I wanted to know if any of you have unhealthy coping strategies?

[bluenight]

Hi,

I've had depression and anxiety for years and years now, most of my adult life. Anyway, as you all know, having mental health issues effects your life in so many ways, for example it can cause problems with your

career, finances, friendships, romantice relationship, obesity, addictions, could go on and on.

Over the years I have used different unhealthy ways to cope, an example is alcohol. Whilst in the moment it's good, it' never really benefited me like healthy coping mechanisms have.

Just wondering whether other people have habits or vices that they rely on and what's been your experience with it, has it helped? has it made things worse?

[romantic_thi3f]

Hi,

Just wanted to give a little welcome to Bomber77 since I saw that this is your first post. I'm glad that you decided to join the forums! Feel free to start your own thread if you like if you want to chat about how you are going too.

rt

[bluenight]

Thanks for all the replies everyone..

I think everyone uses something to change their mood, ie. alcohol, sex, drugs, food, etc etc.

None of these help long term, there's no denying they help for a few hours days, weeks, months though.. but when you get off these/stop using, which you will eventually have to do, mental is the same as it was or even worse.

Wish I didn't use unhealthy coping mechanisms when I feel like it

[Guest_1643]

hi bluenight

love ur input, and thank u for ur post

a few years ago i went to a talk on SH

a mental health practioner spoke, as well as someone who had SHed and was in recovery

The MH practioner said that often ppl feel that by harming they are in a way protecting others. They can't fathom sharing their pain with someone. They think if they speak out they will make ppl scared, upset, and in some way hurt them. From a kind-hearted perspective, they don't want to hurt another human, and so they hurt themselves. Deep, deep, under layers of pain and inflicted damage, I believe our coping mecahnisms are a messed up way of dealing with pain. It doesn't work. But it resonated with me how ppl were acctually trying to protect and be sensitive to others in their cycle of SH.

Addictions and unhealthy coping strategies don't work, but are in some ways a form of self soothing. It's a deep topic that I am fascinated by, and try and understand.
 

[Guest9337]

I got to wonder what is unhealthy about coping.

If that's what one needs, then that's what one does.

We don't have to be perfect.

[Here2Talk]

This is true in a way.. But for eg overeating can lead to obesity or at least weight gain which is bad for self-esteem, regulation of body physiology which can cause long term health problems, and disregulate the mood anyway (which is what it was employed to fix in the first place). Same with alcohol and drugs - obviously they help only in the very short term, and in long term cause health, financial, relationship and even sometimes legal problems... sex, well that can sometimes hurt other people who can be treated as objects to create pleasure in the seeker, cause stds and etc etc....

But still, they are all understandable, given the immediate pain people can feel, as well as the desire to get rid of that pain.

[Guest_1643]

hi here2talk and all reading

it's definitely true, overeating etc and harming oneself through damaging coping strategies always have a cost

we often lose friends, confidence and opportunities because of our coping strategies

altough i am proud that i've survived this long, i have had a lot of issues with unhelpful coping strategies and addictions. We all have addictions, wether it be to screens or chocolate, i think everyone uses something to numb certain feelings. But at times it can be really harmful

[Learn to Fly]

Hi Sleepy21,

Thank you for your post. Such valuable thoughts. Thank you for sharing.

I would probably also add: comforting, numbing, making “fake” happy for awhile, helping to forget the reality, helping to pretend the reality doesn’t exist etc

You are so right about it.

[*Marie*]

Hi! 🙂

Yes, my unhealthy coping strategies are are few different ways of self-harming.

Basically, anything that will distract my mind.

[LJpd81]

Yes. Today even though I know I shouldn't, I reached for wine. It's bad, but I did.

It doesn't help. Although it does at the time. I end up listening to sad music crying. And being emotional.