Knowing When a Feeling Needs Help · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Know when a low needs help

Personal & Social Development · Self-Regulation & Resilience · ages 16-18
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. A pupil has felt anxious for three days and is avoiding meals and lessons. Which next step fits the lesson?

    • Speak with a safe adult or health professional now about the anxiety and missed meals.
    • Try a more regular routine for a week before deciding whether to ask for support.
    • Track the anxiety until two weeks have passed, then use the record to decide whether to ask for support.

  2. Which description includes continuing changes that are reasons to ask for support?

    • Feeling tired after a late night, then rested after normal sleep.
    • Feeling upset after a disagreement, then enjoying the rest of the day.
    • Feeling low for weeks, losing interest in usual hobbies and sleeping much less.

  3. A mood disorder is a choice or a weakness.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. Which expectation about a first health appointment best matches the lesson?

    • The main task is choosing treatment; assessment comes at the next visit.
    • The professional usually asks about concerns and discusses next steps with you.
    • The main task is reviewing the plan you brought, rather than asking about changes in health or daily life.

  5. Dev has felt low most days for a month, stopped playing football and barely sleeps. Which opening best describes these changes, gives their duration and asks for support?

    • I have felt low for a month and would like help finding out what might be causing it.
    • I stopped football and barely sleep. Could we talk about what support might help me?
    • I've felt low most days for a month, stopped football and barely sleep. Can you help me find support?

  6. A friend wants support with low mood. What can you offer without taking responsibility for their treatment?

    • Listen, ask what they need and offer to go with them to a helper.
    • Research treatments together and recommend which one your friend should start.
    • Set up daily mood checks and take charge of deciding when their care needs to change.

  7. A pupil says, 'I have felt sad for two weeks, so I definitely have a mood disorder.' Which response is most accurate?

    • You can seek support; assessment needs more information.
    • The two-week pattern identifies a mood disorder, so treatment is the next step.
    • If school attendance has stayed steady, an assessment can wait until that changes.

  8. Ana's friend says they are thinking about suicide and asks her to keep it secret. What should Ana do?

    • Keep listening tonight and suggest they contact a counsellor tomorrow.
    • Ask them to explain how long the thoughts have lasted before deciding whether another person needs to help.
    • Take it seriously and contact a safe adult or crisis service straight away.
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Know when a low needs help W1-mt_dbQHbKNTZP-s1

  1. Speak with a safe adult or health professional now about the anxiety and missed meals. · Anxiety is already affecting meals and lessons, so the pupil can seek support now. Routines or notes may be useful, but trying them first or reaching two weeks is not a requirement for asking.
  2. Feeling low for weeks, losing interest in usual hobbies and sleeping much less. · The low mood, lost interest and reduced sleep are continuing concerns to discuss. The other descriptions say the difficulties eased. Someone with a shorter concern can still ask for support; this question asks which description shows continuing changes.
  3. False · False. A mood disorder is a health condition. Having it is not a reason to blame someone.
  4. The professional usually asks about concerns and discusses next steps with you. · The lesson describes questions about concerns and discussion of next steps. It does not describe choosing treatment before assessment or replacing those questions with a plan the person brings.
  5. I've felt low most days for a month, stopped football and barely sleep. Can you help me find support? · The most complete opening includes the low mood, the month, football and sleep, then asks for support. The other openings could also begin a conversation, but each leaves out some of the requested information.
  6. Listen, ask what they need and offer to go with them to a helper. · Listening and offering company support the friend without taking charge of care. Recommending which treatment to start or deciding when care must change takes on treatment responsibility.
  7. You can seek support; assessment needs more information. · Two weeks of sadness alone does not establish a diagnosis. A professional considers symptoms, distress, daily life and other possible causes. Steady school attendance is not a condition for postponing support or assessment.
  8. Take it seriously and contact a safe adult or crisis service straight away. · Talk about suicide needs help straight away, even when secrecy is requested. Waiting until tomorrow or using duration to decide whether to involve help delays support. Immediate danger or inability to stay safe needs emergency help now.
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