"Avoidance is a common maladaptive coping strategy people with anxiety engage in. Engaging in avoidance looks different, depending on the type of anxiety one has."
"Avoidance reduces anxiety in the short-term but increases anxiety in the long-term. To reduce anxiety, it is critical that one faces their fears, which can be done with exposure-based CBT."
"All of the actions taken by these three people may make them feel better in the moment. The person with social anxiety feels immediate relief as she heads to her car with her lunch."
"The person with a fear of flying feels immediate relief as she loads her suitcases into the back of her car for the conference."
Avoidance is a common coping strategy for individuals with anxiety, manifesting differently based on the type of anxiety. While avoidance may provide short-term relief, it exacerbates anxiety in the long run. For example, someone with social anxiety may choose to eat alone to avoid judgment, while another person may drive long distances to avoid flying. Health anxiety can lead to avoiding medical check-ups due to fear of bad news. Facing fears through exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy is essential for long-term anxiety reduction.
Read at Psychology Today
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