There are many stressors in life, and we all experience different stressors on a day-to-day basis. What we do with this stress is up to us. Stress can be both short term and long term. When stress is short term, it can be easier to create healthy coping mechanisms.
When stress is long term, it can be more difficult to create healthy coping mechanisms and easier to rely on unhealthy coping mechanisms.
We have all faced many challenges over the past few years. There is no undermining the amount of loss, fear, sickness, financial burdens, etc. that you have faced. Take this time to think about what you have done to help cope during this time.
Have you created healthy or unhealthy coping mechanisms during this time? Creating healthy coping skills can be hard and daunting, but very much worth it for your overall health and well-being. Â
Examples of healthy coping skills
Using meditation or yoga can help us become more mindful and helps us to slow down and be in the moment. This allows us to be more aware of what we are experiencing in the moment and how our breathing can help lower this stress.
- Eating a healthy diet/getting enough exercise
Food and exercise greatly affect not only our physical health but mental and emotional health as well. Exercise can greatly reduce our stress and help us become clearer headed.
- Creating a support system
We all need someone that we can talk to when we become overwhelmed. A family member, friend, or loved one can be the safe space we need every now and then.
- Expressing emotions through music, writing, painting, etc.
When we become overwhelmed, expressing our thoughts and emotions can greatly lower stress levels, as well as negative emotions.
A therapist can help us process what we are going through, as well as provides helpful skills necessary to manage life stressors. Therapists can help us through many life altering events as well.
Unhealthy coping mechanisms
- Drinking alcohol/using drugs
- Becoming defensive/aggressive
- Sleeping a lot
- Changing your food intake
- Avoiding people, places, or opportunities
- Blaming others
- Focusing on the past
- Avoiding responsibilities
Unhealthy coping skills can cause
- Addiction
- Dysfunctional behavior patterns
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Physical health problems
- Other mental health illnesses
It is important to know whether your coping mechanisms are healthy or unhealthy. Sometimes we may not realize that the unhealthy habits that we are creating are due to coping. We all choose to cope in different ways and for some of us it can be very difficult to find a healthy coping mechanism that works for us. Try your best not to fall into unhealthy patterns. Unhealthy coping mechanisms not only affect us as individuals, but those around us as well.
These coping mechanisms can greatly diminish relationships and can make our mental health much worse. Understand that what you feed to your body and say to your mind greatly affects our mental health and how we cope.
Some of us have created unhealthy coping mechanisms our whole lives because of not having good examples or because of generational trauma. Take this time to observe your unhealthy patterns and break the cycle. Take time for self-care and to really understand what you are going through and how you are feeling.
Go into nature and try grounding techniques to become more mindful. If you feel like you need to talk to someone to start creating healthy coping mechanisms, reach out to a trained therapist for help. Mental health matters and it is time we take control of our mental health.
