A Note About Survival Resources
When we take the time to consider how our survival strategies have been showing up in our lives, we may become aware of how they're not really serving our highest good. Given this newfound knowledge, it can be tempting to try to do everything we can to avoid or let go of our survival strategies.
The Role of Survival Resources in Coping with Stress and Trauma
For many of us, our survival resources or coping mechanisms can feel compulsive, habitual, or automatic, like they’re out of our control. We may engage in them, even when we don't really want to. They may alleviate our distress and soothe our nervous systems temporarily, but typically that relief is short-lived. They may even increase our distress in the long run by reinforcing harmful patterns.