What Are Coping Mechanisms?
What are Coping Mechanisms?
Coping mechanisms, also known as coping skills, can be conscious or unconscious and are ways that our minds adjust to stressors as an effort to decrease tension. While some pressures are more minor, such as a temporary traffic jam which will go away on its own, others can be chronic and are damaging to our health if we do not proactively address the cause and possible long-term effects. Emphasis here is placed on learning healthy coping mechanisms as a way to live a happier and healthier life.
Change in itself is uncomfortable, and even good change can create anxiety or distressing thoughts. A first step is to take responsibility for your own struggle and learn ways to manage or even thrive despite life’s challenges. No matter how hard you try to set your life up for ease, there can and will be unexpected bumps. The more you accept these bumps and allow them to flow through your life as minor, the easier it will be to move past them.
Examples of Common Stressors are:
Problems at work: An unappreciated coworker, decreased job stability, a transfer, a lack of career growth, etc.
Financial concerns: Concern for how you will pay your bills, preparing for your children’s futures, unexpected medical costs, etc.
Relationship Struggles: A relationship coming apart, changing dynamics, a lack of friends, unhealthy boundaries, abusive dynamics.
Loss of any kind: Financial, personal, familial, friendships, a child moving away, etc.
Positive/Neutral Stressors: The birth of a child, marriage, a job promotion, moving to a new location, etc.
Why Do We Need Coping Skills?
Stress is undoubtedly a part of life and learning to manage it in ways that work for you is essential to keeping yourself healthy in all aspects. Learning to productively cope with anxious feelings or the uncomfortable emotions that arise when dealing with worrisome thoughts are essential for good mental health. This in turn helps us to become more resilient and better prepared to adapt to future difficulties.
Examples of Healthy Coping Mechanisms (Notice How These Are Synonymous with Self-Care!!):
Make sure you get enough quality rest. This is of course at night, but also remember to take breaks as needed through the day.
Eat well. Even if you think what you eat doesn’t matter…it does. What we consume gives fuel to the cells that make up every part of our body. Poor eating habits cause our mitochondria harm leading to misfires and increased disease.
Integrate healthy movement into your life. This can mean the gym, walks, hikes, yoga, walking around the mall at lunch…whatever you enjoy that gets you moving.
Meditation. I cannot emphasize this one enough!! Meditation has numerous health benefits to the mind and the body. ANYONE can meditate and it is free. There are many apps out there that can help you begin your meditation practice. A favorite of mine is Insight Timer.
Ask others for help. This one may seem simple but is often overlooked. Interdependence is a must in what often seems like a dog-eat-dog world.
Be part of your community. Rather it be a hobby group, church, meetups, volunteering, or any of many other social activities, getting out and around others is crucial for helping you to get out of your head and connected with others in an uplifting way.
Examples of Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms:
Although at times life may seem overwhelming and unhealthy coping mechanisms may provide a quick distraction, they lead to additional problems down the road.
Examples of unhealthy coping skills are:
The use of alcohol or drugs to distract you from your problems.
The use of mind-altering substances as a way to self-medicate.
Unsafe sex or relationship practices.
Unproductive worry.
Catastrophizing or any other cognitive behavioral distortions.
Over exercising.
Avoiding the issue.
Why Learning Healthier Coping Mechanisms is So Important:
Through learning healthy, or healthier, coping skills, you can see improvement in many areas of your life including a decrease in unhealthy patterning that keeps you repeating unhelpful cycles. In time and with practice, developing more beneficial practices can help you learn better stress management, communication skills, make wiser decisions, meet your goals, and more.
In Closing:
Coping mechanisms are there rather we like them or not, so it seems best to choose the options that will best help us feel good within and around life. Facing our problems productively and regardless of personal fears empower us to live for ourselves as our best self. This means taking the time to care for our needs on a regular, ongoing basis.
Sometimes we did not have healthful ways of thinking modeled for us and that is okay. As adults, we make the choices for what we want, who we want to be, and how (or if), we are willing to make the efforts to set ourselves onto a more favorable way of living.
I hope you found this article valuable. No matter where you are in your path, I hope you find healing throughout. Please feel free to comment or share. 😊
In love and light,
Stephanie @ Finding Point
