Do you use unhealthy Coping Mechanisms?

Do you often find yourself watching television or binge-watching shows and series while you’re under stress and are unaware as to how to deal with it? Do you also fall prey to lashing out on others or get too emotional when you’re exhausted and stressed out?

Most individuals develop behaviors that then serve as a way to cope with stress. These are called methods of coping, and they allow us to get through tough circumstances that we find ourselves in. A coping strategy means simply avoiding the problem at hand, and we all know that ignoring a problem does not make it go away. Sadly, many of those behaviors are harmful.

A coping mechanism is regarded by some people as a form of addiction. Mechanisms of coping have addictive characteristics, as the majority of behaviors. We sense a compulsion for them and sometimes find it difficult to stop them. As distractions, coping strategies are used and a crutch to rely on to avoid stress. A coping strategy, therefore, is not really a true option you make, it is an unconscious habit that can hurt your well-being.

Some mechanisms of coping are positive ones. They are beneficial, supportive, and positive, generating a favorable result. Other coping mechanisms however are negative, with dangerous, unhealthy, and destructive mechanisms that create a negative outcome.

While a positive coping mechanism is a good way to solve an issue, many individuals often prefer negative coping mechanisms. Adaptive coping mechanisms help you to respond to negative conditions and prevent over-reactions or incorrect reactions using your internal strength and experience. This is because negative coping strategies produce an immediate impact, one that decreases the stress in the short term, although they do not provide long-term solutions to problems.

You may develop anxiety disorders and become too dependent on people or objects if you respond to a stressful situation in a maladaptive way. This results in behavior patterns that are unstable. While the maladaptive coping strategy makes you feel safe and comfortable, in the short term, stopping your fear just causes more issues in the long term. For example, the more you avoid a stressful situation, the more disconnected you’ll become.

You’ve probably got your own ways to cope with difficult times. Some might be safe, like calling a mate, cooking a comforting meal, or curling up earlier than normal in bed. Maybe others aren’t as harmless. Far too often in an effort to ease the burden they experience, individuals self-medicate or turn to other risky habits. In a number of ways, they can do so.

These nine are the most prevalent and probably the worst, too:

• Avoiding the issue completely

Anxious avoidance is an increasingly common technique used to deal with circumstances that make you feel scared. Trying to stay away from something that makes you nervous or concerned makes sense on the surface. Over time, however, the fear is compounded and sustained if it is not addressed. Although avoidance brings instant relief, the best path forward, in the long run, is to learn to confront your concerns.

• Smoking

If they feel depressed, many people turn to smoke as a way of coping, as it gives a feeling of immediate relief. It also provides you with something to concentrate on and keep your hands busy. Although smoking is a means of diversion, it is a harmful one and has significant potential adverse financial and health consequences.

• Compulsively Investing

Shopping compulsively is one common way of dealing with stress. When you buy a new pair of shoes or a piece of jewelry, it can make you feel good in the short term, causing a host of problems in the long term. Some individuals start hiding their family’s purchases or taking out loans or credit cards so that when their bank account runs dry, they can keep on spending.

• Drinking Caffeine Unnecessary

Much as when you smoke, once you drink coffee, you get an instant feeling of relief. That helps to cope with stress in the short term but can cause problems over the long term. You may develop a dependency on caffeine that in turn, causes caffeine crashes and poor quality sleep.

• Away Running

It’s not that shocking that a lot of people are trying to get away from anxiety-producing conditions. Being able to avoid the immediate conditions that induce anxiety brings an instant sense of relief.

• Using too much liquor

It is incredibly normal to relieve stress based on alcohol, as drinking excessively helps you dull your emotions and feelings. However, drinking excessively has many negative health effects, and you could end up with liver damage, cancer, or other health conditions if you continue to drink excessively.

• Sleeping Excessively

When they’re going through a difficult period, some people return to their beds because sleeping is an important way to avoid worrying about a situation. Although it might appear like this is not an issue that is too destructive, to remain healthy, the human body needs outside stimulation and exercise.

• Behavior Promiscuous

Some people think that it is a way of blocking unpleasant circumstances to go out to have meaningless sex. This can be a risky activity, though, which can trigger a host of issues in your life. Because of promiscuous conduct, you can lose committed relationships and friends and could end up with sexually transmitted infections.

• Eating Disorders

Using food to forget about your issues is one very common negative coping technique. This takes the form of overeating for certain individuals, and for others, it takes the form of significantly reducing their calorie intake. An eating disorder can have significant health consequences either way and can be life-threatening.

You can help make healthier decisions by being conscious of how you usually manage stress. For example, if you typically look for a sugar snack, you could call a friend instead. Your tension can be relieved by choosing to communicate rather than absorb. Studies say that stressing social relations, without calories, can have definite health benefits!

References

What An Unhealthy Coping Mechanism Looks Like – The … (2019, July 19). Retrieved December 8, 2020, from https://themeadowglade.com/what-an-unhealthy-coping-mechanism-looks-like/

Harvard Publishing (n.d.). Watch out for unhealthy responses to stress. Retrieved December 08, 2020, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/watch-out-for-unhealthy-responses-to-stress