Coping Strategies for Anxious Times

Pandemic, inflation, war-there is plenty to be stressed about. There are effective ways to manage the strain, but it's important to use them in a healthy way

- By Robin Abrahams and Boris Groysberg. Photographs by C.J. Burton and Getty

HEALTH

ANXIETY IS ON THE RISE, BUT IT DOESN'T always reveal itself through sweating, stammering or other obvious signs. Anxiety can show up in many guises, among them irritability, fatigue, sleep problems, even gastric issues.

It can also manifest itself in several different behaviors meant to reduce anxiety-anything from binge-watching TV to quitting your job to dyeing your hair purple. These are known as defense mechanisms or coping strategies, and while they can be helpful, they can also sometimes be harmful. Here are five common types, in both their healthy and unhealthy versions, and some ideas for putting them to effective use for yourself and the people around you.

Seeking Comfort (Regression)

Everyone seeks comfort. You are regressing, however, when you act on a desire to chuck your age-appropriate responsibilities. As any parent can attest, this is a very common coping mechanism for children in moments of stress. Anxious children will often return to things they had outgrown like thumb-sucking, tantrums, clinginess, baby talk or whining. In adults, regressive behavior often involves returning to old habits or hobbies-listening to beloved music from your high school years, rewatching old TV shows, picking up an abandoned craft project.

Many of these activities are physically and mentally healthy: naps, warm baths, eating favorite comfort foods, rereading childhood books, doing simple crafts, playing board games, getting exercise in the form of jumping rope or hiking with your dog, decorating or dressing in a cozy way. Regression is unhealthy, though, when seeking comfort escalates into seeking oblivion through alcohol, drugs, excessive sleeping or eating or when people are unable to resume their adult roles and responsibilities.