RISE Blog | Reeling vs. Dealing: A Look at Dependency and Coping

Written By: Larissa Castaneda Vargas, Peer Educator
Edited By: Catherine Cespedes & Mak Klie
September 21st, 2023

TW: This article contains information about substance abuse, depression, and self-harm behaviors.

College is, by far, one of the largest transitions we go through in our early adulthood. When trying to balance school, work, and socializing, on top of the adjustment that comes with new adulthood, stress is bound to manifest. This may lead some of us to adopt coping mechanisms that are not always healthy. So, if we are using coping mechanisms that become more harmful than helpful, what can we do about it?

What is a coping mechanism?

Before jumping into healthier coping mechanisms and reducing harm from the not-so-healthy ones, we need to understand what a coping mechanism is. Coping mechanisms are defined as thoughts or behaviors that help you manage internal or external stressors. Unlike ‘defense mechanisms', coping mechanisms are intentional and conscious decisions that we make to improve our well-being. For example, taking a bath after a stressful day, listening to your favorite songs on the way home from work, or going on a run to sweat out your frustration with a friend.

If you don't know where to start, the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE) Scale can be a very helpful tool to understand how you personally handle stress (Algorani & Gupta, 2023). There are four different categories under COPE:

1. Problem-focused: Addresses the problem causing distress. Examples of this style include active coping, planning, restraint coping, and/or suppression of competing activities.
2. Emotion-focused: Aims to reduce the negative emotions associated with the problem. Examples of this style include positive reframing, acceptance, turning to religion, and/or humor.
3. Meaning-focused: Individuals use cognitive strategies to derive and manage the meaning of the problem.
4. Social coping (support-seeking): Individuals reduce stress by seeking emotional or instrumental support from their community. 

How can coping become dependence?

It is completely understandable that when we undergo stress, we seek to lessen the intensity of the resulting emotions. Especially in college, substances like alcohol can be deemed ‘helpful' because they may temporarily relieve those emotions. However, that relief is only temporary, and using alcohol or drugs as coping mechanisms can result in a substance use disorder (SUD). This is why we encourage each other to discover what influences those urges and watch out for signs of substance dependency.

It can be really difficult to have these conversations with ourselves. When we're under intense stress, it can be hard enough to meet our daily needs, much less evaluate our dependence on specific coping mechanisms. Here's a way to start small: triggers. It may be a highly stigmatized word right now but, ultimately, it is a scientific term that can be a very useful tool. So, what are triggers? There are two types:

• External Triggers: These can be people, places, or situations that give you the opportunity to drink or use another substance. These ‘tempting situations' can be easier to avoid than internal triggers but are still important to understand. Examples may be, drinking when going out with friends, or vaping when studying.
• Internal Triggers: These are often the result of thoughts or emotions that consistently ‘pop up' when stressed, which are then correlated with a ‘need' to consume a substance. This makes them hard to identify or exemplify.

Using this framework, we can start to dig into the ‘why' of substance use. Did you genuinely want to drink with your friends, or is there a bigger emotion that you're avoiding? Does vaping improve your focus when studying, or does it distract you by forcing you to think about the craving non-stop?

What are the signs of dependence?

“I think I might be using substances as a coping mechanism.”

“Someone I care about relies on substances to ‘destress'.” 

“What signs should I look out for?”

Our bodies are intelligent, able to adapt to new routines quickly and effectively. This can be useful when, say, developing healthy sleep habits. But it can also be harmful, especially when we incorporate substances with addictive properties into our daily lives. The reason for this lies in how our bodies interact with our brains. The brain operates on reward circuits: when something creates a positive outcome, we seek it out more frequently. This explains how dependence develops. Consistent use of a substance rewires those circuits to expect the side-effects of it, physically hijacking our sense of ‘normal' behavior. Abnormal behaviors associated with substance use include:

• Withdrawing socially: Avoiding friends & family members, skipping social events, or spending more and more time alone.
• Mood swings: Sudden shifts in demeanor, irrational irritability, increased anxiety, or unpredictable reactions.
• Neglecting appearance: Exhibiting a lack of attention to personal hygiene or appearance, especially of these were once very important.
• Ignoring obligations: Avoiding responsibilities, taking excessive absences, or becoming unreliable.
• Secretive behaviors: Hiding substances around the house, withholding information from loved ones, or hanging out with groups of people that encourage dependent use.
   

How do you break the cycle?

In a college, it can be hard to avoid those ‘tempting situations' but there are ways let loose without developing reliance. There is no shame in taking care of yourself by learning your limits and setting boundaries. If you feel the urge to partake in substance use that blurs or ignores those boundaries, there are strategies of thinking that can help (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2021).

• Remind yourself: Know why you want to make a change; one helpful tool is writing down your reasonings for the change and keeping it easily accessible (maybe in your Notes app).
• Talk it through: Find someone you trust and vent about your feelings; support from a friend when you are resisting urges can help relieve obsessive thoughts and create accountability.
• Distract yourself: Find non-substance-use activities that give your brain something else to focus on; exercising, meditating, coloring, and cleaning are just a few examples. Remember those reward circuits? If you can begin supplying your brain with other rewarding tasks, those dependent pathways can be rewired to other, healthier, uses of your time!
• Challenging the thought: When thoughts like “one drink can't be that bad” come up, stop, analyze that thought, and challenge your inner voice. Try to keep your adjusted thoughts practical, “One drink may not be that bad, but it could turn to multiple drinks and I'm sticking to my decision of not drinking today.”
• Leave: Remove yourself from situations or groups that encourage use in spite of your boundaries. Avoiding the temptation of use is not a sign of weakness, give yourself that space to work through the temptation safely. Eventually, those situations will become less and less hard to resist.
• Ride it out: Sometimes even distraction or self-awareness aren't enough, because recovering from dependent behavior is not linear. Acknowledge that the journey is difficult and anticipate challenges. Thoughts of using again are predictable, but temporary. Ocean waves are a great analogy; they might be intense and scary, but they eventually fizzle out and retreat with the tide.

What can you focus on instead of substances?

We have established how coping & dependence can become interlinked, and how to overcome the cycle of reliance on substances. But what if you aren't struggling with substance use? Well unfortunately, any coping mechanism can become unhealthy. Think about exercise; if you go for a run every time you experience stress and suddenly a snowstorm traps you inside the house, what else do you have as an outlet? The following tips (Ashley Addiction Treatment, 2023) are vital in substance use recovery, but they may also be useful in overcoming dependence on any coping mechanism— even the ones that appear ‘healthy' at surface level.

• Practice mindfulness: Mindfulness helps us tune in to our senses; spend a few minutes focusing on the sensory aspects of your environment. This helps you stay in the present moment and may alert you to needs that aren't being met in your body.
• Improve your sleep: Adults need at least 7 hours of sleep at night to function optimally. Prioritizing adequate rest can improve your mood, focus, and energy, all of which are essential in adhering to your boundaries and breaking the cycle.
• Spend time outside: Fresh air, sunlight, and mild exercise can all reduce stress and help stabilize your mood. Commit to the process of coping and spend some time honestly addressing your emotions.
• Find a new hobby: There is no shortage of niche hobbies and artistic outlets in college; try picking up a new one that fits into an interest you already have! Focusing your energy on something new can help you process complex emotions or distract you from obsessive thinking.
• Set goals: Whether they're related to academics, health, or socializing, goals help us find motivation day-to-day. When setting goals, consider what your body and brain need to feel fulfilled, and start small. Let's say you've been falling behind in school; set up a study regimen over one weekend instead of planning out the whole semester.  

What if you need extra support?

It is never too late to learn new coping mechanisms and add healthy tools to your toolbox. The RISE office is also here to help you on that journey! With Drop-in Hours, you can talk with a peer educator (students who are just like you) that can sympathize with what you are going through. We also offer a harm-reduction program called Raider Restart that provides individualized consultations for students regarding substance use and the impacts of alcohol/drugs on one's health, wellness, and academic success. Another program offered at RISE is Raider Recharge, which provides one-on-one coaching on any/all aspects of wellness, free to all students at Tech. It focuses on personal growth through discussion, self-reflection, and interactive activities. The Center of Collegiate Recovery Communities hosts daily group sessions on mental health and accumulates resources for students recovering from addictive disorders (substance use, restricted eating, etc.). At the Student Counseling Center, you can chat with a licensed counselor via appointment or walk-in. SCC counselors can aid you in most aspects of wellness, including mental health and substance use. All-in-all, our team at RISE is here to help you through your struggles and empower you to succeed. We want to see you live your most vital and meaningful life, simply because each of us deserves to!

“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” Helen Keller

References

Algorani, E. B., & Gupta, V. (2023). Coping Mechanisms. National Library of Medicine - National Center of Biotechnology Information. 

Ashley Addiction Treatment. (2022) Am I self-medicating with drugs or alcohol?AshleyAddiction Treatment. 

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2021). The Cycle of Alcohol Addiction.

Spotorno, S. (2023). How to stop using alcohol as a coping mechanism. Monument. https://joinmonument.com/resources/alcohol-as-a-coping-mechanism/

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). How to stop alcohol cravings - handling the urges to drink. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. 

 

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