Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhy We Use ThemCoping StylesTypesHow to ImproveFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Why We Use Them
Coping Styles
Types
How to Improve
Frequently Asked Questions
Coping mechanisms are strategies that help people deal with stress and uncomfortable emotions. Whether you realize it or not, you are using coping mechanisms regularly. These behaviors can help you cope with stress in a positive way or can sometimes be harmful.
This article discusses different coping styles, types of coping mechanisms, and ways to improve your coping skills.
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Why Do We Use Coping Mechanisms?
Side effects of the stress response include:
These physiological changes are helpful when you are in a dangerous situation. However, they are also meant to be temporary.
Unfortunately, your body doesn’t know the difference between actual danger and emotional stress. And chronic stress can lead to problems, such as:
Active vs. Avoidant CopingCoping mechanisms are classifiable as active or avoidant. Active coping means that you recognize the source of your stress and you are taking steps to change the situation or the way you respond to it. Avoidant coping occurs when you ignore the problem or issue that is causing you stress.
Active vs. Avoidant Coping
Coping mechanisms are classifiable as active or avoidant. Active coping means that you recognize the source of your stress and you are taking steps to change the situation or the way you respond to it. Avoidant coping occurs when you ignore the problem or issue that is causing you stress.
Two common ways that people cope with stress are problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping.
Problem-Focused Coping
Problem-focused coping aims to change or eliminate the source of your stress. This type of coping works if you have some control over the situation that is causing you stress.
Examples of problem-focused strategies for specific situations could include:
Situation: You frequently fight with your partner, which causes a stressful relationship.
Possible responses:
Situation: Your job requires you to do presentations, but public speaking causes you stress.
Situation: You are diagnosed with high blood pressure.
Emotion-Focused Coping
Unfortunately, it’s impossible to avoid stress completely, particularly in situations in which you have no control over the source of your stress. Emotion-focused coping strategies can help you change the way you respond to your stress.
Examples of emotion-focused strategies for specific situations could include:
Situation: Your partner is diagnosed with cancer, causing you fear and anxiety.
Situation: You are attending a party, but being around a group of people makes you anxious.
Coping Mechanisms vs. Defense MechanismsCoping mechanisms and defense mechanisms are terms that are sometimes used interchangeably. However, coping mechanisms can be described as skills a person uses intentionally to deal with stressful situations, while defense mechanisms are often automatic (or subconscious).
Coping Mechanisms vs. Defense Mechanisms
Coping mechanisms and defense mechanisms are terms that are sometimes used interchangeably. However, coping mechanisms can be described as skills a person uses intentionally to deal with stressful situations, while defense mechanisms are often automatic (or subconscious).
Types of Coping Mechanisms
Not all coping mechanisms are helpful. In fact, some can even be harmful. Adaptive coping mechanisms are positive coping skills, whilemaladaptivecoping mechanisms are negative coping skills.
Adaptive Coping Mechanisms
Adaptive coping mechanisms empower you to change a stressful situation or adjust your emotional response to stress.
Examples include:
Maladaptive Coping Mechanisms
Maladaptive coping mechanisms are negative ways of dealing with stress. Maladaptive coping commonly occurs in people who have experienced childhood trauma or abuse.Though these behaviors might temporarily distract you from your stress, they can eventually lead to physical and emotional harm.
What Does Projecting in Psychology Mean?
How to Improve Your Coping Skills
If you find that yourcoping skillsneed some improvement, try these tips:
Summary
Coping mechanisms are behaviors that aim to avoid stress or unpleasant emotions. These behaviors can be positive (adaptive) or negative (maladaptive). Problem-focused coping aims to eliminate or change the source of your stress, while emotion-focused coping helps you change the way you react to your stressors.
A Word From Verywell
Everyone experiences stress, but not everyone handles stress in a beneficial way. It can take time to unlearn negative coping mechanisms. At first, you’ll need to be intentional about incorporating positive coping strategies into your daily life. With time, these responses will become more automatic.
Unhealthy coping mechanisms often distract a person from their stress. These behaviors can cause physical and emotional harm. Examples include substance abuse, self-harm, anger outbursts, and isolation.
Eating can be a coping mechanism, particularly if a person is eating to avoid feeling sad or stressed. Consuming sugar releases chemicals in your brain called neurotransmitters that make you feel good. This has an immediate but temporary effect on your mood.
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Harvard Health Publishing.Understanding the stress response.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Coping with stress.Psychology Today.Avoidance coping.Crowe BM, Van Puymbroeck M.Enhancing problem- and emotion-focused coping in menopausal women through yoga.Int J Yoga Therap. 2019;29(1):57-64. doi:10.17761/2019-00020Caga J, Zoing MC, Foxe D, et al.Problem-focused coping underlying lower caregiver burden in ALS-FTD: implications for caregiver intervention.Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener. 2021;22(5-6):434-441. doi:10.1080/21678421.2020.1867180Boersma K, Södermark M, Hesser H, Flink IK, Gerdle B, Linton SJ.Efficacy of a transdiagnostic emotion-focused exposure treatment for chronic pain patients with comorbid anxiety and depression: a randomized controlled trial.Pain. 2019;160(8):1708-1718. doi:10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001575Psychology Today.Defense mechanisms.Wadsworth ME.Development of maladaptive coping: a functional adaptation to chronic, uncontrollable stress.Child Dev Perspect. 2015;9(2):96-100. doi:10.1111%2Fcdep.12112
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Harvard Health Publishing.Understanding the stress response.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Coping with stress.Psychology Today.Avoidance coping.Crowe BM, Van Puymbroeck M.Enhancing problem- and emotion-focused coping in menopausal women through yoga.Int J Yoga Therap. 2019;29(1):57-64. doi:10.17761/2019-00020Caga J, Zoing MC, Foxe D, et al.Problem-focused coping underlying lower caregiver burden in ALS-FTD: implications for caregiver intervention.Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener. 2021;22(5-6):434-441. doi:10.1080/21678421.2020.1867180Boersma K, Södermark M, Hesser H, Flink IK, Gerdle B, Linton SJ.Efficacy of a transdiagnostic emotion-focused exposure treatment for chronic pain patients with comorbid anxiety and depression: a randomized controlled trial.Pain. 2019;160(8):1708-1718. doi:10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001575Psychology Today.Defense mechanisms.Wadsworth ME.Development of maladaptive coping: a functional adaptation to chronic, uncontrollable stress.Child Dev Perspect. 2015;9(2):96-100. doi:10.1111%2Fcdep.12112
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Harvard Health Publishing.Understanding the stress response.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Coping with stress.Psychology Today.Avoidance coping.Crowe BM, Van Puymbroeck M.Enhancing problem- and emotion-focused coping in menopausal women through yoga.Int J Yoga Therap. 2019;29(1):57-64. doi:10.17761/2019-00020Caga J, Zoing MC, Foxe D, et al.Problem-focused coping underlying lower caregiver burden in ALS-FTD: implications for caregiver intervention.Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener. 2021;22(5-6):434-441. doi:10.1080/21678421.2020.1867180Boersma K, Södermark M, Hesser H, Flink IK, Gerdle B, Linton SJ.Efficacy of a transdiagnostic emotion-focused exposure treatment for chronic pain patients with comorbid anxiety and depression: a randomized controlled trial.Pain. 2019;160(8):1708-1718. doi:10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001575Psychology Today.Defense mechanisms.Wadsworth ME.Development of maladaptive coping: a functional adaptation to chronic, uncontrollable stress.Child Dev Perspect. 2015;9(2):96-100. doi:10.1111%2Fcdep.12112
Harvard Health Publishing.Understanding the stress response.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Coping with stress.
Psychology Today.Avoidance coping.
Crowe BM, Van Puymbroeck M.Enhancing problem- and emotion-focused coping in menopausal women through yoga.Int J Yoga Therap. 2019;29(1):57-64. doi:10.17761/2019-00020
Caga J, Zoing MC, Foxe D, et al.Problem-focused coping underlying lower caregiver burden in ALS-FTD: implications for caregiver intervention.Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener. 2021;22(5-6):434-441. doi:10.1080/21678421.2020.1867180
Boersma K, Södermark M, Hesser H, Flink IK, Gerdle B, Linton SJ.Efficacy of a transdiagnostic emotion-focused exposure treatment for chronic pain patients with comorbid anxiety and depression: a randomized controlled trial.Pain. 2019;160(8):1708-1718. doi:10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001575
Psychology Today.Defense mechanisms.
Wadsworth ME.Development of maladaptive coping: a functional adaptation to chronic, uncontrollable stress.Child Dev Perspect. 2015;9(2):96-100. doi:10.1111%2Fcdep.12112
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