Everyone has to deal with unpleasant feelings

Throughout her life a girl may experience a wide range of feelings that are hard to deal with like anger, sadness, frustration, loneliness, loss, and many others. The writers at Girl Zone want to help you learn how to deal with these feelings in a healthy way.

Part of learning to deal with bad feelings is developing healthy strategies to use in the moment -- at the time when you are angry or upset. What we suggest is that you take some time now to think about what to do BEFORE you are in the middle of a difficult moment.

These coping strategies CAN work for you in the moment but only if you think of them before the moment arrives. If you don’t think about it beforehand, you will be less likely to be able to use them when the moment arrives.

If you find yourself doing something unhealthy or unhelpful to deal with bad feelings...

... you can change your mind in the middle -- but you need to have a plan. So read these useful suggestions that have worked for other girls, and think about what will work for you.

Remember: if you are unable to immediately change your current coping strategy, that’s okay! Don’t beat yourself up about it. Just try again the next time (and trust us, there will be a next time)!

At the end of the article, Weeping Willow's Hidden Pain we asked you to tell us what coping strategies you use to deal with bad feelings. An amazing number of readers responded to our survey and here are...

Girl Zone reader's top 10 best ways to cope with bad feelings. Click to find out what GZ readers said about these strategies.

1. Talk to a trusted friend
2. Write in a journal
3. Listen to music, sing, or dance
4. Scream into or punch a pillow
5. Talk to Mom
6. Read
7. Get in touch with nature
8. Move your body
9. Think positively
10. Hanging out with a pet