“Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves.”

― Henry David Thoreau.

Coping mechanisms are strategies people often use in the face of stress or trauma to help them cope with painful or difficult emotions. These strategies can help them adapt to stressful events while assisting them in maintaining emotional well-being.

What Are Coping Mechanisms?

Significant life events, whether positive or negative, can cause psychological stress. Difficult events such as divorce, miscarriage, the death of a loved one, or the loss of a job can cause emotions like sadness or anxiety in most of us. But even events that many consider positive—getting married, having a baby, and buying a house—can lead to significant amounts of stress. To adapt to this stress, we may use a specific combination of behaviour, thinking and emotions depending on the situation. People may use such strategies to manage stress, anger, loneliness, anxiety or depression.

How Do Coping and Defence Mechanisms Differ?

Some may confuse defence mechanisms with coping strategies. Although these two concepts share some similarities, they are different.

Defence mechanisms mainly occur unconsciously, and people are generally unaware they are using them. On the other hand, coping strategies are usually conscious and purposeful.

Coping strategies are used to manage an external situation that creates problems for the individual. Defence mechanisms can change a person’s internal psychological state and support their stability.

Styles And Mechanisms for Coping

Coping styles can be problem-focused—also called instrumental—or emotion-focused. Problem-focused coping strategies are usually coupled with problem-solving methods to reduce stress and painful emotions. At the same time, emotion-focused mechanisms can help manage and change feelings of distress that result from the problem. Furthermore, different coping strategies can be broadly categorized as active or avoidant. Active strategies typically involve awareness of the stressor and conscious attempts to reduce stress.

On the other hand, avoidance strategies are characterized by ignoring or otherwise avoiding the problem. Some coping methods, even if they work for a while, are not effective in the long term. These ineffective approaches, often counterproductive or have unintended negative consequences, are known as “maladaptive coping.” Adaptive coping strategies are generally considered healthy and effective ways of coping with stressful situations.

Types Of Coping Mechanisms

Commonly used adaptive coping strategies include:

• Support: Attending therapy or discussing a stressful event with a supportive person can effectively manage stress. Seeking external support instead of isolating yourself and internalizing the effects of stress is a positive step that can significantly reduce the harmful effects of a problematic situation and help you feel hope.
  
• Relaxation: Any number of relaxation activities can build resilience and your ability to cope with stress. Relaxation activities may include practising meditation, slow breathing, progressive muscle relaxation or other calming techniques, sitting in nature, or listening to soft music.
  
• Problem Solving: Involves identifying the problem causing the stress and then developing and implementing potential solutions to deal with or change it effectively.
  
• Humour: Making light of a stressful situation can help maintain perspective and prevent the problem from becoming overwhelming.
  
• Physical activity: Exercise can be a natural and healthy stress relief. Running, yoga, swimming, walking, dancing, team sports, and many other types of physical activity can support health and assist in coping with stress and the aftermath of traumatic experiences.

A short list of common maladaptive coping mechanisms includes:

• Escape: Some people may withdraw from friends and become socially isolated to cope with anxiety or stress. They may become engrossed in solitary life activities such as watching television, reading, or spending time online.
  
• Unhealthy self-soothing: Some self-soothing behaviours are healthy in moderation but can turn into a harmful addiction if they become a habit of using them to self-soothe. Some examples of unhealthy self-soothing may include actions that cause medical harm, such as overeating, excessive drinking, excessive internet use or video games.
  
• Numbing: Some self-soothing behaviours can become emotion-numbing behaviours. When a person engages in a numbing behaviour, they are often aware of what they are doing and may seek out an activity to help drown or overcome their anxiety. People may try to feel better and relieve stress by eating junk food, drinking too much alcohol, or using drugs.
  
• Compulsions and risk-taking: Stress can cause some people to seek adrenaline through compulsive or risky behaviours such as gambling, drug experimenting, stealing or reckless driving.
  
• Self-injury: People may engage in self-injurious behaviour to cope with extreme stress or trauma.

Coping Strategies and Mental Health

Using effective coping skills can often help improve or work on their mental and emotional well-being. People who can adapt to stressful or traumatic situations (and the lasting impact these incidents can have) through effective coping strategies may be less likely to experience emotions like anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems as a result of painful or challenging experiences. People who find themselves failing in maladaptive patterns and having difficulty using effective coping strategies may eventually negatively impact their mental and emotional well-being. Those who have difficulty coping with anxiety, stress, or anger may become accustomed to relying on maladaptive behaviours. Drinking alcohol can often help people feel less stressed in the immediate moment. Still, if a person depends on alcohol or any other substance in stressful situations, they can become dependent on that substance over time.

- Mufina, MHP, M.Psych., D.M.H.,

Psychologist, Mental Health Counsellor,

Chennai, TN, India.

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“Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves.”

― Henry David Thoreau.

Coping mechanisms are strategies people often use in the face of stress or trauma to help them cope with painful or difficult emotions. These strategies can help them adapt to stressful events while assisting them in maintaining emotional well-being.

What Are Coping Mechanisms?

Significant life events, whether positive or negative, can cause psychological stress. Difficult events such as divorce, miscarriage, the death of a loved one, or the loss of a job can cause emotions like sadness or anxiety in most of us. But even events that many consider positive—getting married, having a baby, and buying a house—can lead to significant amounts of stress. To adapt to this stress, we may use a specific combination of behaviour, thinking and emotions depending on the situation. People may use such strategies to manage stress, anger, loneliness, anxiety or depression.

How Do Coping and Defence Mechanisms Differ?

Some may confuse defence mechanisms with coping strategies. Although these two concepts share some similarities, they are different.

Defence mechanisms mainly occur unconsciously, and people are generally unaware they are using them. On the other hand, coping strategies are usually conscious and purposeful.

Coping strategies are used to manage an external situation that creates problems for the individual. Defence mechanisms can change a person’s internal psychological state and support their stability.

Styles And Mechanisms for Coping

Coping styles can be problem-focused—also called instrumental—or emotion-focused. Problem-focused coping strategies are usually coupled with problem-solving methods to reduce stress and painful emotions. At the same time, emotion-focused mechanisms can help manage and change feelings of distress that result from the problem. Furthermore, different coping strategies can be broadly categorized as active or avoidant. Active strategies typically involve awareness of the stressor and conscious attempts to reduce stress.

On the other hand, avoidance strategies are characterized by ignoring or otherwise avoiding the problem. Some coping methods, even if they work for a while, are not effective in the long term. These ineffective approaches, often counterproductive or have unintended negative consequences, are known as “maladaptive coping.” Adaptive coping strategies are generally considered healthy and effective ways of coping with stressful situations.

Types Of Coping Mechanisms

Commonly used adaptive coping strategies include:

• Support: Attending therapy or discussing a stressful event with a supportive person can effectively manage stress. Seeking external support instead of isolating yourself and internalizing the effects of stress is a positive step that can significantly reduce the harmful effects of a problematic situation and help you feel hope.
  
• Relaxation: Any number of relaxation activities can build resilience and your ability to cope with stress. Relaxation activities may include practising meditation, slow breathing, progressive muscle relaxation or other calming techniques, sitting in nature, or listening to soft music.
  
• Problem Solving: Involves identifying the problem causing the stress and then developing and implementing potential solutions to deal with or change it effectively.
  
• Humour: Making light of a stressful situation can help maintain perspective and prevent the problem from becoming overwhelming.
  
• Physical activity: Exercise can be a natural and healthy stress relief. Running, yoga, swimming, walking, dancing, team sports, and many other types of physical activity can support health and assist in coping with stress and the aftermath of traumatic experiences.

A short list of common maladaptive coping mechanisms includes:

• Escape: Some people may withdraw from friends and become socially isolated to cope with anxiety or stress. They may become engrossed in solitary life activities such as watching television, reading, or spending time online.
  
• Unhealthy self-soothing: Some self-soothing behaviours are healthy in moderation but can turn into a harmful addiction if they become a habit of using them to self-soothe. Some examples of unhealthy self-soothing may include actions that cause medical harm, such as overeating, excessive drinking, excessive internet use or video games.
  
• Numbing: Some self-soothing behaviours can become emotion-numbing behaviours. When a person engages in a numbing behaviour, they are often aware of what they are doing and may seek out an activity to help drown or overcome their anxiety. People may try to feel better and relieve stress by eating junk food, drinking too much alcohol, or using drugs.
  
• Compulsions and risk-taking: Stress can cause some people to seek adrenaline through compulsive or risky behaviours such as gambling, drug experimenting, stealing or reckless driving.
  
• Self-injury: People may engage in self-injurious behaviour to cope with extreme stress or trauma.

Coping Strategies and Mental Health

Using effective coping skills can often help improve or work on their mental and emotional well-being. People who can adapt to stressful or traumatic situations (and the lasting impact these incidents can have) through effective coping strategies may be less likely to experience emotions like anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems as a result of painful or challenging experiences. People who find themselves failing in maladaptive patterns and having difficulty using effective coping strategies may eventually negatively impact their mental and emotional well-being. Those who have difficulty coping with anxiety, stress, or anger may become accustomed to relying on maladaptive behaviours. Drinking alcohol can often help people feel less stressed in the immediate moment. Still, if a person depends on alcohol or any other substance in stressful situations, they can become dependent on that substance over time.

- Mufina, MHP, M.Psych., D.M.H.,

Psychologist, Mental Health Counsellor,

Chennai, TN, India.

Instagram

Twitter