Coping Skills and Managing Life on Life’s Terms
At times, life can seem to present us with endless challenges. At work, at home, our physical health, our mental health, all can challenge our ability to manage life on a day to day basis. Let’s face it, life is hard and it can be difficult to cope with all of the things thrown our way.
In the mental health field, we often talk about coping skills. Do you have anger problems? Use some coping skills. Stress getting at you? Learn coping skills. Anxiety controlling your life? How about use some coping skills. I’m guessing if dealing with life’s challenges were this easy, a lot less people would be seeking help for them.
In making light of the issue, I want to emphasize the point that coping with life is more complicated than simply using a new skill on demand to manage life’s challenges. We need to practice these skills and practice a lot. We need to practice when things are going well so that we can utilize coping skills when life throws us a curve ball. We can also practice self-compassion and forgiveness as well as rededicate ourselves when we come up short. Many of us were not taught these things about coping skills as we grew up.
During our early years, our parents, teachers, and role models present us with teaching moments on how to handle stress, difficult relationships, challenging emotions, etc. Often, these lessons become the foundation for how we deal with life’s ups and downs even through to adulthood.
Some of these coping skills were adaptive (they help us manage effectively and leave us better off than before). Yet others are maladaptive (they might alleviate issues in the short term but have negative consequences over time).
Successfully and adaptively coping with life’s challenges is extremely important in being healthy both mentally and physically. The good news is that even if we were taught many maladaptive coping strategies growing up, we can still improve the way we cope with life and lead happier and healthier lives. It just takes a bit of hard work to get there.
In what ways do you cope with life? In what ways are those coping skills adaptive or maladaptive?
Take a look at our new infographic on coping with life below for some new ideas. As always, a link to a free download of the PDF is available as well.
Are you, a friend, or a family member struggling with mental health and/or substance use issues? If so, please call our licensed mental health and addiction counselors at (952) 926-2526. Help is here, all you need to do is contact us at Club Recovery, LLC.
Disclaimer: All content on this website is for informational purposes only. It does not substitute for clinical treatment or advice. If you, a friend, or a family member is struggling with mental health and/or addiction issues please call our main office at 952-926-2526. For emergencies, go to your nearest emergency room and/or dial 911.