Healthy Coping Skills
What is a healthy coping skill that can help you relax?
reading, running, working out , writting, deep breathing, meditating
What are the benefits of unhealthy coping skills?
short term relief from negative feelings.
getting retriggered
Coping skills are only used to help you relax. Why or why not?
False,
Managing your stress, anxiety, and/or depression is not always relaxing. exercise is a great healthy coping skill and is not necessarily relaxing although it results in the relief of negative symptoms.
You are sitting in class working and notice someone is tapping their pencil really loud. what do you do
ask nicely to stop, or move to a new seat
Why are coping skills helpful?
Helps you learn how to handle your emotions
What can you do when you are overwhelmed with school work?
what is take a break, ask for help
What is an healthy coping skill you could replace with a unhealthy coping skill?
smoking too hanging with friends playing cards, movies, doing something fun thats not harmful to the body
A helpful way to stop negative feelings is to distract yourself with coping skills.
False
You just finished a test that was draining and more difficult than you expected. how do you reward yourself appropriately
go to the mall, movies, get a snack, pat yourself on the back,
Who can benefit from using coping skills? AND When should they be used?
Everyone! All the time!
What is a healthy coping skill you can use in session
deep breathing, talking to your counselor
Why can it be hard to use coping skills?
We are used to using unhealthy ones, hard to change habits, hard to remember in the moment when feelings are overwhelming
Coping skills are only needed when you're struggling with negative emotions.
False
Your little sibling is purposely acting annoying while you are on the phone making ithard to hear and focus on the conversation. What skills can you use?
express your needs and feelings in an assertive manner, offer a compromise for giving you the quiet and space you need.
What are some coping skills you use or would like to try using?
walking
coloring
taking a break
deep breathing
What is a healthy coping skill to use when you're feeling lonely and isolated?
Hangin with the fam, reaching out to your support people
What is the difference between an unhealthy coping skill and a healthy coping skill? Extra points for examples of each!
They are both coping skills and therefore alleviate your negative feelings, however, the difference is...
Unhealthy Coping Skills only help to relieve your depression, anxiety, or stress while you're doing it or for the short term and may have negative impacts if used too often. (examples- substance use, self-harm, overeating, bullying or harming others, or too much screen time.)
Healthy Coping Skills help relieve your depression, anxiety, or stress for the longer and may have long-term benefits. (examples- exercise, finding hobbies and interests, being outside, walking, communicating your feelings to yourself and others, mindfulness practices.)
It's important to have lots of coping tools in your "toolbox" to pull from.
False
You are noticing symptoms of a panic attack. How do you cope to lessen symptoms and severity?
Remember it will not last and that although it feels terrible it cannot kill me. Do breathing, meditation, surround self with soothing things, have my support stay with me, use positive self talk.
what makes something a "coping skill?"
If it helps you calm down to be able to handle a stressful situation.
What is a mindfulness practice that can help you calm your body and mind?
5 senses, belly breathing or deep breaths, meditation, body scans, etc.
When does watching tv, scrolling social media, sleeping, etc become an unhealthy coping tool, AND why?
When you are doing it all the time or more than any other coping skills
Because it does not help relieve your depression, anxiety, or stress long term; it only helps in the moment.
It is important to not use unhealthy coping skills
False
What are two visualization techniques you can use to de-stress or help go to sleep?
Red-blue light, progressive muscle relaxation, container, 10 candles, calm place...
What are the 4 categories of coping skills or self-care?
1) Before- coping skills to help you prepare for or prevent negative feelings (ex. grounding tools, breathing, identifying potential triggers)
2) During- coping skills to help you regulate your emotions while you are experiencing something that triggers your negative emotions (ex. breathing, drinking water, taking breaks, walking)
3) Right After- coping skills that help you to calm down or regulate after you have experienced something that triggers you (ex. physical movement, grounding tools, body scans, mindfulness practices, talking to a support person, music)
4) Ongoing/Regular- coping skills or self-care practices that help you to relax and regulate your emotions long-term (ex. meaningful activities that you enjoy, spending time with your support people, having time to yourself, sleeping well, exercise, mindfulness practices)