When something challenging, difficult, or upsetting happens during our day, there are many different ways to deal with these events. Think of the last time something not-so-satisfying happened to you today or yesterday? How did you handle it? These are what we call coping skills, and some are healthy and others are unhealthy coping skills.
Unhealthy Coping Skills
Unhealthy coping skills are the ways that we handle our problems or stressors in our life that are not good for our mental, emotional, or physical health. These are the coping skills that might seem easier for us and what we automatically turn to during difficult times. Examples include, but are not limited to, avoidance, excessive or lack of sleep, drug or alcohol use, impulsive spending, and under/over eating. While these strategies might feel good, they are not good for us or for the situation that caused us to use these coping skills.
Healthy Coping Skills
Now that we have listed what are not healthy ways of coping, what are the healthy ways for us to cope with life’s challenges? While it’s easy to avoid, sleep, or use food to comfort us, those coping skills only temporarily make us feel better. Some healthy coping skills can include, but are not limited to, facing the problem, talking to a trusted person in your support network, exercising or enjoying, participating in healthy eating habits, using relaxation techniques, and learning what our triggers are. Healthy coping skills, unlike the unhealthy ones, take time, patience, practice, and work. These can feel impossible or difficult during tough times. If you are struggling with using healthy coping skills, it might be time to seek out a therapist to help discover your triggers, learn coping skills, and have them reinforced and held accountable for how you handle these challenges.
Review
When we are triggered or going through a difficult time, we turn to either unhealthy coping skills or healthy coping skills. Unhealthy coping skills might be easier, less time consuming, and make us feel temporarily better. Healthy coping skills take some work and patience, but are much better for us long term. Use the attached worksheet to learn more about your coping skills and what those look like for you!*
*Healthy vs. Unhealthy Coping Skills Worksheet: https://www.therapistaid.com/worksheets/healthy-unhealthy-coping-strategies
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