Coping can be defined as the conscious and unconscious efforts we put in to solve problems and reduce stress in our lives.
Adaption refers to the adjustments we make to our lifestyle, perceptions, or biological responses.
I want to start by highlighting three specific views on how our minds and body cope.
Biological Coping
Involves the body’s physiological responses to stress and challenges.
Psychological Coping
Involves the mental and emotional strategies individuals use to face challenges and manage stress.
Coping styles
Which consists of problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping.
BIOLOGICAL COPING
When we experience stress, it takes a toll on our bodies which throws our nervous system, hormonal systems, and immune system out of whack. When this happens, our bodies work overtime to bring us back to a steady state of functioning (Homeostasis).
The way our body responds to a stressor can be broken down into three stages.
Alarm – When the body is first aware of a threat.
Resistance- The body attempts to stay in balance (homeostasis)
Exhaustion – The body then quits attempting to cope with the stress due to its inability to sustain the current state it’s in.
This is referred to as General Adaptation syndrome.
The video below explains in further detail how general adaptation syndrome is similar to common psychological ailments due to the onset of physical symptoms we experienced within each stage.
Many of us are experiencing chronic stress without even realizing it.
Chronic stress can present itself in various ways such as intestinal disorders, high blood pressure, heart problems, and emotional problems. Most people are aware of how stress has a negative impact on their mental health but don’t realize how it can be the root cause of major diseases.
PSYCHOLOGICAL COPING
There are two points of view on psychological stress management.
Trait (personality characteristic) this emphasizes on our ability to develop unconscious psychological strategies to minimize perceived threats, avoid, and manage internal conflicts. These developed strategies are known as defense mechanisms.
Below is a video that touches on 10 psychological defense mechanisms with clear examples.
After watching the video or reading the section on coping and adaption from our textbook, is there a defense mechanism you developed that sticks our more than others? If so, why do you think that is?
The second perspective on psychological coping is transient state which is the belief that the coping strategies we develop/display are dependent on our perception, what we focus on, and various situations.
COPING STYLES
Problem- focused coping
is taking action to minimize the stress in one’s life. This approach is more about focusing on implementing problem-solving strategies than it is managing emotions.
Emotion-focused coping
Is one’s approach to managing or regulating stressors in life that are perceived will not change. Instead of taking action to “fix” the problem we adjust our behavior/attitude in respect to it. For example, this can present itself in the form of avoidance or denial.
I’ve always been in awe of the body’s biological ability to protect itself. Coping and adapting to our environments is necessary to protect us from harm, whether physical or mental.
After reading this section I reflected on the ways that I cope with the stressors in my own life. Is the way that I manage stress considered to be healthy? What defense mechanism are no longer serving me?
These are important questions to ask ourselves and our future clients.
What are some ways you reduce stress in your life? I’d love to hear about healthy coping skills you practice. I know what has been working for me lately is getting good sleep and taking 10 minutes a day to stretch.
Reference
Hutchison, E. D. (2018). Dimensions of Human Behavior (6th ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc. (US). https://online.vitalsource.com/books/9781544339283
Comments
11 responses to “Coping and Adaptation”
I read this excellent blog post about dealing with stress, and it spoke to me! It was relatable because we all face challenges in our lives. The post explained how our minds and bodies react to stress and how we deal with it. I learned about the stages of General Adaptation Syndrome, which shows how our bodies work to reduce stress levels even during chronic stress. The post also highlighted the link between chronic stress and physical and mental health, reminding me of the importance of caring for ourselves.
It also talked about different coping mechanisms and defense mechanisms and made me think about my coping strategies. Knowing how we manage stress and whether those methods serve us well is essential.
I liked the part where the post discussed being proactive and taking actionable steps to minimize stress. Mindfulness, regular exercise, and connecting with loved ones are helpful; the blog post inspired me to examine my coping mechanisms and prioritize self-care. It was super helpful!
Thanks for your comment, David! I’m glad that my blog post sparked some self-reflection. I know it did for me.
What an absolutely wonderful, exceedingly well thought out, written blog! I like how you used outside sources such as videos for better explanation and the choices of the videos you used, such as the 10 Psychological Defense Mechanisms video and its examples that it used. To answer that question about defense mechanisms, I had a bad habit of dissociating as a teenager, where I would cut off my emotions and “freeze” whenever I would experience anger, sadness, or something triggering, and I would “unfreeze” the emotions when I would be alone, or bury them forever. However, the buried emotions later exploded a few years ago, but they are now dealt with, and I learned how to process emotions in a healthy manner! I learned how to actually talk about my feelings and how to meditate, and these helped me process emotions without freezing them or burying them, and my support circle has always been there to listen or talk to me.
I absolutely like how you mentioned that letting the clients identify their defense mechanisms and helping them find healthier practices through these, and I truly believe that this method of allowing them to find their own personal healthier practices would empower them, and make them continuously practicing them in the future.
Again, you made such a wonderful, organized, amazing blog!
Hey Jere! Thanks for being kind and vulnerable with me.
I know I don’t know you very well, but I’m proud of you and always in awe when I hear about people overcoming personal challenges and actively working on themselves. You deserve support, so I’m happy to hear you have that! I was thinking about taking up meditation, but I don’t know how to begin, I’m probably overthinking it lol.
What an awesome blog. Coping is hard but reading thru your research, I find myself reevaluating my ability to cope with situations. Thanks for the lessons.
Hey Ana, thanks for your comment! I’m happy to hear that.
Hello Adrianna, thank you for sharing your exploration of coping mechanisms and adaptation! Your breakdown of biological coping, psychological coping, and coping styles sheds light on the many ways in which we navigate stress and challenges in our lives.
The concept of General Adaptation Syndrome and its three stages resonated with me, particularly how our bodies strive to maintain homeostasis in the face of stress. It’s fascinating to consider how chronic stress can manifest not only in mental health issues but also in physical ailments.
Hey Rodric! It was fascinating to me as well. I never put much thought into what physical symptom’s I could be experiencing when I’m stressed or having anxiety. I plan to be more mindful moving forward, I think it’s important.
Hi Adrianna,
Thank you for this blog! It is so informative and I loved the videos especially.
Something I have picked up in the last year that helps me relax is reading. I really love mystery or thriller books. I know it sounds counterproductive to read thriller books to relax but it really does allow me to focus on the story and not on what is going on in my current life.
I also have been trying to stretch daily but it isn’t happening as much as I would like.
Hey Kaia,
It takes some time to develop new habits! It hard to introduce or make time for self-care with all the other things we got to do in life. Hopefully soon it’ll be easier and easier to integrate into your daily routine.
I’m glad to hear you found something that works for you! Book are one of the coolest human inventions of you really think about it.
Hi Adrianna, I really liked how you encompassed the various forms of coping and the different aspects surrounding stress and stress responses. I have had experience with undergoing EDMR therapy which focuses on a lot more of the biological and physical responses to stress and anxiety. While it helped with dealing with specific anxiety related issues, I do want to address your posed questions surrounding personal coping techniques. I have found treating myself as someone else to be useful, and it may be that I have to elaborate. I am someone who has had a hard time through out life respecting myself when it comes to how I am treated, as well as issues with being overly-critical. I don’t struggle with that anymore because I started treating myself as a friend. I have always valued, cared for, respected, and been there for my friends, but I haven’t always done a good job at doing it for myself. So I started looking at myself as my own friend, and treating myself the way a friend should. I take care of myself when days are hard, I hype myself up when I have doubts, and I see myself as someone who has value, which are all things friends should do. For me, its been helpful dealing with stress and the sort so I would say that has been my greatest coping technique.