Coping- Needs no introduction!

 

I want to dedicate this week’s issue to coping strategies. But before I do so, I wanted to quickly run through what it means ‘to cope’. Coping as per Wikipedia refers to making conscious effort to overcome personal and interpersonal issues so as to deal with and master self. This gives rise to the question, what requires coping? I think, almost everything does. From the time we are born to the time we leave this Earth, we only learn through coping. The difference being, while growing up we are handheld so the navigation of emotions is done with assistance. Under normal circumstances, our parents or guardians guide us through all our challenges, big or small, ensuring that we are prepared for future.

As we grow older, we are expected to cope based on what we have been taught, what we have observed and even expectation are set for behaviors, conduct and actions. However unlike standard education system, coping is not taught as part of a structured curriculum. It is much like deductive reasoning and deduced from day to day actions. Thus on achieving adulthood, it becomes more a trial and error thing.

I had not heard about coping strategies per se till I started working with mental health in some form or another. Not to say, I wasn’t coping before this, just that wasn’t familiar about the term and usage. But something did change when I came in terms with the concept. I started noticing patterns. It was clear that people are keen to cope, but some people find it easier whereas others struggle.

This pandemic was a classic example. It forced us to be more creative regards our coping strategies. You saw examples everywhere. People becoming master chefs, husbands posting cooking videos and children acquiring new found interest in house hold chores. However not everyone was managing with ease. Some were struggling. Others panicked. But I think it is absolutely acceptable. Just like any other aspect of life, coping is individual oriented and should  not be compared.

I do find some things pretty intriguing though, for eg., coping as a cultural value. In fact if you think of it, India as a culture is full of coping opportunities. Since childhood I used to wonder what drives people to celebrate so many festivals. I never quite understood the logic behind it. But now that I think about it, this was a our way to integrate celebratory culture which could be relevant to developing coping techniques. Now we not only have our own festivals but have borrowed some from west and accepted some which are commercially viable. Anything that helps a person fight the everyday drudgery and stress.

I know this note of mine has raised many question. Coping as a life skill to be taught in school, does it have a cultural enunciation, what it takes to develop better coping skills, is it even possible.  This week I explore the possibility of structuring coping as a life skill subject. What will it entail as part of the curriculum? What will the subject aim at? How vast will its reach be? Who will be qualified to teach it? The questions are endless.

My effort is to see if having some knowledge on skills leads to better managing it. On Saturday, I present an overview of the entire week connecting the dots and giving a rundown.

Let us start exploring.