You probably hear the terms “self-care” and “coping skills” a lot, but do you know the difference between the two?
An important part of mental wellness is being proactive about our mental health and finding healthy ways to cope with life’s challenges, like stress. We can do this by practicing self care regularly and using healthy coping skills when we need them.
When we experience stress and uncomfortable feelings, it can be harder for us to function as we normally would. These feelings can cause us to freeze up and not know what to do to feel better. If we don’t address the stress and uncomfortable feelings when we reach this point and just try to push through it, things can escalate into a mental health crisis.
Self-care is when we take action to improve and protect our own mental wellbeing and happiness. Know the saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”? Think of self-care like that. Self-care is most effective when practiced daily. Even if you have just 5 minutes to dedicate to self-care, there are activities you can still do. When you practice self-care regularly, you are better able to manage and reduce the future impact of stress and uncomfortable feelings.
Healthy coping skills are strategies you can use on-the-spot when you feel overwhelmed by stress or uncomfortable feelings, or are struggling to cope with difficult experiences and situations. Many of the strategies or activities you might do for self-care tend to overlap with coping skills.
The main difference between self-care and coping skills is when you use them:
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- Regularly (Daily/Weekly/etc.) = Self-Care
- In The Moment/As Needed = Coping Skills
Self care and healthy coping skills are not one-size-fits-all, and what works best for one person may not be the best fit for someone else. What works for you may not always work for you, so you may need to brainstorm new activities from time to time.
