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By MAS Team
No one likes to feel stressed, but it isn’t always a bad thing, especially if we can use the stress for motivation. Challenges can help us to grow, learn effective coping skills, and give us a sense of achievement when we overcome them.
Studies have found facing challenges is linked to increased positive affect, greater ability to identify positives in difficult situations, improved life satisfaction, stronger physical health, and reduced psychological distress.
‘Meaning-focused coping’ includes strategies that involve creating a sense of purpose, or reminding ourselves of what matters in a stressful situation. Meaning-focused coping has been found to create less psychological distress, and promote greater awareness of benefits and positives, even in difficult circumstances.
‘Problem-focused coping’ involves actively dealing with the thing that is stressing you out. This active approach can involve changing the situation to whatever extent you are able, as well as taking active steps to help yourself get through it as well as you can. Problem-focused coping has been linked to higher life satisfaction.
Lastly, ‘Avoidance-coping’ strategies include avoiding, trying to escape or ignore your problems, and not dealing with what’s stressing you out. Studies have shown avoidance coping strategies to negatively predict life satisfaction and happiness levels (e.g., Chadda, Singh, & Ganguly, 2007*).
If you think that you may adopt these avoidance coping strategies at times, don’t stress! Now that you know alternative more helpful coping strategies, you can identify when you are avoiding your problems and try a different coping approach. And don’t be afraid to ask for help!
* Reference: Chada, R.K., Singh, T.B., & Ganguly, K.K. (2007). Caregiver burden and coping. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 42 (11), 923-930.
Actor Elisabeth Easther explores the wonders of forest bathing and how it can benefit the mind. She shares her experience plus local wooded walks to try.
Novelist and screenwriter Sarah-Kate Lynch shares her long-time love of Kaikōura, and why its natural beauty and resilient community inspired her hit TV show.
Expert physiotherapist Tania Clifton-Smith knows plenty about what can go horribly wrong when we don’t breathe properly. The field has rapidly expanded from its early roots, focused on hyperventilation.
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