Untitled Lesson

More Intense Emotion
●The limbic area of the brain is more active during this
time

●Teens are more likely to see emotion in other people,
even when there is none.

●The downside of this increased emotionality is that teens
can become more easily irritated, upset, and
moody—and they can have a relationship with
themselves that’s confusing.

●Sometimes you don’t know why you are feeling that
way…and that’s okay!

Risk and Novelty Becomes More Compelling
●Nature has created a system that drives us to seek
change and novelty, a push for the unfamiliar and even
the uncertain, which is what a teen must do if they’re
ever going to get out of the house.

●But there’s a downside, of course: What happens when
dopamine levels drop? The teen gets bored with the
same old, same old

●In the shift from childhood to adolescence, the brain
starts to focus on the positive, thrilling aspect of a choice
and minimize the negative, dangerous aspects.

We Seek Attachment in Peers
●Instead of turning only toward your parents, you start
turning to your peers more, which is a very healthy thing
to do.

●One really big downside is that membership with an
adolescent peer group—even if it’s just one other
person—can feel like a matter of life and death

●If you spend your adolescence developing social skills
and building supportive relationships your adulthood is
going to be so much better.

It may be completely normal to feel the way you feel in this
period of your life but we must recognize that in every
situation you have three options: approach, avoidance, and
attack.

While it may feel as though your choice of behavior is out of
your control, it's not. Your feelings may sway you more
toward one path, but you are more than those feelings.

Soothing Aspects of Touch
●Water is one of the ways that you can feel instant relief.
○That can come from soaking in a warm bath or going
for a swim.

●Sitting in the warmth of the sun

●Changing into your most comfortable clothes.

●Taking a few minutes to stretch your muscles.

●Taking a few minutes to play with a pet

The Tastes that Can Soothe
●While it's best to try not to turn to food for comfort all the
time, there is something to be said about its effects on
mood.

●Many of us have learned that hunger can lead to
irritability and this can impact stress levels as well.

●Rather than turning to junk food to make yourself feel
better, try sucking on hard candy or sipping a cup of
soothing herbal tea.

●Try to include healthy foods so you maintain a healthy
body as well as a healthy mind.

The Refreshing Power of Smell
●Browsing a flower shop or spending time literally
"smelling the roses" in a garden can brighten your mood.

●Simply stepping outside and taking a deep breath of
fresh air can provide instant stress relief.

●Lavender, vanilla, bergamot, and a number of other
fragrances have proven to reduce stress as well. You can
get these through scented candles or aromatherapy
diffusers with essential oils.

Take Your Mind Off it With Sight
●Distractions can be a good thing, particularly when your
mind is stuck on your stress triggers.

●Reading a good book or simply watching the clouds pass
by.

●Watching a funny movie or television show.

●Reflect on happy times or hopes and dreams.

●You can also daydream about places you want to visit.

●Look for things around you that make you smile

Relax with Sound
●Listening to relaxing music or singing to yourself

●Saying positive statements to yourself as a verbal form of
self-encouragement.

●Playing a musical instrument or learning how to play one
can help reduce stress.

10 min

Reflect on self-soothing techniques

that can work for you for each of

the five senses.

Keep this worksheet handy for

whenever you need to find a break

from your emotions.

We’ve spent these last few lessons exploring our emotions. We

reflected on our reactions to these emotions and have come
up with strategies to better handle those moments when we

may feel out of control.

-Paul TP Wong