Coping strategies, Compulsions, and Dependencies

The more we get in the habit of coping using a particular set of strategies, the more ingrained the behavior becomes. Soon we operate on automatic pilot. We forget that we once loved to tell our families about our favorite book (or whatever those things are about us that are intrinsic to us but not supported by our environment). Over time, these strategies may lose their applicability. But we keep using them because we falsely believe at this point that this is just who we are!

Coping strategies turn into compulsions which lead to dependencies and all that dysfunction results in us becoming self-focused, self-absorbed, and selfish in our desperate search for what we need. Instead of figuring out our needs, we start settling for what our compulsion tricks us into believing we want. This is the perfect environment for the development of shortcomings. And eventually - dependencies.

If you’re trying to follow along with your own inventory, here is what you are working on:

1. Making a chronological (by age) list of your emotional memories.

2. Writing a brief summary of the event that produced those feelings.

3. Write out our reaction to the situation.