A Distraction

Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms

What is a coping mechanism?
● Coping mechanisms are actions we take to deal with threatening situations. They are
basically a temporary distraction as a way of avoiding stress.
● Important because not every single one necessarily has to do with alcohol or drugs.
● Binge-eating, gambling, ignoring strong feelings, excessive exercise
● In 1910 a law in New York passed for it become illegal to drive while intoxicated.
● It wasn’t until 1984, The National Drinking Act Passed raising drinking age to 21.
● Utah is the strictest state with .05% being the legal limit in your system. 8%
everywhere else.
Stigma in our community
● With all of the negative stigma (categorising or treating people different) around the
different mechanisms, people are less likely to seek help.
● They might be afraid to come face to face with the problem.
● Family can also play a big part in why some people don’t want to seek help.
● It’s important for people to feel supported instead of getting made fun of or pushed
away (by family or friends) for taking the first steps and admitting they have an
addiction to something.
Advocate
● Amber Valletta is a model who was addicted to cocaine and alcohol
● She is 40 now, but when she was 22 she started abusing the drug and alcohol.
● Walked into a multimillion dollar campaign shoot drunk and high.
● She was in an industry where drugs and alcohol were widely
acceptable and were basically given to her.
● She shared her story to hopefully inspire others to do the same
and for them to now be afraid to do so, even though it might be
very difficult
Movie, Article and Book
■ In the movie Less Than Zero, Clay comes home to LA after his first
semester of college and finds out his ex girlfriend, Blair, has begun to abuse
cocaine. But her addiction pales in comparison to her new boyfriend, Julian,
who's also Clay's childhood friend. Clay tries to help them get sober, but the
process is complicated by Rip, a dealer Julian owes money to.
■ Shaming the Sick: Addiction Stigma, Lauren Villa. Brings up points about
how people that reach out for help feel when others around them don’t
support them.
■ Go Ask Alice is a book about a 15 year old girl who develops a drug habit
at 15 and then runs away from home.
Conclusion

● An addiction to anything is something that is harmful and people shouldn’t get

punished or feel ashamed for speaking up.
● Seeking help needs to be seen as a step forward and not as something for people to be
scared of.
Sources

Why You Need Healthy Coping Mechanisms

Identifying Coping Mechanisms, Paul Huljich, 2012

History About Drinking

Shaming the Sick: Addiction Stigma, Lauren Villa

Amber Valletta Reveals her addiction,Ana Calderone, 2014