Write your search in the input below and press enter.
Esc to close.

The Sports Doc Chalk Talk with Dr. Chris Stankovich

Peak Performance:
Not Just for Sports, for Life

  • Products
    • Toolkits
    • Audio
    • Videos
    • Books
    • Apps
  • Services
  • Chalk Talk
    • Recent
    • Athletes
    • Coaching
    • Sports Parenting
    • Sports Administrators
    • Life
    • Administrators
  • About Dr. Stankovich
  • Testimonials
  • Contact
  • Products
    • Toolkits
    • Audio
    • Books
    • Videos
    • Apps
  • Services
  • Chalk Talk
  • About Dr. Stankovich
  • Testimonials
  • Contact

Hello. Sign In

My Account
  • Login
  • Register
0
The Sports Doc Chalk Talk
Subscribe
The Sports Doc Chalk Talk with Dr. Chris Stankovich
  • Recent
  • Athletes
  • Coaching
  • Sports Parenting
  • Life
  • Administrators
Home / Blog / Human Adaptability is Key to Mental Health During these Challenging Times

Human Adaptability is Key to Mental Health During these Challenging Times

By: Dr. Chris Stankovich | @DrStankovich | Nov 30, 2021

No Comments

Masks, social distancing, plexiglass, and vaccines.  A lot of new things have happened these last few years, prompting us to respond to unexpected changes and increased stress.  Our mental health, as you might imagine, is largely contingent on how well we adapt to the changing world around us — those willing to “roll with the punches” and work to stay optimistic and flexible are doing OK, while others caught off guard by the change and stress caused by the pandemic are more likely to be dealing with mood and anxiety issues.  How we deal with change and stress directly impacts our mental health, especially during times of chronic stress experienced during the current pandemic.

Adaptability

The word adaptable is defined as the ability to adjust oneself readily to different conditions.  Being adaptable does not come easy for most people, as human beings are creatures of habit who long for consistency and reliability on a daily basis.  The opposite of being adaptable is to be unchanging, but being inflexible in this moment is only hurting, not helping, overall mental health.  After 2+ years of a life very different from what we once knew, being fixed in thinking and unwilling to adapt leads to increased stress and frustration, and inevitably contributes to physiological problems as well.   To prevent additional mental health struggles, replacing intolerance with flexibility and adaptability is key.

Prevent “insanity”

The layman’s definition of insanity is continuing to do the same thing yet expecting a different result.  When I work with clients at my office we try and prevent this kind of “insanity” from occurring by laying out the possible options for change — specifically, the following two choices:

A.) Change your situation

B.) Change your thinking

With respect to the pandemic, option A is not currently available, at least not here in the United States.  With COVID found in every state, changing your situation (i.e. location) will not provide much relief without flexibility and adaptability in your thinking.  Using another example where option A would be a consideration might be a job you dislike — in this case you could choose to take on another job that is less stressful than the one you currently hold.  Unfortunately, none of us can fully escape COVID so long as the virus continues to spread.

That brings us to option B, changing our thinking about our situation.  In fact, it is often more efficient to change our thinking about life situations rather than going through complete overhauls with jobs, friends, and other life experiences.  For example, if you have a challenging boss at work it might make more sense to first exhaust all coping strategies before quitting the job and taking on more stress starting all over again.  Fortunately, most life situations can be improved upon by employing this strategy — including dealing with the stress associated with the pandemic.

Since option A really isn’t an option when it comes to the pandemic, that only leaves us option B, to change our thinking.  Is this easy to do?  Not necessarily, but it is possible to do, and the results by doing so will be much better than doing the same things yet expecting different results (“insanity,” remember?!).

Psychological exhaustion

We as humans experience stress with change, regardless whether it is good or bad change.  For example, people experience stress (distress) when losing a job, but they also experience stress (eustress) with a job promotion that brings more responsibility.  Regardless of whether the stress you experience is good or bad, it can be exhausting if not addressed, especially during times of chronic stress where the stressor (pandemic) hangs around for an especially long time.  When we succumb to stress we become irritable, short with people, and sometimes downright rude.  This psychological exhaustion can go on to create even bigger problems down the road, including poor coping in the form of bad diet, drinking, smoking, and drug use, all leading to premature death.  None of this has to happen, of course, so long as you are willing to change your ways of thinking from intolerance to openness for change and a commitment to adaptability.

Final thoughts

As the pandemic endures, we must find ways to cope with the related stress from the pandemic in healthy and effective ways.  When we are flexible and willing to adapt to change, our mental health remains positive and we effectively deal with  the stress we experience.  On the other hand, those unwilling to adapt will only continue to struggle with frustration and inevitably experience varying mental health issues and concerns.  Changing thinking isn’t always easy, but in this moment it’s the most viable option we have to choose.

drstankovich.com

 

adapt, change, health, mental, pandemic, psychology, Stress

  • Author
  • Comments
  • Details
Get to Know the Author

Dr. Chris Stankovich

Dr. Stankovich has written/co-written five books, including Positive Transitions for Student Athletes, The ParentsPlaybook, Mind of Steel.

Latest Blog Posts

  • June 5, 2023 What is Happening to Recreation Youth Sports in America?
  • May 23, 2023 Breaking Down the Stages of Youth Sports
  • May 16, 2023 Mental Health Tips to Help Kids Avoid Sport Burnout
  • May 10, 2023 Watch for these Issues with Kids Playing Multiple Sports During Same Season
  • May 4, 2023 Understanding the Importance of a Balanced Athletic Identity for Kids

PREVIOUS POST

Understanding Anxiety & the Impact on Confidence and Success

NEXT POST

Are Colleges More Serious About Education, or Football?

Category

Emotional Intelligence , Habit Change , health , health psychology , mental health , Mental Toughness , psychology , Uncategorized

Tags

adapt, change, health, mental, pandemic, psychology, Stress

  • Recent Posts
  • Most Read
  • What is Happening to Recreation Youth Sports in America?
  • Breaking Down the Stages of Youth Sports
  • Mental Health Tips to Help Kids Avoid Sport Burnout
  • Watch for these Issues with Kids Playing Multiple Sports During Same Season
  • Understanding the Importance of a Balanced Athletic Identity for Kids
  • Morning Sports Practice Before School is Becoming the Norm, but is this Healthy for Kids?
  • Nature or Nurture? Exploring the Psychology of Sport Success
  • Breaking Down the Stages of Youth Sports
  • 3 Important Tips for Today's Multi-Sport, Youth Sport Athlete
  • Understanding Intelligence: Putting Knowledge into ACTION!
  • The Sports Doc on TV

    Catch Dr. Stankovich’s tv, radio, and print interviews and columns here!

    Dr. Chris Stankovich Watch Videos
  • Sport Performance Assessment

    Dr. Chris Stankovich Quickly and accurately test your level of mental toughness in just a few minutes using the Sport Performance Assessment.

    (SPA), an easy-to-use sport psychology system specially designed to help you REACH YOUR FULL ATHLETIC POTENTIAL.

    learn more
  • SportsSuccess360

    Life strategies for performance and character development for coaches, parents, and student athletes competing in youth and interscholastic sports.

    Life Strategies learn more
  • Contact Dr. Stankovich

    1395 Grandview Avenue Suite 6, Columbus OH 43212

    (614) 561-4482
    Media & General Inquiries
    information@drstankovich.com
    Sales & Product Support
    sales@drstankovich.com
  • About Dr. Stankovich

    • Media
    • Blog
    • Testimonials
  • Products

    • Toolkits
    • Videos
    • Books
    • Audio
    • iPhone Apps
  • Services

    • Athlete Performance Training
    • Parent Community Forum
    • Coach Education & Development
    • Athletic Crisis Response and Intervention
    • Drug & Alcohol Assessment
    • Life Success Programs
    • Counseling & Consulting Services
  • Blog
  • YouTube
  • twitter
  • facebook

All rights reserved © 2023 Advanced Human Performance Systems™

↓ ↓