Coping strategies

Coping strategies are of great importance for those who, due to their professional activities or for some other reasons, are stressed or experiencing heightened emotional stress. The verb "to cope" means "to cope," "fight," "cope," fight. "

For the first time the term "coping strategy" began to be used in 1962 year. He was used by Murphy in the process of studying children's crises in development. He later described the copying strategy of Lazarus in his book, calling them "coping with stress and anxiety." The American psychologist defined stress as discomfort, which is formed in the absence of a balance between the demands and the environment of a person.

Coping strategies are complexes of different behavioral techniques, models that are aimed at overcoming an excessive, demanding "bar" of needs, requests in life, thinking about which a person enters a state of stress and anxiety.

The methodology is chosen in accordance with a specific problem. Equally important is the state of a person. Today, there are various coping strategies, all of which are conditionally combined into eight groups. To find the right method, you need to know how a person reacts to stress.

So, for example, the choice of coping strategy "confrontation" is used as a fierce answer to specific living conditions. In the framework of this methodology, a person hostilely perceives a stressful situation and responds to it accordingly. Such a strategy is appropriate if there is a real and specific threat. If the threat is false, then the condition may worsen. In addition, the use of the "confrontation" technique is often associated with a violation of the law or acts against conscience.

The strategy of "self-control" is a suppression of emotions by a person. This technique is used to move to reasonable actions. Such a strategy should be used in emergency situations, force majeure. However, if the opponent is bluffing, then this technique is not suitable.

The strategy of "seeking support" is a person's request for help to relatives or like-minded people. Such a technique is used in the loss of a loved one, during adversity, personal grief. This strategy does not allow you to remain alone in difficult moments. The use of the "search for support" method should be justified. If a person abuses this strategy, a negative opinion can form about him.

Technique of "escape" is a departure from the problem. At the same time, responsibility for actions is shifted to other people. Usually this technique does not work.

The "planning" strategy is the development of an exact plan for solving the problem (exit from the situation). Such a technique is appropriate with increasing danger, is used with an unfavorable forecast of the outcome of the case. In the case when the scale of the approaching threat is not comparable with the possibilities for elimination, escape will be more appropriate.

The method of "positive reassessment" is the desire to see the positive aspects in each situation. This strategy is appropriate where there is practically nothing to do with a person. At the same time, the technique becomes ineffective if concentration is lost at some point.

The strategy of making mistakes, responsibility as a given. This method is used by strong-willed and strong people. However, in this case, there are situations when a person is not able to take on too great a burden of responsibility.

The strategy of "postponing responsibility" is also called "distancing from the problem". This technique is advisable when the opponent is furious and aggressive. However, if you need an instant solution to a problem, such a strategy will not work.