Coping Skills/Mechanisms
Stress Happens!
How it is managed is linked to coping skills and resources.
Coping skills help you tolerate, minimize, and deal with stressful situations in life. Managing your stress well can help you feel better physically and psychologically and it can impact your ability to perform your best.
Healthy Coping Mechanisms
Exercise
Meditate
Do yoga
Do a guided meditation
Practice breathing exercises
Pray
Go for a walk
Use a relaxation app
Use aromatherapy
Use progressive muscle relaxation
Engage in a hobby
Positive self-talk
Reframe the way you are thinking about the problem
Exercise
Listen to music
Dance
Take a bath
Clean the house (or a closet, drawer, or area)
Write in a journal
Color
Draw
Paint
Play a musical instrument
Cook a meal
Drink tea
Garden
List the things you feel grateful for
Look at landscape photos that help you feel relaxed
Look at pictures to remind you of the people, places, and things that bring joy
Spend time in nature
Play a game with your kids, friends, or neighbors
Play with a pet (anyone’s pet)
Put on lotion that smells good
Read a book
Squeeze a stress ball
Smile and compliment someone else
Take care of your body in a way that makes you feel good (paint your nails, do your hair, put on a face mask, etc.)
Ask for support from a friend or a professional
Call a friend or family member
Useful Read:
Check out How to Adapt to a Stressful Situation for more.
Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Drinking alcohol (excessively)
Other substances – use, abuse, dependence
Overeating
Eating junk food
Sleeping too much
Gossiping to others
Overspending
Avoiding things and people
Risk taking (e.g. sexual promiscuity, gambling)
Catastrophizing
Isolating
Self-harm
Smoking
Excessive gaming
Aggression/violence
Overworking
Running away
Procrastination
Lying
Addiction
Intense anxiety and stressful situations can be difficult to manage. While unhealthy coping mechanisms may provide immediate relief, they are short-term solutions that may lead to a number of harmful addictions. It is important to know the types of addictions, how they manifest themselves, how they can be treated, and most importantly, how they can be avoided.