Types of skills
Taking your mind off the concern/problem for a while is this type of coping skill.
Distraction
Meditation, yoga, being present in the moment, and recognizing your responses/reactions to stimuli are all examples of this skill.
Mindfulness
Give an example of a distraction coping skill.
*Double points if you can name both the benefits and limitations to this coping skill.
TV, movies, calling a friend, cleaning, counting things around you (e.g how many blue things are in the room), Counting backwards from 10, then from 25, and then 50, utilizing imagery, breathing cycles, etc.
Benefits: Having distraction techniques can help you focus on something else when you’re in a panicked, anxious or distressed state. Unlike avoidance, distraction is a healthy coping mechanism. Distraction means that you temporarily step away from a stressful situation and then return to it once your anxiety level has decreased. Distraction gives us the chance to decrease our anxiety and other negative feelings associated with a distressing situation.
Limitations: THERE ARE NONE! Avoidance is the term used to describe when we indefinitely keep away from something that we are not willing to face. Our avoidance is often grounded in discomfort or fear. For example, we may avoid talking to people because it evokes uneasiness that creates a degree of anxiety within us. Because that feeling of uneasiness is unpleasant, we learn to avoid fear-inducing or uncomfortable situations in an effort to avoid the unpleasant feelings associated with these situations. We often unknowingly start this cycle of avoidance in various areas of our lives.
Coping skills are used to avoid problems in our lives
False
Coping skills help us work through problems in our lives in a healthy way
How are coping skills helpful?
Builds confidence, manages emotions, builds positive relationships, etc.
They help individuals regulate emotions, maintain psychological well-being, and effectively respond to stressors. In addition, healthy coping mechanisms can enhance resilience, improve problem-solving skills, and foster emotional well-being.
Coping skills can be healthy or unhealthy
True - unhealthy coping skills are yelling, hitting, avoiding the problem, gaslighting, etc.
When you think about your favorite or most peaceful place to help re-center or calm yourself, your are utilizing this skill.
Imagery or Guided Visualizations
Positive self-talk, utilizing physiological resources, reassuring yourself, addressing your needs are all types of what coping skill?
Self-soothing
Give an 3 examples of a self-soothing coping skills.
*Bonus points if you can name 2 benefits of this coping skill.
Smelling candles, listening to calming sounds (i.e. ocean waves), putting on comfy clothing, listening to music, etc.
Benefits: Self-soothing is a crucial skill set that aids in managing emotional distress and fostering mental resilience. Learning to effectively self-soothe can significantly enhance one's ability to regulate emotions, manage stress, and improve overall mental health.
Coping skills help you focus on important things in your life
True
When we cope with problems and ease our emotions it helps us think clearer and tackle them better
What things can make using coping skills difficult?
Having unhealthy coping skills, struggling with mental illness, not knowing what to try, etc.
If someone in your family has a mental illness, you will also be diagnosed with a mental illness.
False. Although some illnesses seem to have a genetic link, just because someone in your family has a mental illness does not mean that you will have one, too. Everybody has their own genetic makeup and you are an individual.
This coping skill is used when you want to bring yourself back physically by paying attention to your surroundings and engaging your senses.
Grounding Exercise
Watching a movie or reading a book is this type of coping skill
Distraction
Give an 3 examples of an emotional awareness coping skill.
Bonus points if you can name 2 reasons why this skill is crucial or beneficial.
Journaling, talking to someone, etc.
For example, instead of trying to meet new people, you might journal when you feel lonely to try to process what you’re feeling. Or you might practice mindfulness to manage your work-related stress rather than looking for a new position.
Benefits: If you experience anxiety, sadness, anger, or fear during an event that’s out of your control, emotion-focused coping can help you manage these emotions by reducing their effect on you.
In a 2015 studyTrusted Source, emotion-focused coping, also called emotional approach coping, was associated with:
Every coping skill is healthy
False
Some ways we learn to cope are not healthy like fighting or using substances
Why is changing your thoughts considered a coping skill?
Changing our thoughts helps change our feelings by thinking more positive thoughts
Mindfulness is a strategy you can use any time
True - we can always focus our attention on what we are sensing in the moment
Centering and grounding yourself by focusing on your senses, reactions, and thoughts in the moment is this type of coping skill.
Mindfulness
Journaling, talking to someone about how you feel, and understanding your responses to stimuli are all examples of this skill.
Emotional awareness
Give 3 examples of a crisis intervention strategies.
*Bonus points if you can give specifics EASILY ACCESSIBLE crisis intervention.
**SUPER EXTRA BONUS POINTS, name Schenectady's Crisis Intervention on State St.
Calling a crisis line, 911, going to the hospital, etc.
Crisis Intervention Techniques are varied and can be adapted for different crises. These include techniques such as reality testing, active listening, problem-solving, empathic responding, providing support, and offering resources.
Local Crisis Intervention or Easily Accessible:
Never Use Alone (Overdose Prevention Lifeline): 877-696-1996
National Suicide/Crisis line: Dial 988
National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255
Crisis textline: text "Home" to 741741
Schenectady Local Crisis Intervention: The Living Room
Coping skills are something everyone is born knowing how to do
False
Coping skills are learned throughout our lives
What makes a coping skill unhealthy?
Unhealthy coping skills tend to avoid or suppress underlying issues, providing temporary relief without addressing the root causes. This avoidance prevents you from finding sustainable solutions and can perpetuate the cycle of distress. Additionally, reflect on the long-term consequences of your coping mechanisms.
It might help you feel better in the short term but that negative emotion will keep coming back OR It can make you feel better in the moment but have harmful effects in the long run
Mindfulness is not a helpful coping skill when you want to practice letting go of thoughts/feelings.
FALSE - The practice of letting go is fundamental to mindfulness—present moment awareness without judgment.
Comforting yourself through your five senses is this type of coping skill ( hint: self-____ ).
Self-soothing
The DBT STOP skill stands for ___ ____ ___ ___.
Stop, Take a step back, Observe, and Proceed Mindfully
Give an example of an opposite action coping skill.
*Bonus points if you know when it is most beneficial to use this skill.
Walking away instead of fighting, laughing instead of crying, standing up straight when you feel nervous, etc.
When to use it? Opposite Action is most effective when your emotional response is unjustified or unhelpful. Given the situation's context and facts, it is essential to assess whether your emotional reaction is warranted or excessive. Suppose you determine that your emotion is not serving you well or is causing unnecessary distress. In that case, Opposite Action can be a valuable technique for promoting emotional regulation and more adaptive behavior.
Coping skills are ALWAYS easy to use
False
Managing stress, anxiety, and depression is not always relaxing, it sometimes takes hard work
Is stress something that can be controlled?
*Bonus points if you can name when stress can beneficial and when it can be harmful.
Yes, but it takes time and practice.
Stress can be a positive reaction when it helps to overcome challenges and motivate you. Stress becomes problematic when it makes you feel overwhelmed or continues for a long time. With the right relaxation techniques or professional help, the negative, long-term effects of stress can be prevented.
You have control over whether you are in a positive or negative mental health space.
True and False. There are many things you can do to make yourself feel better when you’re feeling out of sorts and a little blue. Exercise, nutrition, hydration and doing something you love are some ways for you to boost your mental health for the day. However, if you have a mental illness like depression sometimes your mental health space is out of your control. If this is the case, all you can do is do your best to take care of yourself.