Healthy v. Unhealthy Coping Skills

Healthy Emotion-focused coping skills

1. Exercise
2. Write in a journal
3. Draw
4. Listen to music
5. Take a bath
6. Play with a pet
7. Spend time in nature
8. Clean the house (or a closet, drawer, or area)
9. Read a book
10. Meditate
11. Use aromatherapy
12.  Cook a meal
13.  Engage in a hobby
14. Pray
15. Practice breathing exercises
16. List the things you feel grateful for
17. Color
18. Garden
19. Do yoga
20. Reframe the way you are thinking about the problem
21. Use progressive muscle relaxation
22. Picture your “happy place”
23. Drink tea
24. Squeeze a stress ball
25. Put on lotion that smells good
26. Look at landscape photos that help you feel relaxed
27. Think of something funny
28. Look at pictures that remind you of the people, places, and things that bring you joy
29. Take care of your body in a way that makes you feel good (paint your nails, do your hair, put on a face mask)
30. Smile
31. Use a relaxation app
32. Go for a walk​

Unhealthy Coping Skills to Avoid
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. Here are some examples of unhealthy coping skills:

• Drinking alcohol or using drugs: Substances may temporarily numb your pain, but they won’t resolve your issues. Substances are likely to introduce new problems into your life. Alcohol, for example, is a depressant that can make you feel worse. Using substances also puts you at risk for developing a substance abuse problem and it may create legal issues, financial problems, and a variety of social issues.

 

• Overeating: Food is a common coping strategy. But, trying to “stuff your feelings” with food can lead to an unhealthy relationship with food—and weight issues. Sometimes people go to the other extreme and restrict their eating (because it makes them feel more in control) and clearly, that can be just as unhealthy.

 

• Sleeping too much: Whether you take a nap when you’re stressed out or you sleep late to avoid facing the day, sleeping offers a temporary escape from your problems. However, when you wake up, the problem will still be there.

 

• Venting to others: Talking about your problems so that you can gain support, develop a solution, or see a problem in a different way can be healthy. But studies show repeatedly venting to people about how bad your situation is or how terrible you feel is more likely to keep you stuck in a place of pain.

 

• Overspending: While many people say they enjoy retail therapy as a way to feel better, shopping can become unhealthy. Owning too many possessions can add stress to your life. Also, spending more than you can afford will only backfire in the end and cause more stress.

 

• Avoidance: Even “healthy” coping strategies can become unhealthy if you’re using them to avoid the problem. For example, if you are stressed about your financial situation, you might be tempted to spend time with friends or watch TV because that’s less anxiety-provoking than creating a budget. But if you never resolve your financial issues, your coping strategies are only masking the problem.