When you notice high stress levels in yourself or others, do you feel confident in how to offer help? Studies on coping reveal that creativity can play a significant role by creating space to reflect and feel better in new or different ways. Why? Because healthy coping involves deciding how to manage emotions or engage in problem-solving about a stressful situation. 

Finding strategies and coping styles can boost your mental and physical well-being during stressful periods. The good news is that once you understand your approach to coping, you can more confidently offer support to others. 

 

Emotional support vs. problem-solving

Let’s break down what emotional vs problem-solving support can look like based on the Brief COPE inventory.

As you consider the approaches below, ask yourself:

  • Which of these do I already use often?
  • Which of these can I use more often?
  • If I had to choose two from each category, which one would be most helpful to me?

Emotion focused coping occurs when:

  • You seek emotional support from others.
  • You say things to release tough feelings.
  • You try to see things in a different light to make them seem more positive. 
  • You find comfort and understanding from someone in your life.
  • You make jokes to lighten your mood.
  • You accept the reality of what is happening around you.
  • You find comfort in your spiritual or religious beliefs.

Problem-solving coping occurs when:

  • You concentrate your resources on doing something about the situation. 
  • You take action to make the situation better.
  • You seek help or advice from other people on what to do.
  • You try to come up with a strategy for what to do.
  • You spend time thinking about what steps you will take.

It is a good sign and worth celebrating if you notice yourself or your partner coping with stress using these strategies. Overall, many people are already coping in the best ways they know how. By looking for stress clues and prioritizing healthy forms of coping, you are doing what you can to support your and others’ mental health and emotional well-being. Your commitment is worthy of celebration!

References

  1. Wakeel F., Hannah J., Gorfinkel L., “Stress, coping, and quality of life in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic.” PLOS ONE 18(5): e0277741 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0277741 
  2. National Institutes of Health, “Press Reset on Stress, https://files.nccih.nih.gov/press-reset-on-stress-flyer.pdf?_gl=1*jdo9kk*_ga*MjA4OTgyNjY0Mi4xNzMzOTc4MzM4*_ga_N38PWG04DD*MTczODg3MjQ0OC4xLjEuMTczODg3MjQ2MS4wLjAuMA..
  3. Carver, C. S. “You want to measure coping but your protocol’too long: Consider the brief cope.” International journal of behavioral medicine, 4(1), (1997): 92-100.
  4. Tan, C. Y., Chuah, C. Q., Lee, S. T., & Tan, C. S. “Being Creative Makes You Happier: The Positive Effect of Creativity on Subjective Well-Being.” International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(14), (2021): 7244. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147244

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