Unhealthy coping mechanisms - eep! Help.

The Hidden Struggles of Workers (And What To Do About It)

What’s yours?

We all have some, at least once in life. Alcohol. Smoking. Vaping. Sugar. Over eating. Over exercising. Under eating. Over working. Drugs. Prescription drugs. Binging TV. Doom scrolling. Over spending. Gambling. Secretive behaviours. Misusing people. Withdrawing. Not speaking up. Being aggressive. Blaming others.

The most important questions are not ‘How can I stop it?’ on the surface with top 10 strategies. No. Try it out, sure. It might last a while, great. Love that for you.

What triggers you into these temptations? The state of wanting to escape from the systemic and workplace pressures and demands? The desire to just have a break for a hot minute? The accumulating sense of doom and hopelessness that caring professionals often experience? Tick, tick and tick.

Let’s talk about stress. It’s the ever-present companion in frontline services, lurking around every corner, waiting to pounce. And when the pressure gets too much, we all have our ways of coping. Some healthier than others. But let’s face it, sometimes we resort to the kinds of coping mechanisms we’d rather not admit to, especially in a high-stakes environment like the one our frontline workers face.

For many in the health and social service fields, dealing with heavy workloads, emotional burnout, and constant exposure to trauma can make it hard to keep it all together. Unfortunately, these conditions create fertile ground for unhealthy coping mechanisms to grow. Some are more obvious (hello, stress-eating) while others are a bit more taboo (looking at you, self-medicating with a little help from the wine bottle). But here’s the kicker: these coping strategies only make things worse in the long run, compounding the very stress they’re supposed to alleviate.

There’s also the fear of admitting these coping mechanisms in case you’re reported to a regulating body, dismissed, judged, demoted, or many other risks which end up being barriers to workers seeking support. A cycle of shame and secrecy begins, and workers remain in a feeling of ‘no way out’; a stuck cycle perpetuating burnout and risk for all.

Here’s Some Common Culprits

1. Overworking
It’s the classic “I’ll just push through” mentality. While it might seem productive, this coping mechanism is a one-way ticket to burnout city. Health and social service workers are notorious for taking on more shifts, saying “yes” to extra responsibilities, and working themselves to the bone, all in an attempt to feel in control. Spoiler alert: This only makes things worse. It’s a ticking time bomb for physical and mental exhaustion.

2. Stress Eating (or Drinking)
Whether it’s snacking away stress or pouring a glass of wine after a tough shift, eating or drinking as a means of coping is common, but it’s also one of the most destructive ways to manage emotions. For many workers, this can become a way to numb out difficult feelings, only to find themselves dealing with unwanted physical side effects or guilt later. Plus, it doesn’t actually address the root cause of stress.

3. Emotional Shutdown
When you’re exposed to trauma or pain regularly, it’s natural to want to shut off emotionally. But here's the thing: bottling up feelings might help you power through a tough day, but it doesn’t make those feelings disappear. Eventually, they will find a way to resurface, often in the form of anxiety, depression, or even physical illness. Ignoring emotions is a classic “out of sight, out of mind” approach, but it’s a coping mechanism that simply doesn’t work in the long run.

The Extra Taboo Coping Strategies

While many of us might engage in the more common unhealthy coping mechanisms, some are much more taboo, especially in professional settings where vulnerability is often seen as weakness. For health and social services workers, these might include:

1. Self-Medicating
Let’s not beat around the bush: Some workers turn to substances like alcohol, prescription medication, or even illegal drugs as a way to manage the overwhelming stress. It’s a dangerous road, and while it might offer short-term relief, the long-term consequences can be devastating to both the individual and the people they serve.

2. Avoidance
Avoiding the job altogether or withdrawing from loved ones might feel like a quick fix, but it’s also a recipe for disaster. Some workers call in sick or go into a kind of “emotional hibernation,” where they just stop engaging with their own well-being or their clients. It’s a form of escape, but it’s far from effective and only delays the inevitable.

3. Client costs
Taking it out on clients. Ouch. There, I said it. It happens. Your unhealthy coping mechanisms, yes, while originally borne out of a desire to cope with the workplace and systemic stressors, may eventually leak out into client interactions. You may take risk less seriously, overlook something, forget something important, become disregulated or moody with clients, loosen boundaries and ethical conduct with clients, and exude compassion fatigue.

What Should You Do About It?

It’s time to face facts: unhealthy coping mechanisms are a response to deep stress, but they’re not the solution. So, what can you do instead? Here are a few ideas to help break the cycle:

1. Recognize and Acknowledge the Stress
The first step in addressing unhealthy coping mechanisms is to recognize that stress exists in the first place. It sounds simple, but often workers are so focused on pushing through that they forget to stop and acknowledge how much they’re carrying. Taking a moment to check in with yourself is a powerful first step toward real change.

2. Seek Support
Talk to a colleague, a supervisor, or a mental health professional. It’s not weak to ask for help—it’s essential. Supervision or peer support groups where workers can vent and process what they’re going through can make a massive difference in reducing stress.

3. Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a proven method for managing stress. Whether it’s a short meditation, a five-minute breathing exercise, or simply taking a walk in nature, small acts of mindfulness can help reset your mental state and reduce the need to turn to unhealthy habits.

4. Create Boundaries
Setting clear boundaries between work and personal life is essential. Don’t let your job become your whole life—when the shift ends, give yourself permission to truly disconnect. Take your days off seriously, and try not to let work creep into your personal time.

5. Get the basics down - eat, sleep, move, rest.
Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce stress and improve mental health. Whether it’s a gym session, sauna, yoga, a new rock climbing hobby, or just a brisk walk, physical activity helps release endorphins, which can make you feel more relaxed and less likely to turn to unhealthy coping strategies.

It’s gonna be ok.

Health and social service workers are some of the most dedicated and resilient people around, but they need support too. Unhealthy coping mechanisms may offer short-term relief, but they come with long-term consequences. The good news is, by recognizing these habits and actively working toward healthier alternatives, workers can manage their stress in more sustainable ways. It’s all about taking small, intentional steps toward well-being—because when we take care of ourselves, we’re in a better position to take care of others.

So let’s drop the taboo, face the stress head-on, and start doing the work for ourselves that we do so well for others. You deserve it!

It’s ok. There are ways out of here. Out of this pain.

You are not alone.

Let’s talk about it. Yes, that’s right, let’s face those shames, baby.