Healthy and Unhealthy Ways To Handle Stress

Copyright ©  2009  Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.

Faced with stressful situations, many people act in ways which can be unhealthy for themselves and their families. When anyone faced with stress uses alcohol or drugs to try to alleviate the situation or withdraws and keeps feelings inside, denies problems, or blames others for troubles, the family of that person is likely to be hurt.

There are more healthy ways of dealing with stress. These include:

1. Facing facts and taking a hard look at reality by calling the problems by their real names
   
   
2. Exploring the situation with everyone in the family so everyone can be in on decisions that affect stress
   
   
3. Learning to express fears and worries honestly so that concerned persons can share the problems
   
   
4. Remembering that self blame or blaming others gets nowhere
   
   
5. Learning to relax
   
   
6. Knowing that it is okay to accept help and ask for it if needed.
   
   

There are no easy answers to life's problems, no single solution to the stresses of everyday life, but there are things we can do to make it easier individually and as a family.

Ronald Pitzer
Family Sociologist

Originally published in May 1985.

College of Human Ecology in cooperation with the University of Minnesota Extension Service

Return to Stress Management Briefs...

Produced by Communication and Educational Technology Services, University of Minnesota Extension.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, this material is available in alternative formats upon request. Please contact your University of Minnesota Extension office or the Extension Store at (800) 876-8636.

University of Minnesota Extension is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, or sexual orientation.