Maladaptive Coping in Seniors: Signs and Insights

In recent years, Florida seniors have had plenty of reasons to feel stressed out. The question is: do you have a reliable way of managing that stress?

For a lot of seniors, the answer is no. Instead of addressing the root cause of stress, they'll often turn to maladaptive coping strategies. Though this approach can provide temporary relief, it'll likely worsen the issue in the long run.

Want to know more about how coping mechanisms affect seniors in Oviedo, FL? Here's how maladaptive coping patterns work and how to break them!

What Is Maladaptive Coping?

To an extent, we all try to avoid stress. To protect our emotional wellness, we put off certain tasks and try to get out of particular situations.

Of course, doing these things often just delays the inevitable. And if this behavior reaches a critical point, it turns into maladaptive coping. By avoiding "risky" people, events, and situations, you may:

• Restrict your growth
• Damage your development
• Fail to meet your psychological needs

Maladaptive coping can be particularly harmful to older adults, as they're already at higher risk of social isolation. The more they avoid stressful situations, the less likely they are to engage in the social interactions they need.

How Coping Strategies Develop

In general, coping strategies start forming in early childhood. They usually develop as a psychological or physiological response to stress.

In the first year of life, for instance, we use coping strategies in interactions with caregivers. Sucking your thumb is an early example of self-soothing behavior. Over time, we develop a more robust toolkit of coping strategies:

• Active coping: solving issues, planning, reframing
• Accommodative coping: adjusting preferences and expectations
• Behavioral coping: managing stress through behavioral activities
• Cognitive coping: managing stress through mental activities
• Emotional coping: regulating emotional responses to stress

The older we get, however, the more rigid our tactics may become. This is why seniors often struggle to implement the right strategies to stressful situations.

Origins of Maladaptive Coping

Maladaptive coping can arise from a disruption to the typical coping development sequence. Some common examples include:

• Poor treatment: growing up in a violent environment
• Overwhelming stress: financial hardships, death of a loved one
• Emotional invalidation: being told your emotions aren't reasonable

Children placed in these situations are less likely to manage emotions or solve problems effectively. However, unhealthy coping strategies can develop late in life as well, as a response to trauma, abuse, and loneliness.

Maladaptive Coping Techniques in Seniors

As stress in seniors reaches a critical point, they tend to rely more on maladaptive techniques. Here are some of the things they'll do to ignore the issue:

• Rumination: extreme focus on their depressive symptoms
• Intrusive thoughts: unwelcome ideas that are difficult to manage
• Emotional numbing: shutting down feelings to provide stress relief
• Safety behaviors: tendency to rely on others to cope with anxiety
• Escape: changing the situation to avoid difficult feelings

As mentioned above, long-term use of these coping styles is unhealthy. Most of these strategies involve a high level of psychological distress.

Common Outcomes of Maladaptive Coping

Maladaptive coping strategies for seniors differ wildly in both intensity and usage. That said, they tend to lead to the same ongoing outcomes, including:

• Avoiding family and friends
• Reinforcement of anxiety
• Limited use of social skills
• Deteriorating mental and physical health

Breaking a Maladaptive Coping Pattern

Have you noticed that you're relying on avoidance-oriented coping? If so, here are some strategies that will help you manage or eliminate your stressors.

1. Cognitive Restructuring

Cognitive restructuring is a big part of senior mental health awareness. This involves replacing negative thoughts with healthier ones. The idea is to reduce the impact of events by looking at them from a different angle.

Socratic questioning is a great technique to use for this purpose. If you struggle with irrational thoughts, ask yourself a series of open questions to challenge them. Many "bad" thoughts are fleeting, and questioning them will expose them.

2. Thought Stopping

Thought stopping is a technique focused on breaking the cycle of negative thoughts as they arise. That way, you can stop the domino effect of negativity and keep your stress under control. But what is the best way to achieve that?

For some seniors, the solution may be as simple as saying "stop" out loud. For others, it could be flicking an elastic band on the wrist. If your automatic reactions are too overwhelming, consider talking to a therapist.

3. Coping Statements

Creating a set of coping statements can help seniors face up to challenges. Once you've written these down, keep repeating them to frame your worries in a positive way. Some statements that you can repeat to yourself are:

• Whatever happens, I'm strong enough to handle it
• I've been in these situations before and survived
• I will face this challenge and handle it the best as I can
• Most things aren't as bad as they first seem

4. Self-Compassion

Aging and behavior can be volatile. When confronting a challenge, seniors often respond by dwelling on their shame or bolstering their self-esteem. Neither approach is particularly helpful as a coping mechanism.

Instead, try adopting a mindset of self-compassion. A good place to start would be to write a self-compassionate letter. By capturing how unworthy you feel and viewing it with love, you can change how you feel about yourself.

The Importance of Senior Wellness

Maladaptive coping can take a big toll on senior wellness. The more you avoid challenging situations, the more your well-being will suffer. The above guide will help you identify more efficient strategies for overcoming those challenges.

For more specific help with coping strategies, consider talking to a therapist. Professional counseling can make all the difference for older adults.

At the Tremont, we can provide you with the peace of mind you need! Our independent living community in Oviedo, FL, offers on-site health and wellness programs designed to nurture your mind, body, and spirit.

Not a member yet? If you're a military veteran, you'll have a 50% discount on your first month's rent each year! Contact us here to learn more about our services!