Buddhist Coping with Stress in Thai Middle-Aged Men: A Thematic Analysis

Abstract

Buddhist strategies to cope with stress were hardly studied in a group of Thai middle-aged men even though statistics from the Department of Mental Health showed that they suffer from problems of mental health. This qualitative study aimed to understand Buddhist coping with stress from three Thai middle-aged men who successfully coped with stress from their life events. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed using the method of thematic analysis. Findings showed themes of “agony,” “trial and error,” “discovery,” and “fruition.” Their Buddhist coping strategies could be related to Cognitive-behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Brief Mindfulness Meditation (BMM), and bibliotherapy. Moreover, Buddhist resources such as monks and temples were drawn upon in their attempt to cope with stress.