Coping Mechanisms: Part II

On The Go Wellness Chiropractor Miami: Herniated Discs-Coping Mechanisms-Part 2
Hello again, my dears! Today I’m popping in to follow up on something we began discussing in June and then realized it was such an important (and lengthy) topic it deserved a two-part series; unhealthy coping mechanisms, their causes, and their alternatives. As you probably know, June is LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transexual, and Queer) Pride Month! Here in Miami we have a great LGBTQ community full of influencers, activists, and just overall a vibrant and welcoming group of people.

To recap, in June we discussed unhealthy coping mechanisms and their potential causes. Some of the unhealthy mechanisms we covered were over/undereating, excessive alcohol consumption, impulse shopping, and watching too much tv. We explored how these habits had several potential causes in common. Often things like boredom, stress, depression, distress intolerance (feeling incapable of handling distressing feelings and looking to numb them),or lacking a sense of accomplishment/purpose can be responsible for some or all of your unhealthy habits rendering them unhealthy coping mechanisms. As you probably know, June is LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transexual, and Queer) Pride Month! Here in Miami we have a great LGBTQ community full of influencers, activists, and just overall a vibrant and welcoming group of people.

However, new month, new you, right? So today we want to discuss the alternatives. The light side, so to say.

1. Find The Root Cause

On The Go Wellness Chiropractor Miami: Herniated Discs-Coping Mechanisms-Part 2
The first step to finding a healthy alternative is to get to the bottom of what is causing the undesired behavior. What are you really trying to accomplish by buying those 7 dresses or eating that entire pint of ice cream? Is it to stop feeling sad? Is it to relieve stress after a bad work week? A coping mechanism is just our body and mind’s way of seeking a quick change of state. In other words, you just need to identify what state you’re trying to change.

2. Explore How Those Needs Can be Met in a Healthier Way

On The Go Wellness Chiropractor Miami: Herniated Discs-Coping Mechanisms-Part 2
So let’s say you’ve discovered that you’re painfully bored after work every day and you’ve gotten into the habit of eating sweets to fill the void. What’s another way that you can stimulate your brain? Can you find a hobby? What if the root of your excessive alcohol consumption is that you’re attempting to numb feelings of loneliness or sadness? Perhaps looking into therapy could help.

3. Choose Your Alternatives and Build That Healthy Coping Muscle

On The Go Wellness Chiropractor Miami: Herniated Discs-Coping Mechanisms-Part 2
I like to compare most healthy habits to a muscle you need to build. The muscle is there, but it must be worked to grow and become strong. If it isn’t it will wither and become weak, and other muscles (bad coping mechanisms in this analogy) will overcompensate for the work that it isn’t doing.

Some Alternatives for Boredom:

On The Go Wellness Chiropractor Miami: Herniated Discs-Coping Mechanisms-Part 2
Find a hobby (one that uses your hands may be especially useful for avoiding things like overeating/drinking), expand your social circle by joining clubs or local groups with similar interests, or perhaps, get more involved at work and take on more responsibilities.

Alternatives for Lack of Purpose

On The Go Wellness Chiropractor Miami: Herniated Discs-Coping Mechanisms-Part 2
This is a tough one, but a good one. If you’ve discovered you’re feeling stuck/stalled in life, this is not only a problem but an opportunity. You can change your life by identifying this problem and making a decision to act on it. First, think about what makes you feel happy. What makes you feel like you’ve had a good, successful day? Start there. What are you good at? It’s not only important to feel some sort of passion or investment in what you dedicate your time to, but also that you’re good at it. If you’re a terrible writer, you may not want to move into a role at work that requires extensive copy work.

Add Your Heading Text Here

On The Go Wellness Chiropractor Miami: Herniated Discs-Coping Mechanisms-Part 2
This is a fun one, because it’s so variable. There are a million ways to cope with stress and address feelings head on. Things like journaling, attending therapy, prioritizing healthy social connections, and making time for self-care all come into play and have a huge impact.

However, I feel it’s important to mention the concept of emotional vulnerability. Not in the sense of being vulnerable around others intentionally, but in the sense of being unintentionally vulnerable to emotional swings due to not taking care of basic needs. A huge part of coping with stress and distress (see what I did there) is taking care of your very basic needs first such as nourishing your body with healthy food, hydration, adequate rest, and movement. Your monthly chiropractic visit/massage is not a luxury, or simply a medical need, it’s also a psychological necessity.

By taking care of your body, you are taking care of your mind. Come see us this month and talk to us about your healthy (or unhealthy) coping mechanisms, we’d be glad to conduct a lifestyle audit with you in order to ensure that you’re reaching the highest levels of personal wellness you can.

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Dr. Nichole A. Walz

Dr. Nichole A. Walz

Dr. Josh Huddleston, and I are the founders of On-The-Go Wellness®. We are husband & wife, who just so happen to be Board Certified, Licensed, Chiropractic Physicians & Certified Yoga Instructors! After practicing with other clinics in the USA and Singapore for the past 5 years, we decided to start On-The-Go Wellness® to fit our active, mobile lifestyles.

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