In our fast-paced academic and personal lives, managing our mental health is just as important as managing our physical health. This lesson focuses on the concept of well-being, which is the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy. We will explore vocabulary and grammar structures to help you discuss feelings, stress, and the strategies we use to stay balanced. This ability is crucial for academic success and for supporting ourselves and others.
Vocabulary
Understanding the right words to describe our internal states is the first step toward managing them. Here are some key terms related to mental health and well-being.
| Word | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Anxiety | A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. |
Many students experience anxiety before a major exam. |
| Resilience | The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. |
Developing resilience helps you bounce back from academic setbacks. |
| Overwhelmed | To be buried or inundated with a great amount of something, especially work or emotion. |
After three major assignments were due in one week, she felt completely overwhelmed. |
| Support | To give assistance to; to bear all or part of the weight of; to hold up. |
Having a strong support network of friends and family is vital for well-being. |
| Self-care | The practice of taking an active role in protecting one's own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress. |
His self-care routine includes exercising and getting enough sleep. |
| Mindfulness | A mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. |
Practicing mindfulness for ten minutes a day can reduce stress. |
| Burnout | A state of physical or emotional exhaustion also involving a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity. |
Working 70 hours a week for months led to his burnout. |
Grammar Focus
To express our feelings and the actions we take to manage them, we often use specific verb patterns and emotional structures.
Verb + Gerund / Infinitive
Some verbs are followed by a gerund ($ing$ form), while others are followed by an infinitive ($to$ + verb). Knowing which to use is important for fluency.
Verbs followed by a gerund (verb + -ing)
These often describe an action that is real or completed. Common verbs include: enjoy, avoid, finish, practice, suggest.
I suggest talking to a counselor if you feel overwhelmed.
He avoids studying late at night to prevent burnout.
Have you finished writing your reflection?
Verbs followed by an infinitive (to + verb)
These often describe a future or potential action. Common verbs include: want, hope, plan, need, decide, learn.
She plans to start a mindfulness practice.
We decided to form a study group for support.
I need to get more sleep to improve my resilience.
Emotional Structures
We use certain phrases to introduce and describe our feelings or situations. These structures help us communicate our internal state clearly.
"I find it + adjective + to + verb..."
This structure is used to express your opinion or feeling about an activity.
I find it difficult to concentrate when I have anxiety.
She finds it helpful to talk about her problems.
"I feel + adjective + when..."
This structure connects a feeling directly to a situation or cause.
I feel overwhelmed when I have too much homework.
I feel better when I practice self-care.
Video Input
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