Coping Skills
"This coping skill involves slowing your breathing to calm your body."
Deep Breathing.
Deep breathing helps slow down the body's stress response and can reduce anxiety, panic, and tension.
"What is a trigger?"
Something that causes emotional distress/reactions.
Triggers are situations, thoughts, memories, or experiences that cause strong emotional reactions.
Is journaling healthy or unhealthy coping?
Healthy.
Journaling can help organize thoughts, express emotions, and reduce stress.
What is grounding used for?
To reconnect to the present moment.
Grounding helps reconnect people to the present moment during anxiety, panic, or overwhelming emotions.
What does the T in TIPP stand for?
Temperature.
Cold temperatures can quickly help calm the nervous system during intense emotions.
"Name one physical activity that can reduce emotional intensity."
Walking, exercise, stretching, running, etc.
Movement helps release stress and emotional energy from the body and can improve mood.
Name one common emotional trigger.
rejection, conflict, loneliness, stress, trauma reminders.
Everyone has different triggers based on their experiences, stressors, and emotions.
Is substance use healthy or unhealthy coping?
Unhealthy.
Substance use may numb emotions temporarily but often creates additional problems long-term.
What does the 5-4-3-2-1 technique help with?
Anxiety, panic, overwhelming emotions.
This grounding skill uses the senses to help calm racing thoughts and refocus attention.
What does paced breathing help calm?
The nervous system/body.
Slow breathing signals safety to the body and can reduce physical symptoms of stress.
"This coping skill helps by distracting your brain temporarily from overwhelming emotions."
music, games, reading, drawing, TV.
Healthy distractions can help create space between emotions and impulsive reactions until emotions feel more manageable.
What are some physical signs that stress is building?
shaking, sweating, racing heart, tension, crying.
The body often reacts to stress before we fully recognize it emotionally.
Name one coping skill that may help short-term but hurt long-term.
Substance use; isolation; aggression; avoidance.
Some coping skills may feel helpful in the moment but can worsen mental health over time.
Name one thing you can focus on during grounding.
breathing, sounds, objects, textures, colors.
Focusing on physical surroundings can help reduce emotional intensity.
What does the second P in TIPP stand for?
Progressive muscle relaxation.
Relaxing muscles can help release physical tension connected to stress and anxiety.
"What is one coping skill you can use without needing any supplies?"
breathing, grounding, counting, self-talk.
Simple coping skills are important because they can be used anywhere during stressful moments.
True or False: Everyone has different triggers.
True.
What affects one person deeply may not affect someone else the same way.
What is the difference between avoidance and healthy distraction?
Healthy distraction is temporary and intentional; avoidance ignores problems completely.
Healthy distraction is temporary and intentional, while avoidance prevents people from addressing problems entirely.
True or False: Grounding works immediately for everyone.
False.
Coping skills often take practice and may work differently for different people.
Why can cold water help during distress?
It helps calm the nervous system/body quickly.
Cold sensations can interrupt emotional intensity and help people feel more grounded.
"Why is distress tolerance important?"
Prevents impulsive reactions; helps survive crisis moments; keeps situations from getting worse.
Distress tolerance helps people get through difficult emotions safely without making situations worse.
Why is recognizing triggers important?
helps prepare coping skills; increases self-awareness; reduces impulsive reactions.
Recognizing triggers early can help people use coping skills before emotions become overwhelming.
Can unhealthy coping skills sometimes feel helpful in the moment?
Yes.
People often use unhealthy coping because it provides quick relief, even if it causes harm later.
What are signs someone may NEED grounding?
panic, dissociation, overwhelm, racing thoughts.
Grounding can be useful when emotions become so intense that people feel disconnected or overwhelmed.
What is the goal of distress moments without making things worse?
To survive difficult moments without making things worse.
The goal is not to eliminate emotions, but to manage them safely and effectively.