Coping Strategies

Introduction to coping strategies

It seems important to say straight away that coping strategies do not resolve the causes of our distress. Instead, they exist to reduce our levels of stress so that we can continue to function.

For some people this will be fine, since coping is the very best they can hope for. (For some people coping could be seen as an Olympic gold medal – an impressive feat of courage and endurance.)

For others, coping only makes matters worse, and what they actually need is time in recovery – away from their day-to-day life. This can be a hard thing to admit, especially if they have high expectations of themselves.

There are also people who use coping strategies as a springboard to wellness, to get themselves into a routine where they then feel able to move forward and improve the quality of their lives.

Finally, there are those who have had a temporary dip in their fortunes and may only need to cope for a short amount of time – to avoid things escalating and becoming worse.

Whichever stage you may be in your life, we hope that this section gives you some insights into the wider world of coping. Part of looking at coping strategies is being realistic. Where you live, who you are with, how much money you have, etc., will all have an impact on your choices.

Clearly there will be some methods of coping that work better than others, while others may be considered to be ‘healthy’ or ‘unhealthy’. Who is to truly know what someone else needs just in order to get them through the day?

What we will say, though, is that if your coping strategies harm anyone else in any capacity, then we would strongly urge you to reflect on what you are doing and find a way to cope that doesn’t negatively impact anyone else’s life.