Surprise Quiz

Please scan the QR code for a foundational statistics

assessment we have for you for today

Note that this assessment is a part of this foundational training and the scores from this assessment will be incorporated into
your final grades 1
Stress Mastery Workshop: Building Your Coping
Skills Toolkit

Ms. Priyanka & Ms. Himadri ([Link]. Clinical Psy, RCI)

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 Introduction

Most of us have had first hand experience with stressful situations in

different domains of life for example

• academic workload in college,

• getting late for exam due to a traffic jam,
• handling peer pressure and romantic relationships,
• adjusting to hostel life, mess food,
• pressure to crack day one assessment and so on…

Can you share some stressful situations you are currently facing?
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Stress and Stressors

In simple words we may say that we are undergoing Stress

• Stress can be a physical, mental, or emotional response to external or

internal pressures and demands.
• It is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges.
• Stressors are events, conditions, or stimuli (internal or external)
perceived as stressful. Such events may include work load, career
uncertainty, last minute submissions, adjusting to new environment,
decision making etc.
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 Good stress vs Bad stress

Not all stress is bad or destructive.

Eustress (good stress) is the stress that is good for you, helps in achieving peak
performance and managing minor crisis. It keeps you motivated and focused.
However, if prolonged it can become chronic or Distress (bad stress) which can
become harmful and unpleasant, often leading to adverse physical, mental, or
emotional consequences.
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 Effects of distress

Effects of stress can manifest in various ways, affecting different aspects of

physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral health.

Can you identify the signs of stress applicable to you?

Lack of concentration, Memory loss, Poor decision-making, Inconsistency,
Irregular attendance and decreased academic performance, Low self-esteem,
Poor long-term planning, Extreme mood swings, Emotional outbursts, Worry, Fear,
Depression, Difficulties with sleep, Difficulties with eating, Misuse of drugs,
Physical illness, e.g. stomach upset, headache, backache.

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 Coping

How we cope with stress influences our health and well-being. Coping can simply
be called as ‘survival skills’ or ‘strategies’ we use to deal with the stressors,
natural changes or demands of life.

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 Coping Styles

We all have a general approach or

pattern of behaviors and thoughts
that we use to manage stress and
deal with challenging situations.

Different people tend to favor

different coping styles based on
their personality, experiences, and
the specific circumstances they are
facing.

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 DeTalks Setup

● Sign up to [Link]/register with your personal

email ID.
If you are signing up with Email, you would see a verification link in your
email (it might be in your spam folder)

● Verify your phone number

Do NOT Skip this step

● Click on Dashboard. Go to Profile section and enter your

Application number and Branch.
Do NOT forget to click Save
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 Assessment

● Click on Home or visit [Link]

Sign in if needed

● Click on Stress Mastery Workshop: Building Your

Coping Skills Toolkit.
If you can’t see it, click on Explore more courses first

● Click on Start Assessment and complete it

● Go to Dashboard and click Refresh to View Report
Assessment Slides Quiz Assignment

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Key points of Coping

● Psychological stress is usually associated with negative life changes,

such as losing a job or loved one. However, all changes require some sort
of adaptation. Even positive changes — such as getting married or having
a child — can be stressful.

● Coping is the process of executing a potential response to changes that

are perceived to be stressful.

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Key points of Coping

● There are different ways in which people respond to stress.

● People's coping styles and strategies are influenced by their preferred

coping strategies, personality characteristics and dispositions.

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Coping Subscales

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Coping Strategies

Problem Focused Coping Emotion Focused Avoidant coping

Coping
active coping venting self-distraction

use of informational support use of emotional support denial

planning humour substance use

positive reframing acceptance behavioural disengagement

self-blame

religion

Coping strategies can be ‘adaptive’ or ‘maladaptive’. 14

Problem focused

Active Coping

Active coping is the process of taking active steps to try to remove or

Coping Subscales

circumvent the stressor or to ameliorate its effects. Active coping

includes initiating direct action, increasing one's efforts, and trying to
execute a coping attempt in stepwise fashion.

Let’s say that you are experiencing stress because you have a severe
backache since a week and you live in hostel. How can active coping
help you deal with this health issue?

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Problem focused

Use of Instrumental Support

Seeking social support for instrumental reasons is seeking advice,

assistance, or information regarding what to do. For example: asking for
Coping Subscales

financial assistance from a friend, helping someone cross the street, or

asking for advice regarding career.

How can you use instrumental support if you are feeling overwhelmed
because you have an exam tomorrow, the syllabus is vast and you are
unprepared?

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Problem focused

Planning
Coping Subscales

Planning is thinking about how to

cope with a stressor. Planning
involves coming up with action
strategies, thinking about what
steps to take and how best to
handle the problem.

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Problem focused

Positive Reframing

This involves focusing on ways that a

Coping Subscales

stressor may actually be positive or

beneficial. It aims at managing distress
emotions rather than at dealing with the
stressor per se like discovering something
to be grateful for in a difficult situation. For
instance, after a break up you might consider
the lessons learned from the relationship,
and gratitude for the time shared with that
person.

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Problem focused

Positive Reframing

Situation: Placement companies have visited the college, it is their first day.
Coping Subscales

Negative Thought: "I haven't heard back from any of the companies yet. I'm so
worried I'll end up without a placement and all my hard work will be for
nothing."

Positive Reframing: "Waiting for responses is stressful and I might not get any
job today but I can still get a job in the coming days. Better companies might
come on day 2 and day 3. Till then I can wait and focus on enhancing my
skills.

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Emotion focused

Venting

The tendency to focus on whatever distress

Coping Subscales

or upset one is experiencing and to ventilate

those feelings. An example of venting would
be calling a friend after a frustrating C-
Language project at college to discuss how it
went and express your feelings.

Did you vent when you got to know that there

is a surprise test today?

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Emotion focused
Use of Emotional
Support

Seeking social support for emotional reasons is getting moral support,

sympathy, reassurance, encouragement and understanding. It may
Coping Subscales

include actions such as helping a person call a therapist or giving a hug

to a crying friend, or listening actively and validating, talking to a
professor or peers.

How can emotional support be helpful in case you have scored really low
in your exams?

Note: you can also visit Thapar Institute Counselling Cell (TICC) or take free online
therapy from TickTalkTo for emotional support. A link will be shared by TICC.
[Link] 21
Emotion focused

Humor

This involves joking about the stressor. By using humour as a coping

Coping Subscales

strategy, people are able to bear the burden of suffering or misfortune

and it appears to buffer an individual against the negative effects of
stress.

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Emotion focused

Acceptance

Accepting the reality of a stressful situation. This strategy is based

Coping Subscales

on an open and welcoming attitude toward one's own emotions,

thoughts, or external events. It doesn't mean liking or approving of
the situation, but rather, it involves acknowledging the facts like
accepting some chronic illness, natural disasters, the process of
aging, etc.

Have you heard of venture capitalists investing in promising tech

startups and failing in 90% start ups despite thorough research?

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Emotion focused

Self-blame
Coping Subscales

Criticizing oneself for responsibility in the situation. People attribute

the cause of a negative event or outcome to themselves, often
excessively or irrationally which can lead to feelings of guilt, shame,
and lowered self-esteem.
Examples may include blaming oneself for academic failures,
relationship breakup, health issues, social rejection and telling
oneself that “I am a failure, I was not good enough, it’s all my fault.”

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Emotion focused

Religion

The tendency to turn to religion and spirituality in times of stress.

Religion and spirituality can serve as powerful coping mechanisms,
Coping Subscales

providing comfort, meaning, and a sense of community during

difficult times. Individuals may use this strategy in order to deal with
trauma, grief & loss.

Can you share any situation where this coping strategy has helped
you?

Note: We must remember that everyone has different faiths and that no one is
wrong. It’s important to respect others' beliefs and avoid causing harm or offense.

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Avoidant

Self distraction

Using alternative activities to take one's mind off a problem,

Coping Subscales

daydreaming, escaping through sleep, or escape by

immersion in TV, travelling, pursuing hobbies, socializing,
gardening etc.

Have you felt anxious about your first presentation or

Viva? how can distraction help you?

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Avoidant

Denial

Refusal to believe that the stressor exists or of trying to act as though

Coping Subscales

the stressor is not real. While it can provide temporary relief from stress
and emotional pain, prolonged or excessive use of denial can lead to
negative consequences, such as delaying necessary actions or hindering
emotional healing.
Sometimes when diagnosed with chronic illness like Type 2 diabetes
individual refuses to accept the diagnosis, continues eating mithai, and
avoids appointments.

Have you witnessed something like this in your family or friend circle?

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Avoidant

Substance Use

Use of alcohol or drugs as a way of disengaging. While it

Coping Subscales

may provide temporary relief, it is often considered

maladaptive leading to negative consequences, including
addiction, health problems, and impaired relationships.

It is often used to manage grief, handle social anxiety,

pressure, loneliness, relationship problems.

Note that using substances as a coping mechanism can lead to a cycle of dependence and exacerbate the underlying
issues. It’s important for individuals to seek healthier coping strategies and professional help to address their problems
effectively.
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Avoidant

Substance Use

Negative consequences of Substance Use include:

Coping Subscales

● memory issues and attention deficits

● academic difficulties like poor grades
● health related difficulties including mental health
● poor peer relationships
● risky behaviours e.g. unprotected sex, brawl, drunk
driving.
● Severe legal consequences

Note that using substances as a coping mechanism can lead to a cycle of dependence and exacerbate the underlying
issues. It’s important for individuals to seek healthier coping strategies and professional help to address their problems
effectively.
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Avoidant

Behavioral Disengagement

Reducing one's effort to deal with the stressor, even giving up the attempt
Coping Subscales

to attain goals with which the stressor is interfering. This often occurs
when a person feels overwhelmed, perceives their efforts as futile, or lacks
the motivation to address the issue directly. This includes procrastinating,
skipping classes, social withdrawal, avoidance, neglecting self care.

While this strategy can provide temporary relief from stress, it can also
lead to unresolved problems and increased distress in the long term.

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Avoidant

Behavioral Disengagement

How many of us spend hours scrolling

Coping Subscales

through social media feeds instead of

working on our assignments or studying
for exams??

Sometimes, we engage in endless

browsing, liking, and commenting, video
games using it as a distraction from our
real-life issues.

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 Managing stress

Try to:
• Eat a well-balanced diet, try not to skip breakfast, have healthy snacks like
fruits, nuts.
• Get enough good quality sleep, try to limit your screen time
• Engage in regular exercise, e.g. go on a walk with friends post meal if
nothing else is available
• Maintain healthy relationships e.g. can have meals together, join groups and
clubs
• Stay organised, declutter your space, maintain hygiene e.g. bath regularly,
keep track of deadlines.
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 Managing stress

Try to:

• Take breaks, spend time in nature e.g. at your campus, take power naps
• Practice relaxation exercises such as yoga, prayer, meditation or
progressive muscle relaxation.
• Take vacations away e.g. you can explore a new city and nearby places
with friends
• Engage in activities you enjoy, such as reading, painting, or playing music.
• Avoid use of caffeine and alcohol, tobacco or other drugs.

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 Quiz

● Click on Home or visit [Link]/homepage

Sign in if needed

● Click on Stress Mastery Workshop: Building Your

Coping Skills Toolkit.
If you can’t see it, click on Explore more courses first

● Click on Quiz and complete it

Assessment Slides Quiz Assignment

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 Assignment/Activity
Existing Coping Styles New Coping Skills

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Thank You

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