Developing Healthy Coping Methods by Marin Funderburg
In your most stressful moments, what do you do? Do you isolate yourself from others? Lash out? Or do you take a step back and take deep breaths? It can be hard to understand your mind and body, even more so when it feels like an alarm system is going off. In my pursuit of mental clarity and mindful practices, I have discovered a few coping methods that have worked wonders for me- and many that were incredibly unhealthy. With some self-reflection and time, you too will find out what coping skills are and which ones make sense for you.
What is a coping skill? Coping skills are techniques that are practiced so that when stress or anxiety occurs, you will be equipped to handle it. They can come in many different forms but they are always used to connect your mind and body and promote positive mental health. Each person should try to have at least one good coping skill because stress and panic can be unavoidable, and being prepared can help reduce the pain of the situation.
Learning to understand your needs is an important first step in developing healthy coping strategies. First, look at what you like to do.
Do you like to stimulate your mind by reading or doing puzzles?
Or do you prefer something more physically stimulating like running or hiking?
Finding out what brings you bliss and comfort is crucial because doing coping skills that make you uncomfortable or unhappy will have an opposite effect than what you intend. It could make the problem worse. If you constantly practice an unhealthy habit, it may be hard to break, which is why I emphasize the importance of learning healthy methods and enforcing them.
Then, you need to learn that there is a difference between healthy and unhealthy coping strategies. So let’s look at them. Unhealthy strategies are things that bring comfort in the moment, but tend to create bigger problems.
Some examples of unhealthy coping methods are stress eating, isolation, procrastination, denial, and avoidance. Each one of these options seems fine at the moment, but are only a temporary relief from stress.
I myself am no stranger to some of these methods. When I am stressed all I want is to avoid the problem and be alone. However I have discovered that this only makes me feel worse, and I had to unlearn some of these behaviors to reach peace.
You might wonder what are some healthy coping strategies? Exercise, meditation, yoga, sleep, and mindfulness are just a few good examples. These are good strategies because they force mind-body cooperation and help regulate emotions. They also help the body find peace and rest, which can be great for mental clarity.
Diving into each one further, I have found that I love to exercise because it gives me a break from all the stressful tasks I have. When I am running on the treadmill or lifting weights, I am solely focused on the moment, and not any of my other concerns. Also, exercise helps me build a routine, which is something that I love to have. My advice is to find a thing that works well within your schedule while also giving you the freedom to work around it. Even though balancing responsibilities may be hard, do not let them overtake your life and happiness. You deserve a break and must give yourself one.
As mentioned in the previous paragraph, rest is a very important thing for the body. Getting a proper amount of sleep and giving yourself the grace to take breaks when needed is vital for a healthy and well-regulated life. However, rest can quickly turn into an unhealthy coping skill. Too much sleep can lead to drowsiness and procrastination. It is important that you try to only get the rest you need, but not let it consume you.
The overconsumption of these methods such as exercise can be harmful, but in moderation, each type of coping method is valid. There are plenty of other methods you find that may be more successful than the ones I listed above. Breathing and counting are more applicable to a sudden onset of panic but can help ground you. It’s all about finding your niche and sticking to it.
Overall, coping strategies are an important part of life, and everyone should work to develop healthy habits to fuel them. By discovering the techniques that work for you, you will work to have mental clarity and good stress relief. I implore everyone to try to find what makes them feel happy and comfortable so that they can handle any problems that are thrown at them. I know that it can be hard to try new things and break old habits, but for your well-being and a chance of growing, I ask you to try.
Additional tools for when you may be in crisis:
U.S. Crisis Text Line: 741-741
Ohio Mobile Response and Stabilization Services: 1-888-418-MRSS (6777)