As important as coping mechanisms are to recover or simply living with a mental challenge,

some coping mechanisms can be unhealthy, driving someone into an addiction or further into a crisis.

A few of these coping mechanisms include drug and alcohol abuse, over-sleeping, isolation,

self-mutilation, partying, comfort eating, and bottling up your emotions. Some of these coping

mechanisms are not only accepted by society but encouraged by it. For example, the entire idea that men must be stoic and not cry is incredibly unhealthy, and contributes to a phenomenon known as toxic masculinity. Most of these coping mechanisms are also being fought against, such as drug

abuse. Drugs are somewhat monitored, and sale to minors is punished by law. However, we all need to combat these unhealthy coping mechanisms by electing to use healthy coping mechanisms instead.