Whatever the favored coping mechanism, it gets used over and over again and becomes the favored mechanism for coping, for escape, for the adrenalin rush, and ultimately for making you feel better now or, at the very least, feel less bad.
What have you used to cope with life in order to feel better or at least less bad? Make a list. Do you have a favorite? What is it?
As you may already know, in addition to providing you with an escape route from life’s problems your favored coping mechanism can cause any number of difficulties. Just a few of the difficulties are listed here. Your favored coping mechanism can:
- make it hard to get up in the morning
- make you unhealthy and even sick
- damage relationships irreparably
- wreck you financially
- ruin your reputation
- cost you your job
- land you in jail
- destroy your life
- or even kill you.
Even if your consequences aren’t this extreme, addictive use of your favored coping mechanism always diminishes your quality of life. Your favored coping mechanism never enhances life.
