Art and Design Commons^™

Security Blankets: The Art Of Maladaptation, Megan Stobaugh

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In times of stress or trauma, each person has their own means of coping. There are countless ways to deal with stressors in a positive way, such as journaling, problem solving, or meditation. However, many distressed individuals turn to negative, or maladaptive, coping mechanisms. These are behaviors which seem to help ease distress in the moment, but prove to have negative consequences. While they vary greatly, some common maladaptive coping mechanisms include substance and tobacco use, self-harm, disordered eating, violence, and isolation.

This project aims to shed light on the subject of maladaptive coping mechanisms, as it is an increasingly …