Coping skills help you tolerate, minimize, and deal withstressful situationsin life.
Coping skills are the tactics that people use to deal with stressful situations.
But not all coping skills are created equal.
Verywell / Emily Roberts
Learn more about how different strategies, including problem-focused and emotion-focused skills, can be most helpful.
Two of the main types of coping skills are problem-based coping and emotion-based coping.
Understanding how they differ can help you determine the best coping strategy for you.
There isnt always one best way to proceed.
The following are examples of stressful situations and how each approach could be used.
Reading Your Performance Review
You open your email to find your annual performance review.
You feel anxious and frustrated.
Getting a Teenager to Clean
You have told your teenager he needs to clean his bedroom.
But its been a week and clothes and trash seem to be piling up.
You arrive home from work to find him playing videos in his messy room.
Giving a Presentation
Youve been invited to give a presentation in front of a large group.
You were so flattered and surprised by the invitation that you agreed to do it.
But as the event approaches, your anxiety skyrockets because youhate public speaking.
Knowing which approach is right for a specific situation can help you deal with stress more effectively.
Healthy coping strategies may soothe you, temporarily distract you, or help you tolerate your distress.
Sometimes its helpful to face your emotions head-on.
For example, feeling sad after the death of a loved one can help you honor your loss.
Other times, coping skills may help you change your mood.
In other situations, problem-focused coping may involve more drastic measures, like changing jobs or ending a relationship.
The right coping skill often depends on the situation and your specific needs in the moment.
Some coping skills could create bigger problems in your life.
These unhealthy tactics can also lead to other problems that create more stress and make coping more difficult.
But, research shows that proactive coping strategies can effectively manage the future obstacles youre likely to face.
Proactive coping can also help people deal with unexpected life changes, such as a major change in health.
When you have atoolboxready to go, youll know what to do.
And that could help you to feel better equipped to face the challenges ahead.
Going for a walk might help your partner calm down.
So you might decide watching a funny video for a few minutes helps you relax.
You might find that certain coping strategies work best for specific issues or emotions.
But, going for a walk in nature might be the best approach when youre feeling sad.
When it comes to coping skills, theres always room for improvement.
It’s important to develop your own toolkit of coping skills that youll find useful.
Find out which option is the best for you.
Aldwin CM, Yancura LA.Coping.
In:Encyclopedia of Applied Psychology.
2016;92:123-127. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2015.12.029.
