Why are coping mechanisms important

Prescriptions medications can even be a positive coping mechanism if they help manage mental health symptoms. Think of it this way, if you are feeling bad in the morning, do you really want to take a shower and get yourself ready for your day?

If you do, do you feel a little better? Negative coping skills include abusing or drinking too much alcohol, abusing drugs as in illegal, over the counter, and prescription drugs , problem gambling, doing something illegal i. It can also involve not knowing how to control the level of the emotions by being too loud and verbally abuse to others, smashing things, dwelling on suicide, over the top giddiness, or being too afraid of everything and staying inside.

These types of coping skills rarely make people feel better and usually mask or hide the issues. The issues that are being covered up by this coping skills are typically not be worked through. One other thing to look out for is that any healthy coping skill can become a negative coping skill. Think about this for a second…can someone exercise too much, or eat unhealthy food all the time, or just read books and do nothing else? Anytime a coping skill is being done just to avoid everything else in life, it can become unhealthy and move from the positive side of the coping spectrum to the negative side.

There is a balance to be maintained with coping skills. Here is coping skill example…someone close to a person died. They knew them forever. How do they cope? The more coping skills we obtain to deal with environmental changes, the more likely we are to maintain a healthier lifestyle and overall better mental well being. There are several way that individuals can cope in a healthy and productive way.

Some examples include:. On the other hand, there are maladaptive coping mechanisms to look out for and avoid due to the severe levels of negativity they harness. Some such as:. It is important to recognize the different types of coping mechanisms in order to help ourselves and others. If you are struggling to cope with anxiety, depression, and the stress you are facing, try finding a new way to express yourself or relieve the tension in a more positive and healthy way.

There are so many benefits to finding a healthy coping mechanism when times get tough. In the beginning, they can aid in making you feel better about certain situations. Yet, after a short period of time, they create more problems than they solve. Using substances in response to stress is not an effective coping mechanism. Stress is the number one trigger. Starting a physical exercise routine can help get frustrations out. As you exercise, your body releases cortisol, which is a mood enhancing chemical in the brain.

It helps to regulate thinking and lends the ability to produce effective solutions. Mental exercise, such as mindfulness and meditation, is equally as great. Meditation can help the mind achieve a complete state of relaxation and calmness, which is needed if we are to overcome our stressors.