Every one of us has a favorite way of coping with stress. Some of them are healthy and some not so healthy. Some individuals seem to take everything in stride while others get upset at the smallest of problems. Most of us are somewhere in the middle. When we feel confident we are able to handle even some major stressors, but when we are already stressed even small irritants produce anxiety.
Here are some common negative ways that we cope with stress:
- Eating for comfort
- Smoking
- Anger
- Impatience
- Crying
- Self medicating with alcohol or drugs
- Dwelling on negative thoughts
- Shopping
So, what can we do to replace our negative coping behaviors with positive coping skills?
- Look for humor in your situation
- Reframe the situation (from crisis to opportunity)
- Take charge
- Learn to relax
- Take a warm bath
- Exercise
- Pray
To find out how stressed you are go to the Mayo Clinic web site and take the Mayo Clinic Stress Assessment.
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