Hi Ducks! Whether you have big travel plans or plan to stay local, spring break is right around the corner. Even though some students experience spring break as a time for rest and relaxation, it can sometimes be more stressful than we expect. With the stress of finals and everything in-between, this blog post will discuss coping and coping strategies that can help you feel better.

So, what is coping, anyway? Coping happens in response to mental or psychological stress, usually triggered by life changes. It is an effort to return to mental and emotional wellbeing. Coping strategies are the behaviors, thoughts, and emotions that you use to adjust to the changes in your life. You can use coping skills in all aspects of life, from academic and relationship concerns to identity exploration and periods of transition or change.

There are five major types of coping: Physical, Emotional, Cognitive, Behavioral, and Spiritual. Physical coping refers to addressing the physical symptoms of stress. You can do this by taking a yoga class, getting a massage or practicing deep breathing to help your body relax. It could even be choosing to eat something healthy instead of grabbing Chipotle at the EMU for the sixth time in a row (we’re calling ourselves out on this one).

Emotional coping is all about addressing the emotional symptoms of stress. This can look like venting to your BFF, calling a supportive family member, participating in a support group, or journaling if you prefer writing over talking things out.

Cognitive coping is about addressing negative or unhelpful thoughts - the mental symptoms of stress. Sometimes when things feel out of our control, we might be a little more self-critical towards ourselves and less forgiving of our own mistakes. Working through this in a healthy way could include: checking our thoughts against reality, treating ourselves with kindness and compassion, and cognitive therapy.

Behavioral coping gets at undoing destructive patterns or routines - the action symptoms of stress. Establishing healthy habits, taking a break from substance use, or even trying a new activity with a friend can help you feel less stuck.

Last, but certainly not least, spiritual coping can include things like prayer or meditation. In Native traditions, it may include ceremony, journeying or singing songs of power.

What about less healthy coping strategies? Now, you might be wondering, how can a strategy be unhealthy if it's helping me deal with stuff? That doesn’t make any sense! And believe us, we know it’s a hard sell, but just because a coping skill helps you manage emotional pain, doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Depending on the situation, it could actually cause more damage in the long run. The ones you might be most familiar with are alcohol and other substance use. While temporarily numbing the pain, overusing any substance (whether it’s alcohol, cannabis or other drugs) won’t resolve any of the conflicts you’re facing and might introduce new concerns, like increasing mental health symptoms, placing you at risk for a substance use problem, or creating legal, financial, and social challenges.

Other examples of unhealthy coping strategies are overeating, oversleeping, overspending, over-venting, and avoiding our issues altogether. Most people feel like venting is an important and helpful strategy when they’re not feeling great...and you’re right! Venting can be helpful when you’re trying to troubleshoot, get a new perspective, or find a solution. However, research suggests that venting frequently without a plan to resolve the problem can actually keep you stuck and contribute to feelings of hopelessness. Who knew?

So where does that leave us? How do we know which coping strategies to keep and which ones to get rid of? Great question! Not all coping strategies are created equal; what works for other students may not work for you - and that’s okay! It depends on what you’re trying to achieve through implementing the skill.

We suggest that you take a moment to check-in and ask yourself what you need. If you’re looking to feel rejuvenated and motivated, some students like to have an intense workout, while others might prefer an impromptu karaoke party-of-one in their room. If you’re looking to feel mellow and relaxed, some students like to do yoga and meditate, while others might like to curl up with a good book and a cup of tea. Find out what works best for you.

You might also try thinking about coping through a three-point process: benefits, downsides, and desired outcomes. Let’s use watching Netflix as an example: a benefit of watching Netflix might be that you can reduce your stress regarding a final you have next week. A downside might be that it takes a lot of time, time that you could use to study for that final. Your desired outcome might be to take a break from studying or to experience less stress for your exam. A healthy compromise might be to watch an hour of Netflix as a study break and also attend office hours to talk through some of your questions with your professor.

To sum it all up, coping skills are important. We could all benefit from coping strategies to manage the stress in our lives. There’s no such thing as cookie-cutter coping - one size does not fit all when it comes to coping skills. Find what works for YOU! Lastly, if the coping skills you are using stop working or you feel like you need more support, consider reaching out to a trusted friend, mentor, or going to Counseling Services. We are located on the second floor of University Health Services and offer services like same-day appointments, short-term individual therapy, crisis counseling, groups and wellness workshops, and alcohol and other drug (AOD) consultations.

And have a great spring break!

Samantha Martinez, AOD Clinical Extern & Dana Santiago, Doctoral Intern