Welcome, Posters & Responders. I’m glad to have you on board the blog.
Welcome to your senior year. I can’t believe it, as I’m sure your parents can’t either… because it seems like just yesterday you were cute, little freshmen scampering about. Goodness. As Dr. Seuss said, “How did it get so late so soon?”
We already talked about the ‘hows’ and ‘whats’ of the blog, and this is where you will post or respond for the first week of the 1st grading period.
Remember: the topic for the 1st six weeks is coping. I hope you enjoy it, at lest somewhat. Hint: Don’t let it get repetitive. There are so many ways this topic could go – explore it!
As a teacher, I never ever feel like I do enough, teach enough, think enough, make you guys learn enough, read enough, or write enough. So this blog has always helped me assuage my guilt, just a tad. Plus, I always love the smart things my students write on the blogs. Plus (plus), I can guarantee you 1000%, at some point in college, you will have to do an online discussion board of some sort.
So…. Have fun! I’m looking forward to this journey.
I hope you have a great senior year! Sct
In the past few years Americans have been through a global pandemic, a frozen Texas, and a wildfire begun by a gender reveal gone wrong. There have been many other stressful events, most recently the invasion of Afghanistan by the Taliban. Studies show that people are on average, experiencing more stress than before.
The American Psychological Association did a study in 2010 and 44% of people reported that they were experiencing more stress than in the past few years. Imagine how much our stress has increased by now! The study also showed that “[a]lmost a third of children reported that in the last month they had experienced a physical health symptom often associated with stress…” (Clay, 1). Children are often affected by the stress levels of their parents, so the rising stress levels of adults could exacerbate the stress of the youth.
Stress is also causing poor health. The report shows that adults have admitted to skipping meals or being unhappy with their levels of exercise. While people know that their behaviors are unhealthy, they are reluctant to change them. The study reveals “[a]mericans cite lack of willpower as the biggest barrier to adopting healthier behavior” (Clay, 1). With the rising levels of stress in our nation, it comes as no surprise that positive coping skills are more necessary than ever.
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2011/01/stressed-america#:~:text=Key%20findings%20include%3A,frequently%20cited%20sources%20of%20stress.
I think it is interesting how children can pick up on their parents emotions and also feel what they are feeling. Not only has the pandemic caused stress for adults, but for kids too! Experiencing physical symptoms of stress is also interesting. Having too much “bad” stress and anxiety can definitely effect not only your mental and emotional health, but also your physical. Many people have experienced those physical symptoms in the last two years due to so many life changing events taking place.
This is really interesting how compared to past Americans, current citizens are facing the most stress, its understandable, we have been through a lot.
This comment is about Courtney E. Ackerman’s article, “Coping Mechanisms: Dealing with Life’s Disappointments in a Healthy Way.”
Many studies have confirmed coping is one of the most commonly used ways to deal with situations that are stressful. Coping can also be very diverse and depending on who a person asks they could get a different response each time. According to Courtney E. Ackerman’s article, Coping mechanisms: Dealing with life’s disappointments in a healthy way, Carver (2013) states, “Coping is efforts to prevent or diminish threat, harm, and loss, or to reduce the distress that is often associated with those experiences.” Which is an excellent way of explaining but more generally coping is a way of dealing with everyday stress or stress that can arise from traumatic situations.
The definitions from here can become even more specific to the person. Such as a person losing a job, this would be considered an external stressor. While a person who struggles with mental health would be considered an internal stressor. Coping with these would need to take different paths. While a person with external stress may cope with going to a social event or relaxing. A person with an internal stressor might use a doctor’s prescription to treat specific parts of the brain.
Going of what was said in your post i feel like maybe you could help list a few of the giving coping mechanisms and what might work for certain people like people who like to cry love to cope with music stuff like that. But other than that you seemed to know what you were talking about and explained yourself in a detailed way.
Coping is a very important aspect of life that needs to be focused on. Coping is a mechanism that is so individualized that coping methods cannot all be put on a list, but it is very important to cope to live a better life.
This comment is about Logic’s song 1-800-273-8255
Logic created his new song 1-800-273-8255, or more commonly known as 1-800, and released in 2018 and became one of the most widely known songs in the world. In an interview with Genius Logic stated that, “So the first hook and verse is from the perspective of someone who is calling the hotline and they want to commit suicide. They want to kill themselves. They want to end their life. When I jumped on a tour bus that started in Los Angeles, California and I ended in New York City and did a fan tour where I went to fans’ houses and shared meals with them, hung out with them, played them my album before it came out. Them along with other people on tour, just fans that I met randomly, they’ve said things like, “Your music has saved my life. You’ve saved my life.”…I was like, “Man I wasn’t even trying to save nobody’s life.” And then it hit me, the power that I have as an artist with a voice. I wasn’t even trying to save your life. Now what can happen if I actually did?”
It was soon after that Logic realized that it wasn’t just a song to these fans it was a way to cope with their lives. Each lyric meant more to them than the next. Logic inspired these people to live fulfilling lives with just one song. Logic continued to create more songs with the same amount of thought and emotion as 1-800. The impact that Logic made with 1-800 and with his other music also inspired many other artists to be more forward with their voices.
I think you make an interesting point. Artists like Logic, and celebrities in general, have the capacity to reach a vast number of people. When major public figures use their platforms for a good cause, like promoting mental wellness, they can really make a difference. Logic’s song shows people that mental health is important, not something that should be brushed under the rug. In addition, I think talking about mental health in a song is a creative way to package the topic and more effective than just giving a speech. Music brings out emotion, and that can help the message really stick with the listener.
Comment 3: https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-health-benefits-of-video-games
Coping can come in many different ways one of them could even be video games. According to WebMd video games can help with mental health recovery, “Regardless of the type, playing games can help with trauma recovery. Video games can act as distractions from pain and psychological trauma. Video games can also help people who are dealing with mental disorders like anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).” On the other hand, distracting yourself from the pain of life could cause more problems than solve them. By distracting yourself it could cause repression of emotions and numbness from repetitive movements. Using Video games to cope could also bring light to a person’s life giving them the ability to talk to one another. WebMd states that, “Multiplayer and online games are good for virtual social interaction. In fast-paced game settings, you’ll need to learn who to trust and who to leave behind within the game. Multiplayer games encourage cooperation. It’s also a low-stakes environment for you to test out talking to and fostering relationships with new people.”
I agree that playing video games can act as a coping mechanism and can help mental health overall. Most people see video games as anti-social activities while neglecting the multiplayer and social aspects of different games. Video games are also helpful with problem solving, which can help people deal with stress. When someone is going through a stressful time, they can play video games to take a break from their mental stressors and feel like they are in control of something while playing the game. Playing video games can also connect people who have similar interests, allowing for new friendships to be made. Those new friendships can create a group of friends who help each other cope with other stressors in life.
As college admissions become more competitive and the pressure to achieve increases, many students’ high school experiences are fraught with worry. I wondered how high schoolers dealt with the mental strain placed upon them; to that end, I read an interesting article about how students at selective private schools experience and cope with stress. The article was based on a study from New York University’s College of Nursing that examined high school juniors from two elite private schools in the Northeast.
The study’s leader explained that she chose to focus on private schools because of their high cost. In order for private school to be a worthy investment, parents often expect their children to get into a top-tier university. Getting into one of these schools requires that students balance a demanding schedule of advanced classes and extracurricular activities, leaving little time for relaxation. The students in the study felt that the expectations they faced were unreasonable and harmful to their mental health; 49 percent said they felt high levels of stress on a daily basis. Alarmingly, 26 percent reported feeling symptoms consistent with depression.
To manage their stress, the students used a variety of coping methods. Some common ones were exercising, meditating, and listening to music. However, some students turned to unhealthy coping behaviors such as drinking and doing drugs, while others reported suffering from “emotional exhaustion,” a condition characterized by extreme lethargy and lack of motivation.
I thought the study’s findings were concerning. It’s a shame that stress has become so prevalent in academic institutions, putting many students at risk of developing lasting mental health problems. Schools should take measures to address this issue, including educating students about healthy coping mechanisms and incorporating stress-relieving activities such as yoga. I know our school has Life Skills, which briefly touched on stress management, but I think we can do even more. Perhaps we could have periodic mental health check-ins, where students evaluate their mental health on a form and ask for help if they need it. In addition, many colleges bring in puppies during finals week, which I recognize may not be feasible but would definitely give students an emotional boost. As mental health awareness continues to grow, hopefully schools can be part of the solution rather than the problem.
Link: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/08/150811103736.htm#:~:text=High%2Dperforming%20schools%20mindful%20of,such%20as%20yoga%20and%20meditation.
I think it is alarming and unacceptable that nearly half of the students felt high levels of stress daily and about a quarter felt depression symptoms. I don’t think parents realize all the damage they’re doing by putting so much pressure on their kids to get into elite colleges since mental health was largely stigmatized and didn’t gain much widespread awareness until recently. I agree that education and mental health check-ins would help students manage stress, but I also think that parents should be educated about the importance of mental health to overall health and performance in their children. This can help them help their children cope with stress and cause them to stop doing things to adversely affect their children’s mental health, such as putting an unhealthy amount of pressure on them. Schools can help with this effort, doing things like sending home informational packets to raise awareness for students’ mental health. Kids can also take charge of their situations by telling their parents how they feel so they can understand and do what is best for their children.
I totally agree, if you hold your kid to very high expectations they can become burnt out on that aspect and no longer care about success because of how much stress they are under. They could also end up wealthy but since they were pushed to get a good job, it is not what they are passionate about and will not like their job and be stuck in a life they are not happy in.
I agree! It is shocking that schools allow this to happen to their students. I wanted to mention that I think this ties into the Atlantic article about Simone Biles. The article mentions how past generations have influenced the expectations that young people face today. I find it comforting that trailblazers such as Biles are changing the way our system works. Prioritizing mental health is becoming more and more common place.
I found an article on verywellmind.com that talks about different types of coping skills and gives examples of healthy and unhealthy coping skills. The article states that problem-based coping and emotion-based coping are the two main categories of coping skills that help people deal with, tolerate, and minimize situations that cause them stress so they can improve their physical and mental health. Problem-based coping skills face problems head-on to eliminate the stressor and are better to use when one’s situation needs to be changed, like when one is in an unhealthy relationship where negative feelings would best be resolved by getting out of the relationship. Some examples of healthy problem-based coping skills are establishing healthy boundaries with people, managing time better, and walking away from a stressful situation. Emotion-based coping skills help deal with emotions in healthy ways and help one feel better and are better used when one does not want to change the situation or when the situation is out of one’s control, like when a loved one dies. Examples of healthy emotion-based coping skills include writing in a journal, going for a walk, listening to music, coloring, and meditating. It should be noted that since everyone and every issue and emotion is different, certain coping skills that work for certain people or situations may not work for others.
Although there is a plethora of healthy coping skills to choose from, many people end up harming rather than helping themselves by indulging in unhealthy coping skills such as overspending, venting to others, doing drugs and alcohol, and overeating. People are tempted to engage in these activities because they want a quick fix to their negative feelings and are unaware or ignorant of these activities causing more serious problems in the long term. I think there should be more education about healthy coping skills starting earlier in school to make people better retain the information and save them from easily falling into the trap of using unhealthy coping strategies. The article mentions proactive coping as a healthy strategy to deal with this problem. Proactive coping allows one to plan ahead for a potentially stressful situation that may cause one to indulge in unhealthy coping skills.
I found this article to be very insightful and applicable to my own life. For example, I find that healthy coping skills like playing and listening to music and walking calms me down and puts me in a better mood. The article made me realize that I tend to use emotion-based coping skills even when it is better to eliminate the problem because I often find it easier to avoid the problem altogether. I also did not realize that venting to others is an unhealthy coping skill since venting to my sister is my favorite way of blowing off steam. I now realize that I will feel better by using problem-based and emotion-based coping skills when appropriate and avoiding unhealthy skills to achieve maximum results for my physical and mental health.
https://www.verywellmind.com/forty-healthy-coping-skills-4586742
I think we could all learn a lot about positive coping skills! I enjoy doing yoga or going for a run. I also love to pet my dogs. In terms of venting, I don’t think Snowball and Duchess mind because they don’t understand a word I say. They just look at me like ‘we don’t know what’s going on but we agree so can we please have treats now?’. I can admit that I could stand to learn to be more proactive about my coping strategies. The different coping strategies that have been mentioned are very interesting, and it might be time for me to broaden my horizons.
When looking at the topic of coping, I decided to look at how stress could cause someone to need to develop coping skills and how the coping skills can affect a person’s physical and mental health. One of the things that can cause someone stress is a sudden change in their life. Change can come at any time and can affect someone’s mental health for the worse if it is negative. Having good coping skills is important because without them it could cause someone to turn to unhealthy ways to deal with stress, such as drugs and alcohol. With healthy coping skills, it takes away some of the power of the stress and can help someone adapt to change whatever it may be.
I noticed that there was a variety of different coping skills that can help deal with stress. One skill that I found interesting was that physical activity can help reduce stress and can be a useful coping skill. This shows the connection between physical and mental health which I don’t think is mentioned enough. Another coping skill that I found interesting was that just talking about issues can reduce stress. It shows that even taking simple measures to improve your mental health can help.
Source:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/6392-stress-coping-with-lifes-stressors
Exercise and mental health definitely go hand in hand with each other. During periods where I am in a sports season, my mental health is noticeably better. Exercise, especially running, is a great outlet for my stress and almost always makes my problems seem a little bit smaller. Without daily exercise, my days can slip by quickly with seemingly little meaning. Getting exercise gives me a sense of accomplishment and feeling of validity. Exercise can also be a great social aspect of your life which can also greatly improve your mental health.
Coping is something we all need in life. For me personally, I cope by weightlifting. I almost see weightlifting as something to look forward to, like a reward for being productive throughout the day. While lifting, I am able to get out my stress and frustrations while also becoming a stronger version of myself. Weightlifting also helps me develop more confidence, a low self-esteem is one difficult battle in my life. I am a person who gets frustrated easily, so being able to take that emotion out in a safe and beneficial way is a win-win.
I follow many people on social media who share the same need for physical fitness. This makes it easy for me to relate to them. I enjoy looking at fitness content, weither it is someone’s personal fitness journey, or someone giving work out advise. I chose to look at Tik toks that were tagged with fitness and mental health as a source for this post. I used them because it shows so many different people but how they all use the gym to aid with their quality of life.
Most people will experience a period of stress at some point in their lives. For this reason, it is important to develop positive coping skills. The Cleveland Clinic has produced an article with suggestions about coping strategies you may want to try.
While most people attribute their stress to a single event, scientists believe that stress is more long term. By developing and maintaining coping strategies, people are more able to handle their stress. The Clinic says “[e]xperts agree that coping is a process rather than an event” (Cleveland Clinic). The article also offers examples of positive coping strategies such as maintaining an emotionally supportive relationship or focusing on problem solving.
Coping strategies may vary from person to person. The Clinic explains “…differences in coping styles usually reflect differences in personality” (Cleveland Clinic). This makes it even more important that you find strategies that work for you. A generalized coping strategy may not be effective for everyone.
There are steps you can take to limit the stress you experience generally. The Clinic recommends that you practice good sleep hygiene and get enough exercise. A healthy diet can also help you avoid stress.
Link: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/6392-stress-coping-with-lifes-stressors
I agree that coping is something that everyone needs in life and that there are many good ways to cope with different stressors in life. I think that it is interesting to think of coping as a process rather than just a single moment that will bring everything back to normal. I think that some people neglect the idea that, to get the benefits of coping, you also must put effort into the techniques and believe that they can help you. I also agree that physical health is directly tied to mental health. If your physical health improves, you will end up feeling better about yourself and your mental health will improve as a result.
Over the pandemic, I know a lot of people, including myself, fell into the deepest mental pit that many of us have experienced. Throughout this time, I turned to music to cope. I started listening to the music that 12 year old Emma enjoyed listening to, and I tried finding new music that would essentially calm my soul. One song that really got me through that time was ”Life Goes On” by Bryce Vine.
“Life Goes On” is about how even though times get hard and it feels like there may be no light, life goes on. Sometimes there is nothing you can do but live, even when it is hard. The song came out in 2020, and Vine said he started writing it right after Kobe Bryant died. During this time, covid was just starting to take hold, and people started protesting for the Black Lives Matter cause soon after. In the chorus, Vine talks about how you need choice to have an opinion and free will, you can not ask for help if you do not have a voice, and how overwhelming everything can be sometimes. In the bridge, he talks about the fact that although dreams can be nice, you need more than them to live. You need to have a plan and face your problems, rather than avoiding them or replacing them with tattoos or tears.
This song, although confrontational and sad, put a lot of things into perspective for me. I realized that it was okay to feel down during such a hard time, I just had to accept it. I do not need to be 100% happy 100% of the time. Personally, this was really hard for me to come to terms with. I think of myself as a very happy and bright person, so the feeling of being down more than usual was extremely odd for me and I did not know how to deal with it. After hearing this song and listening to it on repeat though, I found solace in the words and message portrayed.
Link to the music video: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwin4ciPvNbyAhValmoFHc6ACUkQwqsBegQIEhAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DeL5v_cz9sD8&usg=AOvVaw1WTjbgspGskkRJ09Xs3Wsy
I glad that you found found peace in music. I feel like most people listen to music and its what helps them with their things they are going through in their life. However i was confused by one bit i just feel like people don’t cry or get tattoos to hide the pain they have gone through often times they represent that pain they went through or its a way for them to get it all out.
It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected mental health. People have struggled to cope with the challenges brought on by the virus, including social isolation, economic hardship, and overall disruption of routines. According to a WebMD article, the number of Americans reporting symptoms of anxiety ebbed and flowed with the pandemic, peaking at 38% during the winter surge and dropping to 25% in late June, when cases were low. With the advent of the delta variant, anxiety is once again on the rise.
The article provides several ways to relieve the stress caused by these uncertain times. For one, taking care of your physical health—exercising, eating a healthy diet, and getting enough sleep—can improve your mental health. Activities such as deep breathing and positive self-talk help ease anxiety, and getting involved in the community can make you feel happier. Also, it’s important to stay connected with others. Talking to other people fosters a sense of togetherness, helping you feel more secure. Finally, you should try to stay in the present, especially since the future is so up in the air. Taking things one day at a time can make life feel much less overwhelming.
It’s easy to feel despair right now, but we need to keep in mind that the pandemic won’t last forever. We should take responsibility for our mental health in order to help us get through this tough period.
Link:
https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20210819/delta-whiplash-how-new-surge-affecting-mental-health
I agree that staying in the present and positive self-talk are helpful coping skills during the pandemic, as I have successfully used them myself. It was really hard for me doing online school all last year and not being able to socialize much, but I found that taking life one day at a time and reminding myself that the pandemic will eventually end gave me a more positive outlook and helped me get through that tough time.
Covid-19 definitely spun my world around and created many new stressors in my life in the past year and a half. For me, it was less of the actual virus going around that caused me stress, but more the abrupt change in my life. I was accustomed to being at school everyday, and socializing with people, and having a routine. I had hardly even heard of the virus before schools shut down which made it even more abrupt. The drastic change to being home all spring, having no routine, and doing unorganized online schooling and having sports shutdown affected my mental health greatly. The lack of routine caused me the greatest amount of upset because it made it so difficult to accomplish anything. Although it was difficult, I had to find ways to cope with this in the best way that I could. Music helped me immensely, by finding new artists to listen to and enjoy. Listening to music made me much more willing to accomplish things. Although it was hard to keep my motivation, I tried to continue getting exercise by running at home in place of my track season. Running and being outside allowed me to find pleasure in the small things that were mostly overlooked in my quarantine day-to-day. Another coping mechanism that really pulled me through was to watch movies with my family in the evenings. It gave me something to look forward to after doing school work and helped me with routine.
A very timely situation for the topic of coping is the effects of Covid-19 on people all over the world, and I am focusing on the perspectives of older adults. In the article that I am referencing, Coping of Older Adults in Times of COVID-19: Considerations of Temporality Among Dutch Older Adults, a study is done to find isight on how Covid-19 affects the older generation. 59 adults aged 54-95 were interviewed. The recurring theme from the interviews was that older people had lost the feeling of purpose in their lives. In the Netherlands, where the study took place, 97.1% of the Covid-19 deaths were over the age of 60 (par. 5). Older people are so high-risk, and for many, it is vital for them to social distance. This has affected their personal lives as well as their social lives greatly. Lockdown caused severe loneliness for these people, especially those who live alone, which was over 90% of those in this study.
These people suffering from the effects of this pandemic are desperate for coping strategies. They have increased anxiety and depression levels. The article reads, “…some scholars argue that older adults are less able to cope with sudden crises because they are less open to change, new events, and uncertainty” (par. 7). The results from the study show that these adults are questioning the meaning in their lives and feeling completely out of control. Simple activities like shopping, getting groceries, and doing physical activities became increasingly meaningful, and allowed them to cope with their current state. These activities gave them “structure, a sense of self-determination, and freedom” (par. 19). Simple coping tasks become much more meaningful and give them a new sense of hope.
Coping strategies are grouped into 3 main categories being problem, meaning, and emotional focused coping. In this study, problem-focused coping was not resorted to, because the problem was not controllable-it was a global pandemic. As a part of the emotional-focused coping, older people struggling from the effects of Covid-19 put their struggles in perspective with others who were in worse situations than they were. Distractions were also a coping mechanism that was emotional focused. Acceptance of the change was a huge meaning-based coping strategy.
I thought this was a really intersting look at how the pandemic affected different people. I think a lot of people focused on what they personally lost, along with the younger generations; not so much the older ones. I find it really interesting how the younger generations, although we did struggle, we kind of knew different way of coping. the older generations, based off what you said, didnt though. I think that is really… weird… seeing as how, most of the time, it feels like we turn to the older generations for guidance. it seemed as though they turned to us in that situation. I also love the explination of the coping strategies. I have never looked at or realized that there are three different types, but thinking about it now, it makes sense. I thought that was a very good addition to your comment :).
We have been going through a pandemic for over a year now, which has caused a lot of stress and problems to the world. Being isolated from friends and family, worrying about loved ones getting sick, and having to suffer the consequences of people not taking a pandemic seriously has affects on our mental health. If someone in your family is a first responder, not being able to see them because they are so busy at work dealing with covid patients or being at a risk of spreading covid is hard on everyone involved. If you know someone that is immune-compromised, worrying about them getting sick causes anxiety. Everyone in America right now is struggling with the pandemic since it affects everyday life. Half of us are carrying the responsibility of keeping everyone safe by wearing masks and getting vaccinated while the other half keeps us at a standstill. How do we deal with the anxiety of it all?
In an article by USCF, it is recommended to make a list of things we can and cannot control. We cannot control those who choose to be irresponsible or how long the pandemic will continue, but we can control our attitude about it and our responsibility regarding the pandemic. Other things you can do to cope with or minimize your anxiety about the pandemic is limiting your use of social media mostly pertaining to news. It gets overwhelming seeing a new update about covid every day and seeing how many people are losing their lives to it. Keep in contact with family and friends during this time and check in with each other to see how everyone is doing. To maintain a good mood and healthy mindset during these times, keep a routine with a healthy sleeping schedule and physical activity.
The article mentions how some stress is good for us, so how do we balance a good amount of stress? Approach the stress with a positive view and the thought that we can cope well with it. Instead of only imagining the worst possible scenarios about the pandemic, follow it up with the best case scenario. A scenario that falls somewhere in the middle is the most likely outcome and there will not be as much stress imagining this rather than the worst scenario. Overall, we are all experiencing stress and anxiety from this pandemic and it’s important to find ways to cope with it.
I like what this article has to say. I think a lot of people think of journaling as a weird coping mechanism, but in reality, it can be one of the most helpful things. for some people, it doesn’t work out, but I know that for a lot of people it can be extremely helpful. it is a great way to get your thoughts out to the world, even if no one but you reads them. I think starting with what the article describes is a great bridge to reach the point of every day journaling. this can also be a good stress reliever because, at least for myself, when a lot of things happen at once, it can feel extremely overwhelming. once I list everything I need to do though, it can become less stressful because I either realize how little I have to do, or I figure out an easy way to go about doing everything that I need to do.
Their are plenty of good coping methods but their are also some that are not so positive but we simply cannot ignore. This is what i learned when i watched a Psych2go youtube video about “5 Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms You Shouldn’t Ignore.” The coping methods listed in the video are.
1.Forced Positivity
2.Isolating yourself
3.Fatalism
4.Repressing your feelings
5.Romanticizing the past
The video enlightens you on how these can seem like they are helping but will only hurt you in the long run. Forced positivity can cause people to lose contact with what they really feel because they can start to tell themselves and feel like anything other than being happy is wrong. Isolating yourself can seem like people are just trying to take a breather but often times people can build walls that makes connection with other difficult and tearing down emotional walls is easier than building them. Fatalism is when people can have a minor bad thing happen to them but from every point forward they are scared because they feel it might have the same result as that moment. Repressing your feelings is very damaging to a person similar to forced happiness people often feel that happiness is the only option and that people will judge them for having feelings other than happiness. Romanticizing the past is when people can get so wrapped up in an event or events and wishing it had gone a certain way but this often leads people to live in the past in miss out on new memories to be make with new people.
I like how you focused on psychological coping methods, as they are often overshadowed by behavioral coping methods such as substance abuse. Psychological coping methods are really insidious, which is what makes them so dangerous. You usually can’t tell what a person is thinking unless they verbalize it, and if you don’t realize someone has a problem, you can’t help them. All five coping mechanisms you listed, and especially the first four, are likely to lead to depression and suicidal thoughts. I think there needs to be more education on these harmful ways of thinking.
Your post gave me some really good insight on negative coping skills, even some that I do. Especially during COVID I feel like people isolating themselves has been a very large issue. People have been socially distancing themselves and canceled family events, but that also led to people falling into a depression. When we isolate ourselves from others there is no one to help us through our issues. Also, when we isolate ourselves, we either repress our emotions, or we find unhealthy ways to release those feelings. Forced positivity is also harmful because if we do not let ourselves process our negative emotions, they just build up and eventually all come out at once.
The subject of coping is usually discussed in the context of anxiety, depression, and traumatic events. However, I think another problem belongs on that list: loneliness. Although it doesn’t have the publicity of the previously mentioned topics, loneliness affects many people and can dramatically lower quality of life. Learning how to cope with loneliness is essential to maintain good mental health.
Before talking about coping methods for loneliness, it is important to understand what loneliness is. According to the article I read, loneliness occurs when a person’s need for social interaction is unmet. Different people experience loneliness in different ways: someone who is used to spending time with friends will feel lonely without frequent socializing, while someone who is less outgoing could go days without interaction before feeling lonely. Even if you’re not physically alone, you will feel lonely if you fail to connect with the people around you. Prolonged loneliness can negatively impact physical health, causing symptoms such as trouble sleeping and a weakened immune response.
Fortunately, there are several ways to alleviate loneliness, and they don’t have to involve other people. One tactic that I found surprising was exposing yourself to sound—television, radio, or just ambient noise. Sound itself fills the environment and helps you feel less alone, while specific activities, like watching television, can distract you from your thoughts. Creative pursuits like art and music are another great way to cope with loneliness, as expressing your emotions through a tangible medium can make them easier to process. As evidenced by adoptions during COVID, pets can provide companionship in the absence of human interaction. Taking a break from social media can also be beneficial, since viewing all those posts about fancy vacations and fun outings magnifies loneliness. Finally, getting outside can boost your mood and make you feel more present in the world.
Loneliness doesn’t have to be a daily, life-defining struggle. By using effective coping strategies, people can manage their loneliness and improve their overall mental health.
Link: https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/how-to-not-feel-lonely
I think this is a really good topic regarding the subject of coping. Depression, anxiety, and stress are most often talked about, but the point of view of loneliness is often left out. Many people may be feeling like this, especially in the midst of a pandemic, so it’s important to cope with it. Loneliness contributes to our mental health and we should learn healthy coping skills and habits.
Interestingly enough, not all stressors are negative. Stress can be caused by marriage or the birth of a child, or even a promotion. This makes it even more important to maintain coping skills. There are different types of coping strategies, and some coping strategies aren’t helpful at all! Some of these are habits that people have developed subconsciously. While they may seem soothing, they are actually counterproductive. Learning about the different types of strategies will help you find one that works for you.
Instrumental coping strategies involve trying to actually solve a problem to reduce stress. Emotion-based coping strategies focus on emotional health. There are also two broader categories, active and avoidant. Active strategies are aware of the problem and try to reduce the stress. Avoidant strategies generally aren’t very helpful- avoiding the problem can lead to negative coping strategies like drinking or sleeping.
Denial is an example of an avoidant coping strategy. Refuses to acknowledge a problem can often lead to attempts to distract from it, like overworking and binge drinking. Another negative coping strategy is self-blame. Punishing yourself for a problem you’re having leads to low self esteem and depression. A strategy that can be both negative and positive is venting. This can be positive because it helps externalize emotions and acknowledges the problem. However, if this is the only coping strategy employed, it can be an issue. Constant negativity can hurt relationships.
Link: https://www.semel.ucla.edu/dual-diagnosis-program/News_and_Resources/How_Do_You_Cope
A common form of stress in peoples’ lives is an illness in the family or an upcoming medical procedure. These events can have a large impact on someone’s life and finding a healthy way to cope with the stress helps the person get through the procedure. Usually, pain medication is the only way to help deal with the pain of the procedure, but studies are showing that music can help reduce pain and lower stress of medical procedures. In a 2015 study, people who listened to music when having a surgery experienced less pain and anxiety, even needing less pain medication. Music therapy could also help reduce the amount of people who become addicted to pain medicine after their procedures.
Music can help people cope with stress and pain because it activates a portion of the brain that is affected by stress. It also helps people with a debilitating illness to be able to focus on the positive aspects of their life and forget about what struggles they are going through. Another way music helps people deal with illness is that it changes brain function. This change in brain function is shown to help patients dealing with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Music is a valid way to help alleviate the pain and stress of various illnesses and procedures.
Sources:
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2013/11/music
https://www.unr.edu/counseling/virtual-relaxation-room/releasing-stress-through-the-power-of-music
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/mental-listening-to-music-lifts-or-reinforces-mood-051713#Music-as-therapy
I found an interesting article about the coping habits of older people during the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent national survey found that older adults, even though they are the most vulnerable to the illness of any age group, do not generally report more feelings of stress, anger, or anxiety due to social distancing restrictions than younger people. Instead, older people are expressing more positive emotions, such as calmness, interest, and gratitude, and other surveys even suggest that people from ages 13 to 23 experience the most stress due to the pandemic.
This finding has been partly explained by older people’s “perceptions of time and their coping mechanisms developed over a lifetime.” This makes sense since older people have experienced a lot more hardship than their younger counterparts and have learned how to best cope with them with experience. Many older folks have “redefined their experiences in terms of life left to live” and so focus on what is meaningful in the present, letting go of what they have no control over. However, what has been difficult for them about this pandemic are the “changing definitions of time and the persistence of a ‘blursday’ experience” since it is uncertain when, or if, everything can go back to normal. Not being able to see their families in person, especially during holidays, has especially taken a toll on older adults, but they have increasingly been staying connected with their loved ones via technology, such as Zoom calls. This also is an important factor in their successful pandemic coping.
Link: https://today.tamu.edu/2020/12/18/seniors-see-time-differently-and-theyre-coping-with-the-pandemic-better-than-younger-people/#:~:text=Health%20%26%20Environment-,Seniors%20See%20Time%20Differently%20%E2%80%93%20And%20They're%20Coping%20With%20The,a%20Texas%20A%26M%20aging%20expert.&text=Many%20older%20adults%20are%20learning,to%20help%20them%20socialize%20virtually.
As humans, it is important to develop healthy coping skills because they’re used every day. You may not have gotten the job you wanted, stressed about school, going through a breakup, experiencing grief or trauma, and many more normal experiences in all stages of life that require healthy coping. The article by Positive Psychology mentions that the more severe a “threat” is, the more effective our coping must be. A threat can be considered a situation in which a piece of our selves is at risk. We may subject ourselves to unhealthy coping skills, sometimes without even realizing. This can include avoidance, denial, self-harm, lashing out at others, or acting violently. Some things you can do instead are problem solving, meditating, therapy, socializing, writing your feeling down and doing things you enjoy.
Incorporating positive coping skills in your daily life can be very beneficial. Learning to regulate emotions, communicate how we feel, and acknowledging the problems in our lives are all useful skills and will aid in our healthy coping mechanisms rather than unhealthy. The article says, “Positive coping generally requires a certain level of maturity and an ability to accept one’s own faults without resorting to self-blame”. As more positive coping methods are being used, emotional maturity will grow. Simply doing things you enjoy to channel your stress or sadness can be effective. Some methods that work for others may not work for you. If journaling does not interest you or does not seem to help, then trying something you enjoy doing such as exercising or reading then that may be a more effective way of dealing with different things. As long as it a healthy practice, engage in it to help cope with difficult experiences
https://positivepsychology.com/coping/
In another post, I briefly introduced different categories of coping strategies, and now I will discuss those further. The two dominant coping categories are problem based coping and emotion based coping. In “Healthy Coping Skills for Uncomfortable Emotions”, Amy Morin offers a question to ask yourself when deciding how to deal with an issue. That question is, “Do I need to change my situation or do I need to find a way to better cope with the situation?” (par 3). If you need to change your situation, problem based coping strategies would be most effective. On the other hand, emotion based coping is effective when the issue is out of your control.
In this article the author offers coping strategies that are grouped into the category they would go with. For example, if you need problem based skills (when you need to make a change), working on time management, asking for support, establishing healthy boundaries, and creating to-do lists would be beneficial (Morin). Contrarily, for emotion based skills (when it is out of your control), exercise, self care, positive self talk, and mediation are things that would benefit you most.
Amy Morin also offers insight on what bad coping strategies would be. The article reads, “Just because a strategy helps you endure emotional pain, it doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Some coping skills could create bigger problems in your life” (Morin par 15). Unhealthy strategies that she lists are drinking alcohol, drug usage, overeating, oversleeping, overspending, and isolation.
When dealing with stress, trying to find the root cause of the stress and effectively dealing with it can be an effective way of coping with the stress. This strategy is called the “Problem-Focused Strategy” by http://www.positivepsychology.com. By analyzing the causes of stress, and then applying what strategies you learn to your daily life, it can be easier to change the factor that is causing stress in your life. This strategy can be useful when dealing with external stressors (things that can be changed by your actions).
However, there are some things that are out of your control that can cause stress. You may not be able to change the situation, but it is possible to change your mindset on the situation. This can be done through an Emotion-Focused Strategy of coping described by http://www.positivepsychology.com as, “Those using an emotion-focused coping strategy will focus their energy on dealing with their feelings rather than the problem itself. In this case, you may use mechanisms like brooding, imagining or magical thinking, avoiding or denying, blaming, or seeking social support”. This can help a person change their mindset to be more positive until the situation out of their control improves.
Source: https://positivepsychology.com/coping/
https://mashable.com/article/too-much-going-on
In today’s times, it can be nearly impossible to process our emotions in a way that is healthy. With COVID, political, and social issues that surround us, sometimes things can be overwhelming. This article introduces a coping method called Radical Acceptance. This is the idea that if we stop for a minute and accept what is happening rather than letting ourselves dwell on it, we can cope with issues in a much healthier way. When something is overwhelming, oftentimes, at least speaking for myself, I either stress about it to a point that I am unable to move past it, or I don’t process it at all, neither of which are good. When we stop for a minute and let ourselves process our emotions, we are actively working towards bettering our communication with ourselves and with others.
While we individually cannot do anything to stop COVID, or the wildfires, we cannot let ourselves become consumed with the issue. Yes, these things are horrible and collectively as a people we can work towards helping them, we cannot do anything until we have processed what has happened or is happening. Even stopping for a moment and processing your emotions, and then thinking mindfully about how what is happening is affecting you and others can help you manage your emotions while still attempting to help. On the other hand, it is so easy to get caught up in the monotony of today’s world, where these crises are happening and they are overlooked. Being mindful and present can help you cope with what is going on around you. When we slow down and process things in a healthy way we make more mindful decisions and communicate our emotions and thoughts better.
like I have said in my previous comment, a big part of my life and my coping mechanisms come from music. this past week especially, has been very hard for me. I have had to do a lot of running around, on top of online school (which has definitely taken a toll on me mentally), and I have worked a lot. when I get like this, I crave new music, but also, I get easily overwhelmed by new songs I cannot sing along with. before I started writing this, I thought about why that was the case. why is introducing new stuff, music in this case, so overwhelming sometimes. we are always told that we need to experience new things to help our minds, emotions, and intellect grow, but what happens when it becomes too much?
as it turns out, there is a name for this specific feeling; listening anxiety. Keith Jopling of MIDiA from the Music By Clio blog writes about this and his experiences in his article: “Listening Anxiety: Struggling With An Overwhelming Flood Of New Music.” while reading this article, I came to understand why I feel overwhelmed by my music choices sometimes, and that its not just a lone feeling. when talking about the struggle between deciding on a new song or an old favorite, he states, “That’s by choice, of course, but sometimes feels like a sacrifice as well,” (par 5). he says that although listening to comfort music can be nice, sometimes we feel like this is not the right choice because that could be precious time spent listening to new tracks.
throughout his blog, he says that there may not be an answer to this problem, it is all up to you. you have to learn about yourself and figure out what you think you need to listen to at this specific moment, but also, do not get upset if it does not work out. if you turn to new music but decide you need some old album love, do not be disappointed in yourself for reaching for those good music memories.
this article can be found with this link 🙂 :https://celebrityaccess.com/2020/08/12/listening-anxiety-struggling-with-an-overwhelming-flood-of-new-music/
So I recently learned about a co-worker of mine and how she went through a miscarage. I don’t know how to explain it but i have a very strong justice for children and i started crying and it wasent even my kid. However she showed me a tattoo she had and told me it was her spirit. It was a beautiful image of a baby with a halo and wings one was blue and the other pink. This to me gave me some peace that she could recover not get over such a tragic thing because nobody hurts more than a mother who lost their child. But When i think of this moment i think of the coping it brings but also the strength to kinda have a reminder on your body for life.
So for me a major way that i cope with whats going on in my life i turn to music and i rely on the message that it is trying to tell me (Unless your Nicki Minaj where her music is just good PERIOD). Chile anyways I have one song in particular that i love so much and its called “Selfish” by Maddison Beer and when i listen to this song its like shes my inner voice and shes just saying everything that i feel inside all the time. Its hard to explain how it feels but i don’t always tell people exactly how i’m feeling and their is always a voice inside my head and when i listen to this song it feels like shes that voice and shes just letting them have it. It may not be the best way to cope with issues but it has always helped me relating to something makes you feel less alone.
I think music is a really great way to express your emotions and cope. There is a really good range of emotions in music, and it is a very good way to show how you are feeling when you cannot put those emotions into words. You mention that it may not be a good way to cope, but in the grand scheme of things, there are much worse things than listening to music, and for a lot of people, music is the best and healthiest way for them to express their emotions.
Many people think of stress or sadness when we hear the word “cope”. Something a lot of people need help coping with that does not get as much focus is change. A new school, a new job, losing a job, or more extreme changes such as a pandemic are examples of changes in our lives that we may need to cope with. The article mentions there is control coping and escape coping. Escape coping is behaving as the victim of change and avoiding it Control coping is getting the help you need and be part of the change, rather than being a victim of the change. The article then discusses the stages of people’s reaction to change. The initial stage is usually shock, as sometimes you do not expect it or it happens suddenly. The next stage is an emotional response, such as anger. There can be a range of emotions in this stage though, including fear, sadness, or sometimes joy if it is a positive change. Following this stage is coming to terms with the change. There is no longer any denial or avoidance about what is happening. The last stage is acceptance. You start adjusting to life with the change and move forward with it.
The article recommends not to pretend everything is okay if it isn’t and seek the help you need to continue with the process of acceptance to change. Another tip they recommend is to stay away from gossiping and rumors when you’re going through the first stage of reacting to change. They are usually negative and will cause more distress and other negative emotions. It also mentions that it is helpful to build up your resilience skills, which will help you stay calm in all stages. Going through this process will be much easier when you have a good support system and reach out to people if you need to, acknowledge your feelings and tend to them, stay positive, and give yourself plenty of time to adjust to the new change.
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/coping-with-change.htm
Aromatherapy is an effective coping strategy that many people have never heard of. It involves using essential oils in a variety of forms, such as adding it to bathwater, spraying it on fabrics, and putting it in steaming hot water, to improve mental health. These essential oils stimulate the brain’s limbic system, which controls emotions, and one’s needs are communicated with the brain.
Aromatherapy can be used to treat many mental health issues, such as stress, anxiety, insomnia, and dementia. It calms the nervous system, relaxes the body, lowers blood pressure, helps people fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer, controls irritability and frustration in those with dementia, and results in less pain and depression in those with anxiety. In addition, specific essential oils are better for treating certain mental health issues, such as lavender for stress and poor sleep, lemon for depression, and thyme for stress, fatigue, and nervousness.
https://inspirseniorliving.com/stress-reducing-benefits-aromatherapy
https://spectrumnews1.com/ca/san-fernando-valley-ventura/news/2021/09/09/wellness-centers-helping-students-cope-with-stress
With the new narrative on mental health, it has become a very important factor in the school system. It has become very apparent to students, teachers, and parents that for a lot of students, school is the main cause of anxiety. While it is fairly normal for students to become stressed about deadlines and tests, for some, this anxiety may become unbearable. Coupled with the social and economic stress of the world, this can lead to many issues including depression. I think that it is imperative for schools to put more focus on the mental health and care of students. While pushing for good grades is important, it should not be the end all be all.
This specific school in California dedicated over $75,00 to make their classrooms and their wellness center more relaxing for students. Especially during COVID it is so important to provide an encouraging, relaxing environment for students. The uncertainty of lockdown only makes things harder for students and teachers alike. This school has seen an increasing use of their wellness center over the last few years because of the social, economic, and political situations going on around them. As a high schooler, it can be difficult to process and cope with these things, and having open access and resources available can make students happier and more productive.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/health/feeling-lonely-during-the-holiday-or-festive-season-here-s-how-to-cope-with-it-101632380349167.html
The holiday season, while for some can be the most joyous season of the year, for others can be a burden and a reminder of their grief or loneliness. The holidays are generally characterised by large family gatherings, food, presents, and overall happiness. This is a reality for a lot of people, but especially this holiday season, this is not possible for some. COVID has made large family gatherings almost impossible, at least in a safe manner, therefore, many have cancelled their family holidays. Even without COVID, for some, the holidays are a constant reminder of someone or something they have lost. This can be very mentally and physically taxing. Even if you cannot spend the holidays with your family or loved ones, no one deserves to feel lonely or miserable during the “happiest season of the year”.
There are a lot of helpful ways to cope. This article mentions practicing self care, practicing gratitude, and planning something to look forward to. Practicing self care is a great way to help yourself cope. Spending time and focusing on yourself are equally as important as focusing on taking care of others. Sometimes, it is best to focus on yourself when you are feeling down. Practicing gratitude is a great way to ensure that you are focusing on what you have, and not what you don’t. The holidays can be hard but if you are thankful for what you do have and the people that you do have, you can make yourself feel a lot happier than focusing on the negatives. Planning something fun to do, even if it is socially distanced and masked, is a great way to cope with your situation. If you have something to look forward to, it could help you through the emotions you are feeling.
Coping is one thing that we need to find a healthy way to achieve it, because as of today we face a drug abuse national problem, we are so quick to just sign off on antibiotics that then get people addicted to them. Dont get me wrong, antibiotics and other medicines work wonders, but we need to just cut back on our use of them to save peoples lives and preventing them from becoming addicted. This would save so many lives, households, families, friends, and make everyone have a higher quality of life. We can no longer mask our pain with drugs, we need to solve the problems we face instead of ignoring them and just filling out a perscription.
One way that identity can influence your life is through your decisions and behavior. Having an identity is what allows you to make complex decisions and influences how you act around others. However, one factor with identities that is commonly overlooked is that they are self-fulfilling. For example, if you are a nice person, you will commonly treat people nicely since that is what you do most of the time. This is a benefit for positive portions of someone’s identity. However a flaw in someone’s identity can stunt personal growth. For example, if a person believes that they are lazy, they will most likely act in ways that reinforce this such as procrastinating.
The issue then becomes how do you break this cycle of self-fulfilling identities without changing the positive portion of your identity. One solution is that you could try to change your bad habits. By changing your bad habits, you are setting a new routine, and after time, that can become a positive portion of your identity. Another solution could be self-reflection to identify what is making you a better person and what could be changed for the better. While it may be difficult, it is possible to change your actions in order to change your identity.
https://jesswhittlestone.com/blog/2014/4/19/how-useful-is-identity