Coping Strategies
Part 4 - Reframing

We all have choices as to whether we see things in a positive, neutral or negative light. Even when a mistake is made, there is always the option of learning from it, in which case the mistake could be seen as a useful gift.

If you wish to change and re-frame your perceptions in order to view something in a different way, you would first need to catch yourself in the act.

All of us have thoughts that come automatically into our heads, just as we often have set ways of doing things (or not doing things) without noticing. Yet if we grab hold of these automatics we can challenge them and change them.

Can you name 6 things/thoughts that are automatic to you that would be useful to change or challenge?

We invite you now to have a look at some examples of possible reframing and see if you can add some of your own ideas.

If there can be some kind of conclusion to draw from this section, it may be that:

The people with the greater range of coping strategies are more likely to be able to prevent the harmful effects of stressors than those who are reliant on a few.

The type of coping strategies you draw on in times of need will depend on what’s available to you, but also on what type of person you are and what type of relationship you have with yourself.

If you like yourself and are nice to yourself you may find it easier coming up with useful and non-judgemental strategies.
Whereas, if you are hard on yourself you may have the following types of automatic (and unhelpful) thoughts:

The more we understand about ourselves the better equipped we will be for life events that are distressing and stressful.

The definition of oscillate is to swing back and forth, like a pendulum. As human beings – providing we don’t restrict ourselves – we have the ability to oscillate from one state to another as a means of helping us to cope in different situations.

We are nice to our neighbour one minute and then horrible to the postman the next.

We weigh up arguments from different perspectives.

Sometimes we talk to ourselves, sometimes we do not

We can act so childishly, yet at other times be perfectly sensible.

We drink alcohol or take drugs, and another side of us comes out to play.

We sometimes save our tears for when we are alone and safe.

We find random opportunities to dump our frustrations on other people.

Maybe we are far more resourceful than we think we are?