Coping mechanisms vital to overcome stressful events

When time gets rough we might feel exhausted, anxious, stressed, hopeless or depressed.

Changes can be overwhelming and at times we tend to think that things are beyond us. Adjusting and adapting to the new changes and environment can misguide our ability to handle stressful situations. The negative events that take place in our life involve coping mechanisms which make it easier to face such difficult times.

Coping mechanisms are conscious psychological efforts and strategies used to handle or minimise stressful experience, anxiety or depression. The capacity to respond and recover from a stressful situation is called ‘coping’. It involves adaptation and adjustments to unusual changes which make it easier to accept and move on gracefully.

Through our lifetime we’ve developed certain coping skills to deal with uncertainty, which can be both negative and positive. It is the result of our emotions reacting to particular events or situations. At times certain changes like moving into a new house, new job and new born baby can also have a very overwhelming feeling which requires time and effort to adjust and adapt to new situations.

It is important to know about how we deal with challenging events, negative emotions, anxiety or any other difficult situations. As soon as we develop coping strategies we will be able to bounce back from negative life events and emotions, which directly elevate our mental and physical wellbeing.

Coping mechanisms can be categorised in two types, that is, adaptive and maladaptive coping mechanisms.

1. Adaptive coping mechanisms

Adaptive coping is a positive and conscious strategy in dealing with the stressful situation. Taking time to reflect and face such situations by meditating, journalising or talking with a friend or family is positive coping. Positive coping includes support, exercising, relaxationand humour. For example, making time for standup comedy or anything that includes humour can lighten up an overwhelming situation like the pandemic.

People who can adapt to healthy and positive coping may experience less anxiety and worry. In times of uncertain events maintaining adaptive coping is necessary as we might fall into unhealthy coping mechanisms which are called maladaptive coping.

2. Maladaptive coping mechanisms

Challenging situations can sometimes be misleading and not everyone can generate positive coping, so some might fall for negative coping mechanisms which is known as maladaptive coping.

Those who have a difficult time in handling or coping with stress can fall into the habit of maladaptive coping. For example, consumption of substances like alcohol, smoking or marijuana can help people feel less stressed, but it can be a very toxic trait if you rely on such substances in dealing with challenges and stressful situations and eventually you become addicted.

A negative coping mechanism can also be suppression of emotions or denial of certain situations like break-up or losing a job. One can deny the reality and try to avoid it; avoidance for lengthy periods of time can result in outbursts or fits of rage due to suppressed emotions.