ARE WE LEANING ON HEALTHY COPING MECHANISMS?

Shah Alam, 24 July 2023 – Most Malaysians are well versed with ‘retail therapy’ and ‘stress eating’, among other common coping mechanisms in the face of a challenging week, or even after a stressful life event, like a heartbreak. In Gardenia KL’s recent 2023 Wellness Begins at Home Survey, findings revealed trends which showed a stark difference in coping mechanisms favoured by Malaysian youth compared to other respondent groups.

Coping mechanisms are commonly known as behaviours that aim to avoid stress or unpleasant emotions. These behaviours can be positive or negative. Positive strategies make things easier in the moment, but also easier in the long run. For instance, the Gardenia KL 2023 Wellness Begins at Home Survey found that married respondents with a complete family unit were more likely to ‘turn to God’ (58.2%) or reach out to their family for help (21.2%) in the face of challenges.

Negative coping strategies make things easier in the moment, but harder in the long run. Diving into examples from the survey, respondents between the age of 21 to 25 shared they were more likely to overeat (39.5%), complain about life (37.2%), or turn to self-harming (14.7%) in the face of adversity.

In the survey, men (8.7%) were more likely to experience addiction, such as overeating, gambling or substance use compared to women (3.2%). On the flip side, women (12.9%) respondents were more likely to experience a loss in memory or memory block as a result of trauma compared to men (7.5%). The data cuts across a mix of age groups.

Gardenia KL initiated the Wellness Begins at Home campaign in 2021 at the height of the pandemic in the spirit of helping Malaysians become more comfortable discussing mental health matters. The campaign is now in its second edition. “We created this platform so that more people would have the chance to talk about mental health; it would hopefully help them get used to talking about it in the future too,” explained Gardenia Bakeries KL, Corporate Affairs and Public Relations General Manager, Hazlinah Harun.

"I have children who are both OKU and non-OKU. My approach to parenting in moments of challenges or when we start complaining about life, is to look at someone who is worse off, and to remember how blessed we are. Another thing is to be generous in helping others, even when we are struggling with challenges. It gives you a good feeling when you help another person, which in turn helps you overcome the negative emotions you were struggling with,” said single-parent, Zuraini Anuar.

"It is common to come across challenges and obstacles while pursuing any kind of dream,” Dato' Azizulhasni Awang, Malaysian professional track sprint cyclist and Olympian, remarked. "Having someone who is consistently there encouraging you along your journey is vital. I'm very grateful to have people in my life who support me, especially in challenging times, so that I can continue to pursue my dreams," shares the ‘Pocket Rocketman’.

Understanding coping mechanisms and their impact is key to managing stress and trauma. Examples of healthy coping mechanisms recommended by experts include, physical exercise, talking about your emotions with a trusted person, healthy eating, seeking professional help, deep breathing, leaning on social support such as a community, or practicing problem solving techniques.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, please reach out to MIASA via www.miasa.org.my which offers mental health assessment and consultation, counselling services, spiritual therapy, therapeutic assessment, psychological services, and peer support. Alternatively, contact the MIASA 24-hour helpline at 1-800-820-066.

To catch the Gardenia ‘Wellness Begins at Home’ discussion, visit @GardeniaKL’s Facebook (https://ms-my.facebook.com/GardeniaKL/videos/edisi-2023-gardenia-kl-wellness-begins-at-home-gardeniacares/6469172759792449) and Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJteygW2HXE)