For me, choosing not to cope well is easier. It's a "default" and I can just fall back into familiar behavior. It takes effort to cope well and, when I'm stressed already, that extra effort needed makes it even harder. I have to really want to practice coping well and make a conscious decision to do so, etc. But that's the only way it's going to get to be "default" like the old, bad stuff and the old, bad stuff will get less familiar. It's like giving up a bad habit/smoking, etc. sort of.