Coping, Self-care, and Resilience

Stress

Less about the event itself and more about how we react to what is happening.

Types of Stressors

Categories of stress that include daily hassles, change, traumatic events, chronic situations, and socio-cultural conditions.

Daily Hassles

Micro-stressors such as losing keys, work conflict, and relationship problems.

Traumatic Events

Significant stressors such as war, accidents, sexual assault, and violence.

Chronic Situations

Long-term stressors such as poverty and chronic illness.

Emotion-focused Coping

Regulating emotional distress by addressing the emotional response.

Problem-focused Coping

Attempting to control stressors by defining and interpreting them, and planning solutions.

Avoidance-focused Coping

Avoiding the stressor by engaging in other activities.

Adaptive Coping

Coping strategies that are aligned with the stressor and aim to reduce stress.

Maladaptive Coping

Avoidance-based behaviors that do not lead to long term benefits.

Emotional Processing

Understanding one’s reactions to the stressor.

Positive Emotions

Emotions that are associated with satisfaction and resilience.

Resilience

Bouncing back and bouncing forward from adversity.

Supportive Relationships

Circumstances like supportive relationships that contribute to happiness.

Intentional Actions

Deliberate activities that enhance happiness and prevent negative adaptation.

Self-care

Taking care of oneself in various dimensions including emotional, physical, and environmental.

Six Basic Emotions

Disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, surprise, and joy.

Cognitive Coping

Changing one’s thinking to resolve a problem.

Perspective Taking

Contextualizing an individual situation to understand its severity.

Gratitude

A protective factor against adversity that contributes to resilience.