How do people cope with stress?
Coping strategies refer to specific effort to deal with a stressful event. Some people cope by doing something active to reduce a stressor. For example, people change deadlines when they feel overwhelmed by demands, take an alternate route when stuck in traffic, or make payment arrangements when faced with financial problems. Some people cope by dealing with feelings related to stressors. For example, people talk to others about their feelings, try to relax, or change the way they choose to think about things to decrease unpleasant emotions. Both problem–focused and emotion–focused strategies are effective strategies for coping with most stressful events.16 Some people are more comfortable using one strategy over the other. Problem–focused strategies are helpful in situations where you have control and can actually solve the problem. Emotion–focused strategies may be more useful in situations that are less solution–oriented.
