Break your maladaptive coping patterns with five effective techniques

Anxiety and stress can certainly make people feel low and cause a lot of problems in their life. 

Now in order to cope with the anxiety, they often find different ways. 

Generally, people reduce stress and anxiety through adaptive and maladaptive coping. 

However, there is a big difference between the two. 

Adaptive is considered to be a positive coping strategy, whereas maladaptive is deemed as a negative strategy. 

There is a reason for that. 

Adaptive coping behavior allows you to make your functioning better, whereas maladaptive do not. 

Maladaptive coping may certainly help you in the short run, but it will affect your mental health and would make you weak in dealing with stressful situations. 

But there is nothing to worry about. 

Follow the top 5 effective techniques mentioned below and break your maladaptive coping patterns today! 

1 Meditation
Meditation is certainly one of the most effective ways of breaking maladaptive coping patterns. 

It not only allows you to balance your life in the best manner possible but also gives you an opportunity to become more creative, focused, and sharp. 

Along with this, meditation also enables you not to think of one thing for a longer period of time and allows you to distract yourself from things that are making you feel anxious or stressed. 

2 Self CompassionHaving a mindset of self-compassion is better for you in comparison to having a mindset where you always tend to see yourself with shame. 

The latter would not make you feel confident about yourself in the long run, but being self-compassionate would always make you feel good about yourself regardless of the situation. 

Here is an interesting fact for you. 

In order to mitigate distress, our brain releases oxytocin, a feel-good neurotransmitter, and being self-compassionate does that job. 

3 Cognitive RestructuringCognitive restructuring is unquestionably important for a person as this certainly helps them deal with issues such as distorted thoughts. 

Most people may not know this, but distorted thoughts can prove to be extremely dangerous for you as this causes more anxiety and stress. 

Change your negative thoughts with more positive and healthy thoughts, and you will certainly see a major change in yourself. 

You can also get help through mental health counseling with a professional in this field. 
4 DistractionIn order not to engage yourself in negative thoughts or rather behaviors that are considered to be unhealthy, you must try your level best to distract yourself by focusing on various different activities. 

You can do whatever you like and prefer to do. 

For example, you can read books, listen to some good music, do any sports activity, or whatever that you find interesting and fun. 
5 Thought StoppingThought-stopping is a fantastic technique that most people use in order to resist unnecessary and negative thoughts. 

Now there are two different things you can do for that purpose. 

Either start thinking about more productive and good things or engage in any sort of activity that causes a physical reaction.

Whatever you do, just make sure you do not allow your negative thoughts to take control of you. 

You will surely feel better and more confident and will eventually break your maladaptive coping patterns. 

Just believe in yourself! 


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