Tag: Psychology

Thinking about ‘Future You’ Builds a Happier Life

B2 – Upper Intermediate

These days, mindfulness is extremely popular and for good reasons. Being present-oriented can enhance our health and quality of life, foster love and care, and deepen our emotional bonds.
What if we look beyond the here and now? A growing body of research indicates that while thinking about the future can cause anxiety, it can also enrich our lives. Yes, as implied, we ought to give our future selves more of our attention, because through fantasizing, we can look at alternate paths to reach for our aspirations in life.

Read the article to learn about how thinking about ‘future you’ can help lead a better, happier, and more meaningful life.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220201-how-thinking-about-future-you-can-build-a-happier-life

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you hope for for your own future?
  2. What anxieties and concerns do you have for the future?
  3. How has your vision of your future self changed from when you were young to present?
  4. What did you believe about your years ahead when you were younger?
  5. Would you rather spend 100 years in the distant past or the future? Why?

Catastrophizing or Toxic Thinking

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Do you have the habit of magnifying your problems, anticipating the worst, or thinking that your circumstances are worse than they actually are? If you routinely find yourself catastrophizing, becoming aware of your tendency to do so may be beneficial before it impairs your quality of life.

Finding techniques to disrupt those poisonous thought loops should be beneficial in boosting one’s toughness and there may be no better time to learn than now.

Let us read the complete content to learn more about how toxic thinking can lead you down to a dangerous path.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220725-catastrophising-how-toxic-thinking-can-lead-down-dark-path

Discussion Questions:

  1. What exactly does it mean to catastrophize?
  2. How could you make adjustments if you are a catastrophizer but would prefer not to be?
  3. Is it doable to teach your brain to avoid automatically thinking the worst-case scenario? Why or why not?
  4. How do you deal with anxiety without the employ of medications?
  5. How has expecting the worst helped you in some situations in your life previously?

Ingredients of Mental Health

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We often overlook what an astonishing and difficult accomplishment it is to feel mentally well because of how effective and quiet our brains are in their daily activities. Healthy minds are constantly engaged in a series of actions that support our feelings of clarity and purpose.

Mental health needs some attention and effort to maintain.

Here are various approaches for maintaining our composure and equilibrium.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What comes to mind when you hear the term ‘mental health?
  2. What do you do to maintain or improve your mental health?
  3. Do you think modern society increases the likelihood of mental health problems?
  4. What programs does your government offer to help those suffering from mental illnesses and issues?

Why It Might Be Your Body, Not Your Mind

B2 – Upper Intermediate

One of the difficulties of attempting to comprehend our minds is that, sometimes, we have to admit that what goes through them may have more to do with our bodies than the actual functioning of our brains.

Watch the video about the workings of our minds.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you ever find yourself suddenly becoming pessimistic? What normally triggers this and how do you overcome these thoughts?
  2. How do you calm yourself when you’re agitated or having negative thoughts?
  3. What physical processes typically have an impact on how you think?
  4. What is one thing you have learned from this video?

Why We Are All Addicts?

C1 – Advanced

Typical stereotypes of “addicts” often include people sniffing substances, holding a heroin needle in their arm, or drinking one bottle of liquor after another. However, this hides what is really a far more widespread issue.

Here’s an explanation on why everybody is actually an addict.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the difference between a habit and an addiction?
  2. Do you agree with the idea expressed in the video? Why or why not?
  3. Taking the point discussed in this video, what are some things that you are addicted to? What instances lead you to lean on them?
  4. What are ways to prevent being too dependent on something?
  5. Is an addiction to certain things ever good or beneficial? Explain your point.

Feeling Hangry

B1 – Intermediate

Hanger is a diagnosable feeling of anger when you get hungry. Based on a study done on 64 participants, people tend to be bad-tempered because they are hungry.

Read the article about feeling angry when you get hungry and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2207/220718-feeling-hangry-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on this, “Hangriness” could be a real medical condition.”?
  2. What happens to you when you’re hungry and you can’t eat right away? How do you manage this situation?
  3. Have you ever been hangry before? Talk about that moment.
  4. Is it logical to be hangry? Why or why not?
  5. Do you agree or disagree that there is  a strong link between hunger and emotions? Why?
  6. Do you agree or disagree that if people know they are hangry, they could control their anger? Why?

Stop Lashing Out When Hurting

B2 – Upper Intermediate

According to surveys, rates of depression are still considerably higher than before the global epidemic and both have been associated to rage and frustration.

While it is impossible to handle our anguish from transforming into negativity, we can adjust how we respond to our emotional reactions.

Click the link for some expert tips on how to prevent lashing out when we’re in pain.

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/07/12/health/stop-lashing-out-wellness/index.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you act when you’re furious?
  2. What are the benefits to getting angry?
  3. What happens when you keep your rage bottled up?
  4. What are ways you express your anger in a healthy way?
  5. Is it easy for you to keep your anger under control and hidden? How do you do it?
  6. Do you know anyone who has good anger management skills? How do they do it?
  7. Can you recall an instance when your thoughts have affected your anger?

Gossip Is Good 

B1 – Intermediate

We all know that gossiping is bad. It’s considered unethical and has gained a shady reputation.

However, some psychologists suggest that it is actually a useful communication tool. We might need to change the way we think about it and put talking about other people to good use.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about a few positive things about gossiping.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/gossip-is-good-level-2/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree with the benefits of gossip stated in the article? Why or why not?
  2. Why do you think people gossip?
  3. Have you ever heard people gossiping about you? How did you feel? What did you do?
  4. Women tend to gossip more. Do you agree? Explain your point.
  5. “People are quick to believe bad things they hear about good people.” Do you think this is true? Share your opinion.

Getting Over a Lingering Grudge

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Who hasn’t been wounded by someone else’s gestures or words? Maybe you were routinely reprimanded by your family at a young age, a teammate hijacked a project, or partner had been unfaithful to you. Perhaps you’ve been through a horrific event, as well as being emotionally and psychologically mistreated by close relatives. And yes, these experiences do leave scars.

While vengeance may feel more satisfying, forgiving someone who has wronged us is undoubtedly a great advantage to us. But can we easuly do so? How do we cultivate forgiving? Is it possible to forgive and forget?

To find out more on how you can ever get over lingering grudges, let’s take a moment to read the full article.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20211214-can-you-ever-get-over-a-lingering-grudge

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you experienced holding a grudge against someone for a long time? What was the situation? How did you feel? How did you get over it?
  2. How do you deal with someone who is constantly rubbing you up the wrong way?
  3. What are the consequences of holding grudges?
  4. Is forgiveness a basic requirement for reconciliation? Explain.
  5. Can you think of some techniques to enhance the ability to forgive?
  6. “Forcing forgiveness isn’t the answer.” What are your thoughts on this?

Showing Stress Can Make People More Likeable

B2 – Upper Intermediate

It’s tempting to mask your stress, but it won’t do you or anyone else any favor. Countless internal physiological changes occur in our bodies’ response to stress. These activations aren’t merely stress-related side effects. They also serve a purpose which help the body to be equipped for its functions.

Our gestures might reveal our stress levels and when communicated properly, these can be extremely beneficial not only to us but also to the individuals around us.

To find out more about the downsides of bottled-up stress, let’s take a moment to read the full article.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220610-why-showing-stress-can-make-people-more-likeable

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree or disagree that “exhibiting signs of anxiety may make people respond better to you”? Explain your stand.
  2. What are reasons people bottle up their stress?
  3. Are you able to manage your stress on your own or do you require assistance? Explain.
  4. Who are the people you can discuss your stress with and why them? How are they able to help you cope with stress?
  5. How can one tell whether they are suppressing stress?
  6. What causes an individual to emotionally shut down?