coping skills
What are coping skills?
Strategies we use to manage stress, difficult emotions, or challenging situations.
What does distraction mean when we’re talking about coping?
Temporarily shifting your attention away from overwhelming thoughts or emotions.
Name one emotion that might make someone want to use a coping skill.
Anger, sadness, anxiety, frustration, stress, etc.
Which is a healthier distraction: going for a walk or starting an argument?
Going for a walk.
You had a bad day at school. You’re frustrated. Name one healthy thing you could do when you get home.
Listen to music, exercise, relax, play a game, talk to someone, etc.
Name one example of a coping skill?
Deep breathing, exercise, music, journaling, talking to someone, etc.
Name one activity you could use as a distraction.
Listening to music, watching a movie, drawing, walking, playing a game, etc.
If you’re extremely angry, what could you do before responding to someone?
Take a break, walk away, breathe, listen to music, etc.
Name one healthy physical distraction.
Walking, stretching, exercising, dancing, etc.
You just had an argument with a friend. What could you do before sending an angry text?
Take a break and calm down before responding.
Why are coping skills important?
They can help us manage emotions and respond to stressful situations in healthier ways.
Is distraction supposed to permanently solve your problem?
No. It can give you time to calm down before dealing with the problem.
When might distraction be especially helpful?
When you’re overwhelmed, extremely frustrated, having racing thoughts, or need time to calm down.
Name one healthy social distraction.
Talking to a friend, spending time with family, playing a game with others, etc.
You’re overwhelmed with everything going on. Which would be better: taking a short walk or continuing to argue with someone?
Taking a short walk.
true or False: Everyone uses the exact same coping skills.
False
Name two creative distraction strategies.
Drawing, writing, painting, crafts, playing music, etc.
True or False: You should use distraction to avoid every problem forever.
False.
What makes a distraction strategy “healthy”?
It is safe, constructive, and doesn’t create additional problems.
You’re feeling angry and need to calm down. Create a two-step coping plan.
Walk away → listen to calming music
Name three different coping skills.
Any three appropriate examples.
music exercising talking to someone you trust
Why might taking a temporary break from a stressful situation be helpful?
It can help you calm down, clear your mind, and respond more thoughtfully.
What is the difference between taking a healthy break and avoiding a problem?
A healthy break is temporary and helps you calm down; avoidance means continually refusing to address the problem.
Give an example of an unhealthy way someone might try to distract themselves and explain why it could make things worse.
Answers may vary; it should involve a behavior that creates additional problems or harm.
You are extremely stressed about a situation. Explain how you could use a distraction strategy without simply avoiding the problem.
Take a temporary break using a healthy activity, calm down, and then return to the situation when you’re ready to address it.