What Are Coping Mechanisms?

A short, informational guide on developing resilience in the face of mental health adversities:

 

Psych2Go. “5 Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms You Shouldn’t Ignore.” YouTube, YouTube, 23 Feb. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyIyxeMXKeg.

How are Coping Mechanisms Defined?

While coping skills can take many different forms or fashions, it is thought to be defined as "thoughts and behaviors mobilized to manage internal and external stressful situations."

Coping mechanisms are distinctive, meaning that these protective behaviors, thoughts, and actions are the "conscious and voluntary mobilization of acts." These acts differ from 'defense mechanisms,' which are thought to be subconscious or unconscious adaptive responses. Still, recognizing that both aim to reduce or tolerate one's stress in response to an environmental trigger is important to know.

(Algorani & Gupta, 2023).

Utilizing this framework, coping can more specifically be broken down into four different approaches or categories:

01.

Problem-focused

Addresses the root issue or problem causing one distress.

Examples of this style include:

  1. Active coping

  2. Planning ahead

  3. Restraint coping

  4. Suppression of competing goals or activities

02.

Emotion-focused

Reduces emotionality produced in response to a distressing situation, typically associated with negative emotions

Examples of this style include:

  1. Positive reframing of situation

  2. Radical acceptance

  3. Faith-based outlet or spirituality

  4. Humor

03.

Meaning-focused

Helps an individual curate cognitive or thought-based strategies to reframe the meaning and understanding of a stressful situation

Examples of this style include:

  1. Self-reflection or introspection

  2. Gratuity-based mindset 

04.

Social coping or Support Seeking

Individual attempts to reduce stressful trigger by seeking emotional support from community or peer-based support system

Examples of this style include:

  1. Finding trusted peers or friends

  2. Seeking support from family or trusted adults

  3. Developing deeper, less surface-level relationships 

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