Coping Skills
What is a coping skill?
A coping skill is something we can do to help manage our feelings or to deal with stressful situations.
What is a Trigger?
Any stimuli that might cause a person to be remembered of a time of using substances.
What new coping skill are you going to try or would like to try?
FREE POINTS!
True or False: Talking to others is a healthy coping skill?
True.
Exercise?
Healthy.
Name an example of a coping skill.
Talking, walking away, coloring, listening to music, etc
What are some examples of triggers?
Triggers are feelings, experiences, people, places, things, and sensory that you associate with your drinking or drug use.
What is an example of a distraction coping skill?
Tv, movies, reading, drawing, knitting, games, etc.
True or False: Every coping skill is healthy?
False. Some coping skills might make things worse, like sleeping the whole day or eating too much junk food.
Eating junk food?
Unhealthy if it is too much.
Taking your mind off the problem for a while is this type of coping skill?
Distraction.
What should you do if something triggers you?
Use a coping skill! (Give one example if haven't already).
Can you can calm down your body by slowing your breath?
Yes!
True or False: A coping skill that is helpful for you might not be helpful for someone else?
True. Everyone benefits from different coping skills, because we are all unique.
Scream into a pillow?
Healthy.
Centering and grounding yourself in the moment is what type of coping skill?
Mindfulness.
What are the three main types of triggers?
Internal, External, and Sensory.
How are coping skills helpful?
Builds confidence, manages emotions, helps us tackle challenges, etc.
True or False: Coping skills are something everyone is born knowing how to do?
False: Coping skills are learned throughout our lives.
Arguing?
Unhealthy.
Picturing a light switch, in your mind and imagine yourself actually moving it from ON to OFF stopping the drug or alcohol thoughts and tying a rubber band loosely around your wrist, pulling the band and snap it lightly against your wrist as you say, “NO”, to the drug/or alcohol thoughts - is what type of coping skill?
Thought-Stopping Techniques.
Why is it helpful to identify what your triggers are?
If you know what your triggers are, you can be more prepared to handle them.
What makes a coping skill unhealthy?
If it does more harm than good to myself or others; Examples: substance use, excessively spending money, self-harm, etc.
True or False: Healthy coping skills are used to avoid problems in our lives?
False. Coping skills help us work through problems in a healthy way.
Healthy coping skills help us work through our problems and emotions. We will never be able to avoid all problems!
Hitting people?
Unhealthy and dangerous.