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Coping Skills
Coping skills or strategies are the thoughts and behaviours that people use to deal with stressful or challenging situations. They can help reduce psychological distress, enhance wellbeing, and improve performance. Coping strategies can be classified into different types, depending on how they address the source or the impact of the stressor.
Problem-focused coping
One type of coping skill is problem-focused coping, which involves changing or eliminating the stressor itself. For example, if someone is stressed about a deadline at work, they might use problem-focused coping skills such as making a to-do list, prioritizing tasks, delegating work, or asking for an extension. Problem-focused coping skills are helpful when the stressor is controllable and when the person has the resources and motivation to act.
Emotion-focused coping
Another type of coping strategy is emotion-focused coping, which involves managing or reducing the negative emotions associated with the stressor. For example, if someone is grieving the loss of a loved one, they might use emotion-focused coping skills such as expressing their feelings, seeking social support, practising relaxation techniques, or engaging in hobbies. Emotion-focused coping strategies are helpful when the stressor is uncontrollable or when the person needs to cope with their emotional reaction before acting.
Religious coping
Religious -focussed coping is a way of dealing with stress by using religious beliefs, practices, or resources. It can have different purposes and methods, such as finding meaning, comfort, hope, or connection with God and others. Religious -focussed coping can also be positive or negative, depending on how it helps or harms the person’s mental health. For example, positive religious -focussed coping may involve trusting God, seeking spiritual support, or accepting God’s will. Negative religious -focussed coping may involve feeling angry at God, doubting one’s faith, or feeling punished by God. Religious -focussed coping is influenced by individual, situational, and cultural factors, and it can have various effects on health and well-being.
meaning-making coping
meaning-making coping is a psychological process that involves finding or creating meaning in a stressful or traumatic situation. It can help people cope with negative emotions, reduce distress, and enhance well-being. meaning-making coping can take different forms, such as finding positive aspects of the situation, changing one’s perspective or beliefs, seeking social support, engaging in spiritual practices, or acting to improve the situation. meaning-making coping can help people make sense of their experiences and find purpose and hope in their lives.
Social support coping
Social support coping is a strategy that involves seeking help from others to deal with stress. It can come in different forms, such as emotional, informational, or practical support. Emotional support refers to expressions of care, empathy, and concern from friends, family, or other people who care about us. Informational support refers to advice, guidance, or feedback that can help us solve problems or cope with challenges. Practical support refers to tangible assistance, such as money, time, or resources, that can help us meet our needs or goals.
Social support coping can have many benefits for our mental and physical health. Research shows that social support can reduce the perception and impact of stress, increase happiness and well-being, improve immune system functioning and cardiovascular health, prevent cognitive decline and dementia, and ease the pain and loneliness of grief. Social support can also help us develop resilience and coping skills in the face of adversity.
To use social support coping effectively, it is important to have a strong and reliable social network that we can turn to in times of need. We can also strengthen our social connections by being supportive of others, expressing gratitude and appreciation, communicating openly and honestly, and respecting boundaries and differences. Social support coping is not a sign of weakness or dependence; rather,
These types of coping strategies can be used with problem-focused or emotion-focused coping skills, depending on the situation and the person’s preferences.
Grounding techniques
Grounding techniques are essential for self-transcendence because they help us stay connected to our present reality while exploring higher levels of consciousness. These techniques can include breathing exercises, mindfulness practices, physical sensations, or affirmations. They prevent us from losing touch with our senses, emotions, and body when we transcend our ego and experience a sense of oneness with the universe.
Coping skills are not fixed or innate; they can be learned and improved over time. Different coping strategies may work better for different people or different situations. Therefore, it is important to have a variety of coping strategies and to evaluate their effectiveness regularly. Coping strategies can also have positive or negative consequences depending on how they are used. For example, some coping skills may be healthy in moderation but unhealthy if overused or misused. Therefore, it is important to use coping strategies wisely and responsibly.
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Further reading
Here are some links that can help you with coping skills and strategies:
Verywell Mind provides examples of healthy coping strategies such as establishing and maintaining boundaries, practising relaxation strategies such as deep breathing, meditation, and mindfulness, getting regular physical activity, making to-do lists and setting goals.
Good Therapy explains what coping strategies are and how to develop them for your daily life.
YouMeMindBody provides a list of coping strategies for anger, anxiety, and depression.
Thriveworks explains healthy coping mechanisms and strategies.
Mind provides exercises that might calm you down if you are feeling anxious or scared and how to cope with scary thoughts.
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