What Are Coping Skills?

Takeaways:

• Coping skills offer you a variety of strategies to regulate your emotions and nervous system when confronting stressful situations.
• Practicing different coping skills can help you find the ones that work best for you, such as STOP, GIVE, FAST, and TIPP.
• Some coping skills address physical changes, such as temperature regulation or muscle relaxation, while others affect you internally, such as meditation.

What are coping skills? Coping skills are strategies that can help you regulate your mind, body, and nervous system whenever you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed. You can use different coping skills as tools to overcome emotional discomfort and anxiety, regaining your sense of control if things feel a little too chaotic. The best coping skills offer you empowerment, reminding you that while you may not be in control of every situation, you can choose how to respond to the challenges you face. 

At Ascend, we use coping skills as a core part of our approach during treatment. Learn about the different types of coping skills and how you can use them to stay grounded and calm from the expert team at Ascend!

Benefits of Coping Skills

Now that you know what coping skills are, you can better understand how they can benefit you with regular use. Some of the top benefits of coping skills include:

• Reduce stress when you’re feeling overwhelmed
• Improve your focus and decision-making under stress
• Find a sense of control during uncertain moments
• Regulate your mind and body more quickly

The Best Coping Skills

There are various types of coping skills, each one designed to assist different types of people and address unique situations. Let’s cover some of the most common, including STOP skill, interpersonal effective skills, and distress tolerance, so you understand more about what coping skills are.

Stop Skill

This type of coping skill is part of the DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) arsenal. STOP is an acronym that reminds you to take specific actions in the face of obstacles:

• Stop: Freeze for a moment — don’t even speak! Let your mind catch up with what you’re feeling.

• Take a step back: If you’re still feeling overwhelmed, try to refocus with some deep breathing and give yourself more time to think.

• Observe: Review what’s happening around you and inside you. Assess the situation to make more effective choices.

• Proceed mindfully: Ask yourself what you want from the outcome of this situation and how you can achieve that outcome in the best possible way — then proceed.

Interpersonal Effective Skills

Another tool from DBT, the goals with this skill are to clarify your goals and maintain self-respect. Some common interpersonal effective skills include GIVE, FAST, and DEAR MAN. Each of these is an acronym that helps you remember what to do when under stress:

• GIVE: Be Gentle, Act Interested, Validate Feelings, Be Easy
• FAST: Be Fair, Don’t Apologize, Stick to your Values, Tell the Truth
• DEAR MAN: Describe, Express, Assert, Reinforce, Mindful, Appear, Negotiate

Distress Tolerance

Distress tolerance is a series of strategies that can help you handle your emotional distress without making it worse. What are these coping skills? See below:

• TIPP: Use physical elements to calm your nervous system to change your Temperature, try Intense exercise, Pace your breathing, and practice Progressive muscle relaxation.

• Self-Soothing: Use the five senses to regulate yourself internally. Focus on listing different things you can hear, see, taste, smell, and touch to restore balance.

• Distraction: Get temporary relief from stress by distracting yourself through mindful activities. Practice a hobby, help someone else out, or engage in meditation to take your mind off the situation until you’re ready to process it.

Find Help at Ascend

If you’re still not sure what coping skills are or how they can help you break through disruptive emotions, the Ascend team is here to help. Each of our facilities has a different focus to provide you with targeted support for your mental health concerns. Find help for yourself or a loved one at Ascend today.

Reach out to find out whether our residential treatment programs, outpatient services, or virtual IOP are the right choice for you.