My Self
Coping
Learning How to Deal
Hey, we all face stressors in our lives and we all deal with these in different ways. However, what worked as a teenager may not work as well for you now as you are entering higher education settings, the work place, or even now that you are in your own apartment. So, take a deep breath, be honest with yourself and think about how you can "learn to deal" as a young adult.
For example, dealing with frustration. What are you in a habit of doing? Taking a "timeout", grabbing your IPOD, calling your best friend to vent, etc? Now think: what happens if I am on the job and I become frustrated? Taking a "time out" or walking away, listening to the IPOD or calling someone during your work hours could possibly get you fired from a job. If you are in a college class, you may be asked to leave the class as you are distracting & this could jeopardize your attendance record. If you are in an apartment, listening to loud music could even get you evicted.
What do you do?
Now is the time to talk to trusted others about helping you to discover healthy and mature ways to manage emotionally. Ways that can "buy you some time" until you are able to talk to a support person if needed. You can do it! You can "replace" old habits with new coping skills.
How do you handle relationship issues?
As you are getting older, more people may be entering your life and your personal relationships are maturing. Do you have someone to talk with to ask those "What should I do if…" type questions?
