Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - SHS 3
Health and Wellness
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Health and Wellness
Download the Lessonotes Mobile Ghana app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
Subject: Physical Education Health Elective
Class: SHS 3
Term: 1st Term
Week: 2
Grade code: 3.1.1.LI.2
Strand code: 1
Sub-strand code: 1
Content standard code: 3.1.1.CS.1
Indicator code: 3.1.1.LI.2
Theme: Health Education
Subtheme: Health and Wellness
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As SHS3 students, you are standing at a very important junction in your lives. The pressure to succeed in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), gain admission to a tertiary institution, and meet family expectations can be immense. These pressures often lead to feelings of stress and anxiety. This lesson is designed not to eliminate stress—as some stress is normal and even helpful—but to equip you with practical, healthy, and effective strategies to manage it. Understanding and applying these coping mechanisms will not only improve your academic performance but also enhance your overall health and well-being long after you leave this school.
This section breaks down the core ideas you need to understand to master this topic. A. What is Stress?
Stress is your body's natural response to any demand or threat. When you sense danger—whether it's real or imagined—the body's defences kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the "fight-or-flight" response. Stressor: The event, situation, or thought that causes the stress response. For you, a stressor could be an upcoming Core Maths mock exam, an argument with a friend, or even the noise from a nearby "chop bar" when you are trying to study.
It is crucial to understand that stress is not always bad. Eustress (Positive Stress): This is the "good" kind of stress that motivates you and enhances your performance. It's short-term and feels exciting. Example: The rush of adrenaline and focus you feel just before a major inter-school football match or a debate competition. It sharpens your senses and helps you perform at your peak. Distress (Negative Stress): This is the "bad" kind of stress that causes anxiety, concern, and decreased performance. It can be short-term or long-term and feels unpleasant. Example: Feeling constantly overwhelmed by the sheer volume of WASSCE past questions to solve, leading to headaches, inability to sleep, and poor concentration. B. What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is closely related to stress, but it's slightly different. While stress is a response to a *current* threat, anxiety is the feeling of fear, dread, and uneasiness, often about something that is yet to happen. It's a future-oriented state of mind. Example: Stress is the feeling you have *while* writing a difficult exam. Anxiety is the worrying you do for a whole week *before* the exam results are released.