How to Handle Scary Suspenses

Much of the northeastern United States is stuck in a tense state of suspense today, as we wait for Hurricane Sandy blow in. This kind of suspense can be hard to manage — you want to be well-prepared but you can’t plan for every possible peril. I’m sitting in my office right now wishing I knew which of the trees in my neighborhood are most likely to come crashing down in a 90-mph gust. If I could pinpoint the dangers, I’d move my car out of their path.

As a psychologist, I recommend a coping cocktail that combines active, problem-focused coping with soothing, emotion-focused strategies.

Active coping strategies involve doing something to directly address the issue at hand. You should have stocked up on water and non-perishable food, looked through the cupboards for flashlights and batteries, and secured objects outdoors that could turn into projectiles in a high-wind situation. If you haven’t done these things yet, there’s still time to find flashlights and fill the bathtubs with water in case your supply is cut off.

Emotion-focused coping strategies are aimed at reducing the anxious feelings you have in stressful situations, without actually fixing the underlying problems. These coping techniques sometimes get a bad rap – they can seem self-indulgent (such as eating a pint of Ben and Jerry’s to soothe your nerves) or avoidant (working on a professional project instead of preparing for the coming storm). But let’s face it: You can’t prevent the big storm from coming! It’s smart to take care of your emotional health when you’re in the danger zone. Call friends to check in or keep busy doing household projects. There’s no use sitting around obsessing about what you can’t control.

Life is full of of scary, suspenseful situations. Whenever you find yourself anticipating something awful, take charge by making your own coping cocktail. Do what you can to prepare for the worst, then tend to your own well-being while you hope for the best. And if all this talk of coping cocktails leaves you thirsty for the real deal, mix up your own hurricane and make a toast to Mother Nature.