If you’ve developed a mental illness, you may have developed unhealthy coping mechanisms. For example, people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) will avoid people, places, and things that remind them of their traumatic event. ¹ As such, they never address their trauma and develop healthier ways to cope.

When it comes to any mental health condition, it’s key to develop practical and safe coping mechanisms. Without them, we risk worsening our physical and mental health. Throughout this article, we’ll explore various coping mechanisms and how to properly implement them into your life.

What are Coping Mechanisms?

To discuss coping mechanisms and how they manifest, we first have to understand what a coping mechanism is. Coping mechanisms are thoughts and behaviors we implement to manage internal and external stressors. ²

You can develop healthy and unhealthy coping mechanisms. For example, to handle a mental illness, you may turn to exercise to promote stress-reducing endorphins. ³ On the other hand, you may self-medicate with drugs or alcohol to temporarily relieve stress. ⁴

While physical actions are the most obvious ways to cope, you may develop mental coping mechanisms. For example, you may lower your expectations, change your belief system, or take responsibility when you previously didn’t.

What Are Good Coping Mechanisms?

Also referred to as adaptive methods, healthy coping mechanisms can take varying forms. All are designed to relieve stress while simultaneously building your well-being. ⁵

Keep in mind that coping mechanisms are very personal. Therefore, you may have developed some not mentioned here. If your techniques work for you and are not harming others, we don’t want to dissuade you from doing what feels right.

Adaptive ways to cope with symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress include:

Engage in Relaxing Activities

When we think of “relaxing,” we think about turning off the brain. However, a relaxing activity is actually something that engages the mind. ⁶ Examples include:

• Meditation
• Reading
• Writing

While these activities are physically restful, they continue to promote mental activity. Such activity can better our well-being and even prevent long-term illnesses, such as Alzheimer’s Disease. ⁷

Participate in Mental and Physical Exercise

Physical exercise promotes endorphins which have been shown to reduce anxiety and depression. ⁸ However, these effects can be furthered if done in nature, an environment proven to increase one’s well-being. ⁹

Still, physical exercise isn’t all you’ll need. Mental exercises can also be key to promoting concentration and creativity. ¹⁰ Examples include puzzles, problem-solving games, and engaging in a craft.

Establish a Pattern and Routine

Our brains love consistency. A daily routine is an easy way to reduce the stress and anxiety from disorganization. ¹¹ Not to mention, people who stick to a routine tend to have higher confidence levels in how they go about daily tasks. ¹²

Some ways to get your brain on a schedule include:

• Marking daily tasks, meetings, and commitments in a calendar.
• Make a list of tasks that need to be done (to have a visual cue).
• Establishing a regular pattern in social engagements (can help strengthen relationships).

Utilize Holistic Remedies

Some research suggests that herbal supplements can help to relieve stress and anxiety. ¹³ The type of natural remedies you seek out will vary depending on your circumstances. For example, people who struggle with stress-induced sleep disorders may want to try ashwagandha and melatonin. ¹⁴ On the other hand, if you struggle with daytime stress, cannabidiol (CBD) or chamomile may be a better option for you. ¹⁵ ¹⁶

There are a lot of online resources when it comes to finding the best natural remedies for your situation. We also recommend consulting a doctor before taking any active supplements.

What Are Bad Coping Mechanisms?

With the good always comes the bad. Also known as maladaptive methods, unhealthy coping mechanisms usually appear through bad habits.

In many ways, these bad habits can be a product of anxiety, stress, or depression. For example, depression may make you feel less enjoyment in activities you once found happiness in. ¹⁷ As a result, you self-isolate. The difficulty here is this can barrel into other depressive problems, such as loneliness and suicide. ¹⁸

The most common maladaptive coping techniques include:

Drug and Alcohol Abuse

Some people turn to drugs and alcohol to self-medicate from a mental illness. However, this behavior is dangerous because it can lead to a substance use disorder which can have a few effects on our health.

In terms of the physical, drugs and alcohol can damage us, leading to increased risk of a health condition and even death. ¹⁹ In regards to mental, substance abuse can worsen problems of mental health. ²⁰ For example, you may feel shame for your addiction and self-isolate. ²¹

Avoiding Commitments or Engagements

Anxiety and depression make you more likely to avoid social engagements for various reasons. For example, if you struggle with a social anxiety disorder, social situations make you extremely nervous. ²² On the other hand, if you have depression, you may have just lost interest in engaging with others.

While it’s beneficial to have time to yourself, too much alone time can hinder relationships and worsen mental health symptoms.

Anger Outbursts

Your struggle with stress may lead to unchecked anger, aggression, hostility, or violent temperament. This can result in several complications, including with the law and relationships. ²³

Compulsive Behaviors

If you struggle with intrusive thoughts, you may relieve them through compulsive behaviors. ²⁴ This is common in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) but is also seen in other conditions.

For example, you may develop sexual obsessions that can lead to unhealthy promiscuous sexual activity. Intrusive thoughts can appear in several ways and if you believe you struggle with them, we highly recommend researching the matter.

Suicidal Ideation

To handle your mental health, you may participate in self-harm or suicidal ideation. ²⁵ Both can feel relieving in the moment but are ultimately self-destructive in the long run.

If you are currently facing suicidal ideation, we recommend contacting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Unconscious Defense Mechanisms

It is common for people to laugh off criticisms or concerns from others about their mental state. However, actions like making jokes, shrugging off complex issues, or shutting down completely are dismissive and defensive. ²⁶

Throughout your time with mental health, you’ve likely developed a few unconscious defense mechanisms that you’re not aware of. Due to the lack of awareness, it can be difficult to navigate this space. As such, psychotherapy can be an incredible tool to help you self-reflect on such behavior and diminish these actions. ²⁷

References

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