There is a terrific article in the NY Times today that is a must read for everyone who will eventually die (that’s you & me). It talks about the “you must fight” attitude many of us think we should have and expect of other people when they are very ill.  Is this the best for them and us?

Did you know that there are at at least four major relaxation techniques to reduce stress. Most people have a particular favorite. I often think that when people tell me they have not had success with relaxation techniques it is because they have not found the one that is right for them! We all respond differently to suggestion.

I personally have tried all 4 before I decided which one is best for me. Let me tell you about them.

The NY Times Had a Great magazine issue This Past Sunday on Environmental Issues.

In it there was a brief mention of “eco anxiety”. This is identified as a “generalized worry about the environment”

Eco anxiety is not new, it is just reaching a threshold where it is becoming recognizable. People are talking more about the environment and realizing the importance of protecting it, even if they don’t believe in global warming.

The question is what do you do about Eco-Anxiety and about protecting the environment. Many people feel powerless to do anything or and don’t know what to do, they become immobilized.

Remember the four major coping styles I identified in my last post?

•1.    Aggressive

•2.    Regressive

•3.    Withdrawal

•4.     Repressive 

I also posed some questions to stimulate thought about coping and to encourage you to identify your particular style. I believe self-awareness is the road to mental health.

Let me try to answer these questions in the manner of a professional therapist.

• Is one style more effective then another?
  Hmm, it depends, what do you think?    

Here in Mental Health Hints, we have been talking some about coping with stress in our lives. As you may remember coping mechanisms are specific techniques everyone uses to deal with stress. They are also called “defense mechanisms”.

 Today I want to say a little more about styles of coping.  A style is a particular way something is expressed or said or done.  Each one of the defense mechanisms we have discussed (and will discuss) fit best with  a certain style of coping.  We all tend to  have a  most  comfortable  coping style, the one we use most often. This is especially true in very stressful situations or crisis.

In previous posts I spoke about defense  mechanisms in general, and  supression in  particular.  I also promised more.

Well here it is:  lets talk more about a fairly common defense mechanism:

Rationalization

 You know about rationalization, it what Archie Bunker does!  (And probably lots of other people you know, maybe you even do it yourself once in a while!) 

If you are feeling down, here is a quick way to feel better.

Laughter is truly good medicine. Research has shown it can

• improve your mood
• help to lower your blood pressure
• help you deal with stress
• boost  your immune system
• make you relax and feel good.
• release  endorphins
• improve breathing 
• reduce anxiety

If you havent read Norman Cousins Book Anatomy of an Illness, his account of using laughter to win a battle with a severe illness you should.

In the meantime laugh. Babies laughing is very contageous!

   In previous blogs I talked about the use of  defense mechanisms  as a way of coping. I realized that I may have jumped the gun and not have  described clearly what coping is.  Coping  is a word we are all familiar with and use often, but do we know what the word really means? Coping is an almost automatic psychological regulation process that we all use when we feel a little off balance psychologically. Being off balance means experiencing feelings that may be unpleasant or just unwanted such as: anger, fear, embarrassment, and even closeness or intimacy for some (and lots of variations on these.) It occurs when our emotional security and comfort level begins to feel shaken in some way. During a crisis we all use our most familiar comfortable  coping / defense  mechanisms often unconsciously.

Now that I have wetted your appetite for information on defense mechanisms lets talk about supression.

  Supression is a theoretical concept based on the work of Freud. It is a common way of coping with anxiety and crises for some people.  Scarlett OHara, the heroine of Gone with the Wind is a prime example of someone  who uses suppression as a defense mechanism. There are multiple examples of this throughout the movie, as she consciously  pushes away thoughts that cause psychological discomfort and anxiety.  As the movie shows this is a technique that sometimes works well, while at other times does not.  

I personally am fascinated with defense mechanisms and coping skills, however if its not your cup of tea I won’t be hurt if you click on.

In my last post I mentoned that defense mechanisms are methods of coping that we all use; they are necessary for our mental health. The purpose of defenses is to reduce anxiety in stressful situations so that we may continue to function and not be overwhelmed by the stressor.

Some common defense mechanisms are:

• Supression

• Denial 

• Rationalization

• Intellectualization