Coping with Stress
Coping with Stress
Michael A. Walker
30 November 2014
Psy 216
Professor Taylor
Since I separated from the military last year I have been under an increased amount of stress. Things from work, school, living situation, family, financials, etc. With this increase in stress I have increased, enhanced, and developed new coping mechanism. I use many different types of ways to cope with my stress, which all depends on what the stress is, is it new to me, did I foresee it, is it out of my control, and is it worth stressing over in the first place.
Stress can be defined as “an unpleasant and arousing experience that fills people with negative and unhealthy emotions” (Kassin, Fein, Markus, 2014). Lazarus and Folkman (1984) designated two general types of coping strategies, problem-focused coping, and emotion-focused coping. Problem-focused coping is cognitive and behavioral efforts to alter a stressful situation, and emotional-focused coping is cognitive and behavioral efforts to reduce the distress produced by a stressful situation. A third alternative has been presented by Shelly Taylor and and Lisa Aspinwall, this alternative is known as proactive coping. Proactive coping is up-front efforts to ward off or modify the onset of a stressful event. Then there is social support, the helpful coping resources provided by friends and other people.(Kassin, Fein, Markus, 2014)
Of the four types of coping strategies mentioned, I use all of them. I use problem-focused coping when I feel like the situation either could have been avoided or could be remedied with a deal of effort on my behalf. Like most people I do like stress, and I try to do everything that I can to end it, and I try to do so without causing myself additional stress. When it comes to financial stress, I will try to find ways to either work more hours or do something to make more money. Of course, taking that approach can cause me additional stress, especially while going to school
Michael A. Walker
30 November 2014
Psy 216
Professor Taylor
Since I separated from the military last year I have been under an increased amount of stress. Things from work, school, living situation, family, financials, etc. With this increase in stress I have increased, enhanced, and developed new coping mechanism. I use many different types of ways to cope with my stress, which all depends on what the stress is, is it new to me, did I foresee it, is it out of my control, and is it worth stressing over in the first place.
Stress can be defined as “an unpleasant and arousing experience that fills people with negative and unhealthy emotions” (Kassin, Fein, Markus, 2014). Lazarus and Folkman (1984) designated two general types of coping strategies, problem-focused coping, and emotion-focused coping. Problem-focused coping is cognitive and behavioral efforts to alter a stressful situation, and emotional-focused coping is cognitive and behavioral efforts to reduce the distress produced by a stressful situation. A third alternative has been presented by Shelly Taylor and and Lisa Aspinwall, this alternative is known as proactive coping. Proactive coping is up-front efforts to ward off or modify the onset of a stressful event. Then there is social support, the helpful coping resources provided by friends and other people.(Kassin, Fein, Markus, 2014)
Of the four types of coping strategies mentioned, I use all of them. I use problem-focused coping when I feel like the situation either could have been avoided or could be remedied with a deal of effort on my behalf. Like most people I do like stress, and I try to do everything that I can to end it, and I try to do so without causing myself additional stress. When it comes to financial stress, I will try to find ways to either work more hours or do something to make more money. Of course, taking that approach can cause me additional stress, especially while going to school