English support group talked about coping strategies and red flags on Monday night.
We all will find some type of red flag within a relationship and it can be early on in the relationship or later on. The key is how do we handle those red flags, is it something that you can overlook and keep seeing the person or is it something that you need to look at with a new perspective and try to figure out if the relationship is worth letting the red flag go or end the relationship.
Coping strategies come into recognizing red flags because often times we may continue with the relationship and finding ways to cope with a person can be critical for one’s own sake. But by using our coping skills we also see that is this relationship really worth continuing if you are truly unhappy and see that the person you are with is not willing to make changes in their life.
The red flags and coping strategies that were mentioned in group were:
| Red Flags | Coping Strategies |
| Taking money | Talking to another person |
| Unfaithful | Listening to music |
| Demanding | Cooking / baking |
| Demeaning (calling you fat or ugly) | Spending time with pets |
| Ignores your requests | Spending time with kids |
| Lying | Journalling |
| Does not allow you to see family/friends | Taking a deep breath |
| Not wanting to be around your kids | Positive self talk |
| Eager to say I love you in a relationship | Getting a good night’s sleep/napping |
| Ungrateful | Coloring |
| Controlling | Scrapbooking |
| Watch a silly movie |
What are your red flags and coping strategies ?