Avoidance Behaviors and Social Anxiety Disorder

Avoidance Behaviors and Social Anxiety Disorder Avoidance behaviors, in the context of social anxiety disorder (SAD), are things that people do or dont do to reduce anxiety about being in social situations. These behaviors are problematic because in the long run they only serve to increase fear. Avoidance behaviors can take three different forms: avoidance, escape or partial avoidance.?? Avoidance True avoidance behaviors involve the complete avoidance of the feared social situation. For example, someone afraid of public speaking might: Drop a class in which he has to give a speech  Change jobs to avoid giving presentationsFail to show up for an event such as a wedding or awards ceremony in which he is expected to speak in front of others Escape When total avoidance is impossible, escape behaviors may be used as a means of dealing with feared situations. Escape involves leaving or escaping from a feared social or performance situation. Some examples of escape include Leaving a gathering earlyWalking out in the middle of a speechHiding in the restroom during a dinner party Partial Avoidance When neither avoidance nor escape is possible, partial avoidance (also known as safety behaviors) may be used to alleviate feelings of anxiety during social or performance situations. Safety behaviors generally limit or control your experience of a situation. Safety behaviors might include such things as?? Avoiding eye contactReduced verbal communicationLowering ones voice when speaking Are You Using Safety Behaviors? If safety behaviors have become a way of life for you, it might be hard to even be able to recognize if you are using them. They may have become habitual ways of behaving that now you dont even know what it would be like not to use them. If you continue to feel anxious in situations even after facing them many times, this is a clue that you might be using safety behaviors. Notice situations that you face often but that still cause you anxietyâ€"and then identify what you might be doing in those situations to avoid feeling anxious, such as talking fast, avoiding eye contact, or wearing plain clothes to avoid drawing attention to yourself. While not using safety behaviors will result in increased anxiety in the short term, over the long term, it will help you to overcome your anxiety. Avoidance Maintains Anxiety The problem with avoidance behaviors is that they maintain the symptoms of anxiety. The safety behaviors are often assigned value for surviving social anxiety, but then blame for the anxiety or awkwardness is still placed upon the self, perpetuating the cycle.?? If you always avoid giving speeches, or if you only give speeches without making eye contact, your anxiety about giving a speech will never diminish. These behaviors prevent you from gathering evidence that disproves your maladaptive beliefs about social situations. For example, if you always leave a party at the first sign of anxiety, you never have the chance to learn that if you stay long enough in the situation, your anxiety will eventually diminish. Instead of avoiding giving speeches, or only delivering them in a safe way, you need exposure to giving speeches without avoiding, escaping or using safety behaviors. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) aims to identify avoidance behaviors and provide exposure to feared situations.??Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) teaches you how to lessen the impact of your anxious thoughts in perpetuating the cycle of panic and anxiety.?? In fact, research has demonstrated that exposure treatment (one component of CBT) for social anxiety disorder will be less effective when a person is using safety behaviors. This suggests that reducing your use of safety behaviors when entering therapy may help to give you a better result. Five-Minute Solution Are you looking for a quick way to reduce your avoidance? Draw on the principles of the therapies mentioned above. For example, you might do the following: If you have an urge to hide in the bathroom at the next party you attend, promise yourself to go back out for at least five minute intervals before you return. Gradually work your way up to longer periods of returning to  the party. If you have thoughts such as the following: Everyone must think I am awkward and boring say something to yourself like That is interesting, but its just a thought. I dont have to let it bother me. Thats just what my mind does when I am in these situations. A Word From Verywell While avoidance maintains anxiety, be careful to gradually move  into exposure situations after a long period of using safety and avoidance. Its better to gradually work on reducing your use of these behaviors while increasing time spent in situations that cause you anxiety. The 9 Best Online Therapy Programs