In my experience, I have definitely been tempted to go back to old, negative coping mechanisms, and often fall back into familiar patterns. I think that the condition of being human means that we generally love patterns and rhythm and routine; that being said, it is important that we all exercise grace with ourselves and others as we learn and grow out of our old ways. I have found that bad coping mechanisms are often symptomatic of deeper, underlying issues. While fixing the symptoms may alleviate temporary pain and discomfort, addressing the root problem first is generally better long-term.

In the book, How to Change Your Mind for Good in 21 Days, Sir John Hargrave gives a helpful tool that I refer to often when trying to reform my habits. He refers to it as METAL (my emotion-thought-action loop). Essentially, what he recommends, is to first write down the emotion(s) you are feeling, the thoughts that follow, and the actions that result. He suggests that while we can't change our emotions, changing the thoughts that we often repeat can be key to changing our actions (i.e. coping mechanisms).

Here's a link to the book I referenced. You may find it helpful! Introduction * Mind Hacking

I wish you the best on your growth journey! May you find greater love and peace and joy along the way.