Managing Difficult Emotions — KS2 PSHE

Difficult emotions

1. 1 Why we have difficult emotions Every emotion has a function. Anger: signals unfairness. Anxiety: prepares for danger. Sadness: signals loss. They are information, not problems to eliminate.
2. 2 Emotions are not choices You cannot choose whether you feel an emotion. You can choose what you do with it. The response — the behaviour — is where choice lives.
3. 3 Anger Physical signs: increased heart rate, muscle tension, heat in face. Healthy management: breathing space before responding. Unhealthy: acting on it immediately.
4. 4 Anxiety Worry about something that might happen. Physical signs: stomach butterflies, racing heart. Anxiety makes feared things feel bigger than they are.
5. 5 Anxiety strategies Ground yourself (5-4-3-2-1: name 5 things you can see, 4 you can hear...). Slow breathing (4 in, hold 4, 4 out). Challenge the thought: is this definitely going to happen?
6. 6 Sadness A response to loss. Needs to be felt, not suppressed. A normal and healthy response.
7. 7 Seeking help Difficult emotions become problematic when they persist or are disproportionate. Speaking to a trusted adult is right, not a weakness.