Coping strategies are specific efforts, both behavioral and psychological, that people employ to master, tolerate, reduce, or minimize stressful life events.
“Whatever is flexible and flowing will tend to grow whatever is rigid and blocked will wither and die”
We
have no control over some of our life events. They are probably going to
happen whether we like it or not.
Coping
is made up of the responses (thoughts, feelings and actions) that an
individual uses to deal with problematic situations that are encountered
in everyday life and in particular circumstances.
Coping
has two major functions; dealing with the problem that is causing the distress
and regulating our own emotion.
Coping
may not be capable of terminating the stress, but often mange it which
includes tolerating or accepting the stress and distress.
Personality,
situational demand and socio cultural factors can influence your coping
strategies.
No
single method is effective; a combination of approaches is generally most
effective.
What
works for one person does not necessarily work for someone else.
Problems
may arises from collective sources thus effective coping require collective
action.
Many
of our response to stress is involuntary for example intrusive thoughts.
Many of our responses are an automatic for example withdrawal from others.
Daily
hassles were more important factor in negative health outcomes than major
life events.
Many
people believe that certain emotional responses to stress such as anger
are innate and unchangeable, but the fact is we can change our emotional
reactions.
Coping
process are conscious, intentional, learned and associated with normal
adjustment.
There
may be no universally good or bad coping processes though some might be
better or worse than others.
Coping
choice may be less important than how well you execute that choice.
Coping
strategies may have multiple functions and their meaning and efficacy may
change according to circumstances.
Coping
is related to physical and mental health.
Coping
strategies may not directly affect physiology but indirectly affect health
related behaviour.
Coping
effectiveness depends on the individuals, their problem and with their
emotions.
Many
chronic stressors are not readily noticed, yet often require special
coping efforts.
Younger
children have fewer resources to cope than older adults do.
Coping
with traumatic events may last for a longer time than coping with everyday
problems.
Some
of the productive coping strategies are Seeking Social Support, Focus on
Solving the Problem, Physical Recreation, Seek Relaxing Diversion,
Investing in Close Friends, Seek to Belong, Work Hard and Achieve, Focus
on the Positive.
Some
of the non-productive Coping strategies are Worry, Wishful Thinking, and
Not Cope, Ignore the Problem, Tension Reduction, Keep to Self, Self-blame.
Coping
skills help us to appraise our situation more realistically, utilize
resources more effectively and thus we can get better outcome from our
coping strategies.
The
first prerequisite for conscious development of coping skills is
self-awareness, the second is motivation to change and the third
prerequisite consists of the skills necessary to achieve the desired.
Acquisition
of coping skills can be enhanced through educational or therapeutic
intervention. Teaching coping
skills to children and adolescents presents a potentially significant
method of preventing and/or modifying dysfunctional or maladaptive behaviors.
Coping
is not simply solving or managing problems, it is a means for human
development and transformation.