How To Recognize Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms In Teens
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There are many struggles that teenagers may face as they grow up that can lead them to turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms. Though it’s perfectly normal for teens to experience and work through stressful situations, finding healthy ways to do so can have a significant, positive impact on their mental health and make a huge difference in their ability to handle conflict and negative thoughts later in life. If they develop unhealthy ways to cope at a young age—which may be damaging to themselves and others—they will likely return to the same behaviors in adulthood. Recognizing them is the first step toward encouraging healthier behaviors.
Examples of unhealthy coping mechanisms in teenagers
It’s difficult to change behaviors that you’re not aware of meaningfully. Recognizing the signs of some common unhealthy coping mechanisms in your child can be the first tool you need to support them in making changes.
Self-isolation
One of the most common methods teens use when dealing with difficult feelings or circumstances is to withdraw and isolate themselves. It may take the form of avoiding social situations, spending most of their time in their rooms, or seeming quiet or closed off. Spending some time alone is perfectly normal and even healthy, but getting too comfortable feeling cut off from others can lead to suppressed emotions or trouble relating to people in the long run.
Research shows that having a strong social support network in one’s life correlates to a lower risk of physical and mental illnesses such as high blood pressure, heart disease, anxiety, and depression. Plus, having connections to people they trust can be an important resource for teenagers as they work through challenging situations and emotions. Developing the habit of reaching out for help in tough times instead of isolating can help a teenager through life’s ups and downs and set them up for a more supportive and emotionally stable future.
Risky behaviors
If a teenager is feeling anxious or believes that they’re not in control of the circumstances of their lives, they may begin to engage in risky behaviors as an unhealthy coping mechanism. These behaviors could include underage substance use, excessive substance use, engaging in risky sex, spending large amounts of money on shopping (sometimes referred to as “retail therapy”), or participating in illegal activities. They may be seeking the attention or support that they’re missing in their lives, they may want to feel like they have control over their own situation, or they may be interested in the rush of instant gratification. Whatever the motivation, these behaviors can be dangerous—especially since they’re likely to escalate over time if left unchecked, which, in the case of substance use, can turn into a slippery slope to addiction.
To help teenagers avoid these practices, giving them adequate attention and support is usually important. Helping them find appropriate outlets for their emotions can be useful, too. Educating them on safety and how to make good decisions is generally important as well. Taking up boxing, running, journaling, painting, or meditating can all be healthier options for expressing emotions and expending excess energy than turning to alcohol, for instance.
Self-harm
Self-harm is an increasingly common problem among adolescents that involves intentionally physically hurting one’s body to relieve emotional pain or distress. Again, it may be a teen’s response to a feeling of not being in control of their own lives or a sense of low self-esteem. Acts of self-harm can also release a short burst of endorphins, which can result in a temporary numbing sensation. While you can sometimes recognize self-harm injuries on a teen’s arms or legs, teenagers will often take care to hide such signs from view. In this case, you may only become aware of self-harming behaviors if you find the tools they’re using, or you notice that they lock themselves in their room for extended periods, especially after a tough day or upsetting news. Teenagers who are self-harming may benefit from professional help, including group or individual therapy.
Healthy coping strategies for teenagers
How to help your teen develop healthy coping strategies
Some healthy coping skills for teens to build include:
1. Build healthy habits
Try to cultivate healthy habits like eating well, sleeping enough, and exercising regularly, as a variety of studies have found that physical and mental health are intertwined.
2. Practice positive self-talk
Many teens are prone to negative self-talk, which often takes the form of being too hard on themselves as part of their internal dialogue. Since studies indicate that positive thinking can have a range of benefits for physical and mental health, building this ability at a young age can have life-long benefits.
3. Find an alternative outlet
Finding an outlet, whether it’s sports, art, or whatever else they may be interested in can benefit your child in several ways. A hobby can give your teen a way to express emotions, build confidence, and find joy. It can also be a healthy way to build community – evidence suggests that when kids have at least one trusted friend or family in their lives that they feel they can rely on, they have improved physical and mental health outcomes.
(Mental health research is constantly evolving, so older sources may contain information or theories that have been reevaluated since their original publication date.)
Online therapy for teens encountering mental health challenges
For teens who are encountering mental health challenges, engaging in unhealthy behaviors, or simply wanting to learn about healthy and unhealthy coping mechanisms, a therapist can be a great resource.
Developing healthy coping strategies with online therapy
A trained mental health professional can provide teenagers with a safe, nonjudgmental space to express their emotions and receive guidance on identifying positive strategies for working through stress and life’s tough situations.
The efficacy of online therapy for stress and other mental health concerns
Since research suggests that both in-person and online therapy can be effective, you can seek treatment for your teen in either format. If you believe virtual therapy would be the best fit for them, an online therapy platform like TeenCounseling can connect them with a licensed therapist that they can speak with via phone, video call, and/or online chat.
Takeaway
Frequently asked questions
What are the effects of unhealthy coping skills?
Unhealthy coping skills may provide temporary relief, but when you use them, you only avoid the issue without addressing the root cause. By avoiding the problem, you prevent yourself from finding solutions, which can prolong the distress and lead to negative emotions or consequences or mental health problems or a mental illness.
What is an unhealthy ways of coping with stress?
One unhealthy way of coping with stress is self-isolation. Self-isolation involves avoiding certain social situations, spending time alone at home, and being generally quiet and closed off to other people. Spending some time alone to process your emotions can be beneficial, but cutting others off can cause suppressed emotions and lead to trouble connecting with people in the long run.
What causes unhealthy coping mechanisms?
Many things can contribute to unhealthy coping mechanisms; often, the roots may be in childhood. If we lacked good role models or did not have our emotions met with kindness and empathy, we may have learned to process things in an unhealthy way. Some people may not know healthy coping mechanisms to implement, while others may not have access to resources or a strong support system.
Unhealthy coping mechanisms can become bad habits, things we automatically turn to without thinking in response to stress. These can be difficult to change and may require the help of a therapist to work through.
What are unhealthy coping mechanisms adolescents may utilize?
Three common coping mechanisms in adolescence are self-isolation, risky behaviors, and self-harm.
What are healthy and unhealthy coping skills?
Healthy coping skills
Healthy and unhealthy coping skills are how we deal with stress and challenges in life. Health coping skills or adaptive coping mechanisms are those that help us process emotions and events and move through them and forward in a healthy way. Healthy coping skills can include getting help from a friend or professional, practicing self-care, improving problem solving skills, or exercising.
Unhealthy coping mechanisms
Unhealthy or maladaptive coping mechanisms are generally those that allow us to avoid the problem without really dealing with it. Some examples of unhealthy coping skills can be substance abuse, denial, isolation, and self-harm.
What are unhealthy coping mechanisms for anger?
Some maladaptive coping strategies for anger can include denying or repressing anger, transferring our anger onto something or someone else, or deadening feelings so as not to feel anger at all.
Is sleeping an unhealthy coping mechanism?
Getting enough sleep can be an essential part of learning how to heal, but too much sleep can be considered an unhealthy coping mechanism. Oversleeping can be a way to avoid and escape the problems and stress in your life instead of figuring out how to deal with them and can make you feel worse.
What is the purpose of coping mechanisms?
Coping mechanisms are meant to help us manage stressful situations. They can be problem-focused, in which case they help us try to eliminate or alter the cause of our stress, or emotion-focused, which is when we try to change how we react to relieve stress.
What is a healthy coping mechanism for stress?
Healthy coping mechanisms help us face and process difficult emotions, solve problems, and work toward growth. Generally, they are beneficial for our mental and physical health. Some examples can be self-care, physical exercise, positive affirmations, or reaching out to a friend or family member for social coping.
How do I identify my coping mechanisms?
One way to determine what you use as a coping mechanism is to pay attention to what you do when you feel stressed or uncomfortable. Then, try to determine if these things are helping or if you are letting destructive behaviors take control. Generally, if something seems more like an addiction or a release instead of something that increases your comfort and joy,happy, it may be considered an unhealthy coping mechanism.
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