no interest in eating and no desire to eat, although some cases will eat far more than normal. Accompanying significant weight loss/gain. 4 - Sleep disturbance. Lack of sleep (insomnia) or oversleep (hypersomnia). The depressive may find that they are unable to sleep at night, no matter what attempts are made to tire themselves out, yet falls asleep at work during the morning or afternoon. 5 - 'Psychomotor agitation or retardation'. The person either cannot sit still or is unable to move. For example, getting out of bed becomes an enormous struggle, but when in work the individual cannot sit at their desk for more than a few seconds but must wander up and down apparently purposeless. 6 - Fatigue or loss of energy. 7 - Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt (which may be delusional) nearly every day (not merely self-reproach or guilt about being sick). 8 - Reduced ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day. Even reading an enjoyable novel may become an impossible task. 9 - Recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide. |
What can I do to get out of this funk? |
| One of the best ways to help some one who you think may be depressed is to surround them with a positive network of support; To discover your support network select this link from the Social Wellness portion of the website. A social support group consists of the resources that other people provide. It includes a person�s perception that they can rely on other people for help with problems or in times of crisis. To delve into all the aspects of depression demands attention to many subjects. This website cannot encompass all the subjects but provides many great links to sites where you will find the required information. Check out the links at the bottom of the page especially the The Depression Center, which provides one of the best holistic approaches to dealing with depression. If you are suffering, check it out and begin the process of recovery. |
What are the Values of Humor? |
Laughter is not
only fun � it is also very good for us. People with a good sense of
humor enjoy many benefits, both physically and emotionally. Specifically,
humor can promote health by:
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How can I Maintain a Healthy Relationship with my Significant Other? |
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What's Available @ VIU for Help? |
| VIU's Counseling Services and VIU Advising center offer personal Counseling, Crisis Counseling, Referrals, Study Skills Counseling, Counseling Workshops, and Career Testing among other things. If you are struggling or know someone who is make an appointment to get your life turned around and headed in a positive direction. |
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