Healthy Coping Skills for Stressful Times
Life can be stressful, and sometimes world and local events add to that stress. Our first reaction might be to simply avoid feeling stressful feelings by numbing with tools like technology. While this can help in the short-term, it is not a healthy way to manage stress. Instead of avoiding difficult feelings, practice some helpful coping skills. These will help you feel better in the moment and improve your overall health in the long run.
- Feel and name your feelings.
- When stress and uncomfortable emotions come up, we often seek to push them down or ignore them. Allow yourself to acknowledge and feel the difficult feelings. Naming the feelings can help us to better process them. Try saying, this is a feeling of stress, frustration, sadness, disappointment, etc.
- Treat the feelings as messengers.
- Feelings of stress and frustration are signals that something is not going how we would like it to. Check in and try to see what the message is. When we recognize the things that are bothering us, we can make plans to create change.
- Choose one tiny action you can take.
- Feelings of stress are often paired with feelings of hopelessness. There is so much we can do to improve our world and our lives. Choose one tiny thing you can do and start taking action.
- Build community.
- Seek out and provide community support. Find ways to connect to your physical neighbors, as well as those you care for living far away. If you are able, volunteer or donate to local organizations.
- Move your body.
- Often stress can lead to a state of physical freeze. Try moving your body in fun and creative ways to help release some of the physical stress. Dance in your living room, go on a walk, wrestle with your pets, there are basically no wrong answers.
- Find some joy.
- When we are stressed, our brain fixates on all the “threats” it can find. Do your best to seek out joy and humor to help remind your brain that there is still good in the world. Read a book just for fun, text your friend a cheesy joke, watch a funny animal video online. Take any small step to feel some joy and fun in life.
- Seek help.
- When you’re feeling overwhelmed by the world talking with a professional can be a helpful step. There are several free and low-cost options often provided by your employer or community. If you are having a mental health emergency dial the 988 crisis line.
When the world feels unforgiving and endlessly stressful it can be tempting to simply tune out, these simple steps can help us to stay connected and engaged while also taking care of ourselves. Start with one small step and grow from there.
https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/tips
https://www.cdc.gov/mental-health/living-with/index.html
