Holistic Therapy in Bay Area
Coping may seem like a complicated therapy technique, but what it really comes down to is building better habits.
Developing adaptive, or positive, coping strategies means learning to recognize situations that trigger our urge to engage in bad habits and making the conscious decision to choose healthier habits instead. Still, this is easier said than done!
These tips can help you replace negative coping strategies with more positive ones to develop healthier habits and improve your mental and physical health:
💙 Choose action over avoidance.
There are two primary types of coping: active and avoidant. Avoidant coping involves, well, avoiding the problem, while active coping means facing the problem head-on. When choosing coping strategies, keep in mind that it is usually better to take a problem-solving, or active, approach than an avoidant one. Avoidance may relieve our anxiety in the moment, but it does little to address the root cause of our distress and prevent it from reoccurring.
💙 Disengage from toxic positivity.
Ever been told to "just stay positive" in the face of adversity? The idea of thinking positively is well-meaning, but when thinking positively means denying our emotional reality, it becomes toxic to our well-being. Forcing yourself to think positively when you feel negative is a form of avoidance that prevents you from working through and moving on from uncomfortable emotions.
💙 Reframe unrealistic thoughts.
That being said, when trying to confront our emotions, we can easily become stuck in ruminating, or obsessing, about our problems. When facing a challenging or overwhelming emotional situation, every thought feels important and true. It's important to recognize that no matter how true our thoughts may feel, they are not facts. Not every thought is helpful for overcoming your problems. Recognizing and putting a stop to unhelpful thoughts is essential for adaptive coping.
💙 Breathe through the discomfort.
The urge to run from our problems comes from a vulnerable place inside all of us. Nobody likes dealing with life's problems, but the fact of the matter is that avoiding your discomfort keeps you stuck in the past and prevents you from moving on from negative emotions. In order to achieve happiness again, you must give yourself permission to feel your emotions and experience them exactly as they are, rather than trying to fight them.
What is your favorite coping strategy to use when you're feeling down? Let us know in the comments below!
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