Healthy vs. Unhealthy Coping Skills: Simple Ways to Handle Stress Better

Quick idea: Coping skills are the things we do to get through stress, challenges and difficult emotions. Healthy coping skills, like moving your body, listening to music or connecting with people you trust, help you manage stress in a way that lasts. Unhealthy coping skills, like emotional eating, endless scrolling or using alcohol or drugs, may bring short-term relief but often make stress harder to manage over time. The good news: small, realistic swaps can help you build healthier habits.

What are coping skills?

Coping skills are the ways we respond to stress, challenges and difficult emotions. Everyone uses them, often without thinking about it. A tough day at work, a disagreement with a partner, a busy week with the kids: each one prompts us to reach for something that helps us feel a little better.

There is no single right way to cope. The Canadian Mental Health Association notes that there is no one right way to deal with stress, and that different strategies work for different people. What matters most is whether a coping strategy actually helps you over time, or only takes the edge off for the moment.

Healthy vs. unhealthy coping skills: what’s the difference?

The main difference comes down to short-term relief versus long-term support.

• Healthy coping skills help you calm your body, process your feelings, or deal with the source of stress. They tend to leave you feeling a little steadier afterwards.
• Unhealthy coping skills help you avoid or numb uncomfortable feelings. They can feel good in the moment, but they usually don’t solve the problem causing the stress, and some can create new problems of their own.

Healthy coping skills	Unhealthy coping skills
Connecting with others	Social withdrawal
Moving your body	Oversleeping
Listening to music	Procrastinating
Spending time with pets	Emotional eating
Colouring or creative activities	Alcohol or drug use

Using a less helpful strategy now and then doesn’t make you a failure. Most of us do it. The goal is to notice your patterns so you can make more intentional choices.

5 healthy coping skills to try

1. Move your body

Physical activity is one of the best-studied ways to manage stress. A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance found that walking significantly reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety across different frequencies, durations and settings, indoors or out, alone or in a group. Even a few minutes of activity can help reduce anxiety and improve mood.

You don’t need a gym. A walk around the block, a stretch break or a few minutes of dancing in the kitchen all count.

2. Connect with others

Talking with someone you trust can help you put problems in perspective and feel less alone. Connection doesn’t have to be elaborate: a phone call, a text to a friend, or coffee with a neighbour can make a difference.

3. Listen to music

The Canadian Mental Health Association lists listening to music among everyday ways to manage stress. A calming playlist can help you unwind, while upbeat music can lift your energy.

4. Spend time with pets

Many people find that walking the dog, playing with a cat, or simply sitting with a pet helps them slow down and feel calmer. If you have a dog, a walk together combines two healthy coping skills at once.

5. Try a calming, creative activity

Colouring, drawing, journalling, baking or crafting gives your mind something gentle to focus on. These activities can offer a break from racing thoughts without requiring a lot of energy.

Common unhealthy coping skills to watch for

• Social withdrawal: pulling away from friends and family when you’re struggling.
• Emotional eating: eating to soothe feelings rather than hunger.
• Oversleeping: using sleep to escape rather than rest.
• Procrastinating: putting off stressful tasks, which often lets the stress build.
• Endless scrolling: spending hours on your phone to avoid what you’re feeling.
• Alcohol or drug use: Anxiety Canada explains that alcohol or cannabis may help in the short term but can backfire over time, partly because the underlying problem never gets addressed. Regular drinking can also make everyday stress harder to handle and leave you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression.

These habits are understandable. They usually start as a way to get through something hard. But if you notice yourself relying on them often, it may be a sign that you need more support.

How to swap an unhealthy coping habit for a healthier one

Building healthier coping skills starts with paying attention. Here’s a simple three-step approach:

1. Notice the pattern. When you feel stressed, what do you usually reach for? Your phone? A snack? Your bed?
2. Pick one small swap. Choose a healthier alternative that’s realistic for you in that moment.
3. Repeat it. New habits take practice. Be patient with yourself.

Example: If you find yourself scrolling social media for an hour when you feel overwhelmed, try putting your phone down and going for a short walk instead. A few minutes outside can help clear your mind, reset, and bring you back feeling a little less overwhelmed.

A few more swaps to try:

• Instead of cancelling plans → send a short text to one person you trust.
• Instead of reaching for a snack when you’re not hungry → put on a favourite song or step outside for five minutes.
• Instead of putting off a stressful task → break it into one small step and do just that.

Small changes like these can make stressful situations feel easier to handle over time.

When to reach out for support

Healthy coping skills are powerful, but they aren’t always enough on their own, and that’s okay. It may be time to talk to a professional if:

• stress is affecting your sleep, work, relationships or daily life
• you find yourself relying on alcohol, drugs or other unhealthy habits to get through the day
• the strategies that used to help aren’t working anymore
• you feel stuck, overwhelmed or alone

A counsellor or psychologist can help you understand what’s driving your stress and build coping skills that fit your life.

If you are in crisis: In Nova Scotia, call the Provincial Mental Health and Addictions Crisis Line at 1-888-429-8167 (24/7), call or text 988 (Suicide Crisis Helpline, 24/7), or call 911 in an emergency. For non-urgent mental health advice, call 811.

Frequently asked questions

What are healthy coping skills? Healthy coping skills are strategies that help you manage stress and difficult emotions in ways that support your wellbeing over time. Examples include physical activity, connecting with others, listening to music, spending time with pets and creative activities like colouring or journalling.

What are examples of unhealthy coping skills? Common examples include social withdrawal, emotional eating, oversleeping, procrastinating, scrolling on your phone for long periods, and using alcohol or drugs to numb feelings.

Why do unhealthy coping skills feel good? They often bring quick relief by helping you avoid or numb uncomfortable feelings. The problem is that the relief is temporary, and the source of the stress is still there afterward.

How can I build healthier coping skills? Start by noticing what you usually do when you feel stressed. Then choose one small, realistic swap, such as a short walk instead of scrolling, and practise it consistently.

Can counselling help with coping skills? Yes. A counsellor or psychologist can help you understand your stress patterns and develop coping strategies that work for you. Crossroads offers individual, couples, family and child and youth counselling in person in Hammonds Plains and online across Nova Scotia.

We’re here to help

If stress feels like more than you can manage on your own, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Our team at Crossroads offers individual counselling for anxiety, depression, stress, trauma and life transitions, as well as couples, family and child and youth counselling. Sessions are available in person at our Hammonds Plains office, close to Bedford, or online by video. We offer direct billing for most major insurers.

Book an introductory session. We’d love to help you build coping skills that last.

You might also like: 6 Simple Ways to Support Your Mental Health This Fall

Sources

• Anxiety Canada, via HeretoHelp BC: Alcohol, Drugs, and Anxiety
• Xu Z. et al. (2024). The Effect of Walking on Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance.
• Anxiety and Depression Association of America: Physical Activity: An Evidence-Based Way to Reduce Stress
• Canadian Mental Health Association: Stress brochure
• Government of Nova Scotia: Mental health and wellbeing

This article was created by Crossroads staff for general information and is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment.