Final answer:
Long-term coping skills are necessary to manage stress sustainably and prevent negative health effects, by using problem-focused coping for controllable stressors and emotion-focused coping for uncontrollable stressors.
Step-by-step explanation:
Long-term coping skills are essential for managing continuous stress because while short-term stress can be stimulating, long term-stress can have detrimental effects on the body, making it crucial to develop effective coping mechanisms. Coping strategies such as problem-focused and emotion-focused coping allow individuals to manage and alleviate stress. Problem-focused coping involves actively trying to solve the stressor, like a student finding ways to improve a failing grade. Emotion-focused coping, on the other hand, involves strategies to reduce the negative emotions associated with stress, such as seeking distractions or reinterpreting the stressor in a positive light.
Persistent stress can lead to numerous health issues, hence, understanding the difference between problem-focused and emotion-focused coping is key to applying the appropriate strategy in the face of controllable or uncontrollable stressors. Emotion-focused coping may provide immediate relief but typically does not address the root cause of the stress, whereas problem-focused coping aims to solve the underlying problem, leading to a more sustainable outcome. Therefore, it is important to have long-term coping skills to manage stress sustainably and maintain overall health and wellbeing.