Coping skills 101
What are coping skills?
Coping skills refers to a conscious effort to reduce negative emotions associated with external situations that, often times, we are unable to control. They allow the user of an effective coping skill to reduce stress, anxiety, and more.
A simple explanation is that coping skills are a way of practicing self care. Therefore it is an extremely individualized experience.
It is essential for the chosen coping skill to be healthy. Otherwise it takes away from the experience intended---creating resilience, and lessening the anxiety and uncertainty connected to the event that caused distress.
In order to understand what healthy coping skills are it is important to first understand what negative coping skills involve. Below is a list of UNHEALTHY coping skills that often worsen the situation or causes you to delay important issues.
Using drugs;
Drinking alcohol excessively;
Engaging in self-mutilation;
Ignoring or bottling up feelings;
Taking sedatives;
Taking stimulants;
Working too much;
Avoiding your problems;
Being in denial.
As a guideline to finding healthy coping skills. I reference the top UNHEALTHY skills and work on engaging in behaviors that are directly opposite of the list of skills listed.
For example. Using the list of unhealthy coping skills that I personally struggle with using. I identify the opposite positive reaction. For example:
Using drugs;
Instead of using substances to control my emotions. I make sure that I am taking my prescribed medication, or find alternative ways to achieve the feeling that a substance might be giving me. For example some substance allow me to relax. So I think of different activities, such as, going to the spa, a walk etc. that also have a similar effect and choosing to use one of those skills instead
Drinking alcohol excessively;
Avoid alcohol when anxious, depressed, impulsive etc. and following the method described above.
Engaging in self-mutilation;
Ignoring or bottling up feelings;
Taking sedatives;
Taking stimulants;
Working too much;
Avoiding your problems;
Being in denial.
In order to have a positive effect on your mental health wellness, it is important to practice healthy coping skills. In my personal experience, whenever I neglect myself it often leads to a chain of events that are indicative of a crisis caused by a trigger. If I catch the trigger quickly, and then access the impact that it will have or me. Then develop a plan to cope with the triggering event. I have better chances of not using a coping skill that would make me feel worse or negatively impact other situations outside of the trigger.
Adapted from positive psychology . Craft2Sanity. Deniece Brown