Pious Petunia’s Guide to Coping Mechanisms

It’s been a rough year so far. We could all use a little bracing wisdom from the ever-winsome Miss P.

Dear Pious Petunia: How do I cope?

Miss P: I’ve been receiving many letters of late whose plaintive pleas boil down to that very question. Thank you for summing up the general mood so concisely. What with a cacophony of conflict and chaos in Washington, the looming gloom of global climate cataclysm, the tragic nexus of tax season and Lent…. Dear me. Apparently a symptom of my own severe stress is a lingering allowance for alliteration. Well. We all must find ways to cope, healthy ones if possible. Unfortunately, in more extreme states of mind it can be difficult to determine whether one’s methods lead to mental calm, malaise, or madness. Hence, Miss P has assembled this little rubric. Try to lean toward the life-giving, won’t you? Self-care is good stewardship.

Key:

H   healthy
?    questionable
!    consider seeking professional help
U   underutilized but promising strategy