Can you help me understand this Psychology question?

Please write 300 words minimum

In Chapter 21, page 599, coping methods of adults are discussed. For this discussion, address the following:

• What are some of the coping methods in Adulthood discussed in the chapter?
• Give three examples from your own experience of how these coping methods have been used by you or individuals you know.

Please reply to the following posts, 200 words minimum each post.

Post 1

Adults experience different life challenges, thereby subjecting them to stress and depression. People have various ways of coping up with stress and depression. Some may resort to drug abuse like alcohol consumption and smoking, long sleep durations, overeating and suicide. Chapter 21 discusses coping methods used by adults during stress and depression. Since coping involves cognition, adults decide on what best they do to tackle stress and depression. The first method is avoidant coping, which involves ignoring the problem by forgetting or hiding it. The avoidant coping method can be dangerous since it worsens depression and stress. The individual will battle to forget the stressor, but it keeps reappearing from time to time, thereby subjecting the person to more stress and depression.

Secondly, problem-focused coping is a method used by adults to combat stress and depression. I believe problem-focused coping is the safest and most effective way to cope with stressors because it involves confronting the situation or moving away from dangerous environments triggering the stress. Additionally, emotion-focused coping is another method used by individuals coping with stress, and it involves changing feelings when dealing with the stressor. For instance, a person becomes angry about a stressful situation; he accepts it and becomes stronger with time. Hence, adults need to consider appropriate methods when coping with stress and depression to stay healthy and develop themselves.

My uncle was in the high dependency unit due to drugs and substance abuse. He had problems with his employer, and his wife had divorced him. He used the avoidant coping method to forget his problem, leading him to excess alcohol consumption. I felt pity for him since he could have used other appropriate methods to avoid stress. In contrast, when I encounter stressful situations, I often utilize emotion-focused coping in combating stressors. I recall when my laptop fell into a pool of water. I had stored my photos, login credentials and project documents in it. Because of stress, I became angry and furious. I decided to throw it away since I was unable to repair it. Even though I was infuriated by the situation, I forgot the issue and purchased a new one.

My friend Larry uses the problem-focused method to tackle stressors and depression. Larry did not submit his assignments on time, and he was stressed and depressed about losing marks. I felt sorry for him since I could not help him. He decided to talk to the professor about the issue and apologized for the late submission. The professor understood him, giving him another deadline to submit the assignment. Larry felt a sigh of relief since the situation had been solved via confrontation.

Post 2

In chapter 21 we discussed the coping methods of adults and how we as emerging adults use coping methods in our everyday lives or in stressful situations. There are 3 types of methods that adults may use to cope, avoidant coping, problem-focused coping, and emotion-focused coping. Avoidant coping is a method of responding to stressful situations by ignoring , forgetting , or hiding it. This in essence is like repression when a person is better off putting a situation in the back of their mind and acting as if it does not exist. The next type of coping mechanism that most use is problem-focused coping , a strategy that deals with stress by tackling a stressful situation head on. For example, confronting a stressful boss or moving out of a dangerous neighborhood. I wonder if this an impulsive tactic or whether or not a person thinks of a plan or outcome before taking on a stressor directly. The last coping mechanism is emotion focused coping. This strategy deals with stress by changing the feeling about the stressor rather than the change of the stressor itself. I feel this is the best coping strategy out of the other two simply because it deals with reprogramming the mind in a more positive mindset. I think when you don’t give weight or leverage to a stresser it can be easier to handle or deal with directly .

It is seen that both culturally and biologically that men and women both respond to stress differently. Men tend to be problem-focused and reacting in a fight or flight manner. Their adrenaline increases and their heart rate increases. Which prepares them for attack. Women tend to be emotion-focused. They tend to seek other people in stressful times, their bodies produce a hormone called oxytocin which leads them to seek confidential and caring interactions. In many ways I have used these coping strategies interchangeably and have known people around me to use these strategies as well .

Starting with myself, I am someone who is problem-focused. I have found this to be my best way of dealing with stress by handling it head on. However, I have found times where I am more impulsive and do not think clearly of what actions I am going to take. Now that I am much older I am a lot more emotion-focused and have looked into changing my views on stress. Oftentimes I call on my friends for advice when I face a problem. I now have this rule where I give myself either 24 hours to cry and be emotional about a situation and after I have to deal with it in the best way possible . Other times I write down how I feel about the stressor and then read it out loud and then say “this does not serve me purpose and this is only temporary” after that I rip the paper and then think of ways to better the situation.

On the other hand , A friend of mine is avoidant when dealing with stress. Surprisingly, it has worked for them in the best ways possible. They come across a problem or troubling situation and then the next moment they act as though it never happened. When I ask them why they act so peachy in such troubling times , they simply respond that “ if I can avoid the issues and emotions that come with stress why not eliminate it from my thought process, the problem is still there but it does not need to linger in my mind day and night.” I never thought of it in that way because I always thought people who avoid things don’t take stuff seriously, but when my friend explained it to me from their point of view, it made perfect sense.