Coping with Stress: A Pragmatic and Actionable Plan of Action

Stress is a part of life. Stress impacts persons living with chronic disease and those who care for them. Thus, coping with stress becomes an integral part of diabetes self-management education. This opinion piece describes useful ways of coping with stress. It uses a simple 4 × 3 model, designed in an alliterative manner. Four trigonal pillars, or the four As-approach/attitude, analysis, activity, and adjuvant methods-determine the efficacy of coping with stress. Each of these domains includes various attitudes, behaviors, and choices (ABC), which are described in a pleasing manner as 12 Ps. This list reinforces strategies, styles, and systems that can be used to ensure positive, productive coping.