Breaking Free from Anxiety Safety Behaviors

Anxiety safety behaviors are activities, decisions, and actions that one takes to protect themselves from things that make them anxious. While safety behaviors can be beneficial in the short term, they can backfire in the long run. To understand how, it’s important to recognize that safety behaviors actually reinforce anxiety and keep people living their lives in fearful anticipation of looming danger and potential failure. This article explores how anxiety safety behaviors can backfire, why this is the case, and what one can do to reduce reliance on safety behaviors and lead a more fulfilling life.

First, let’s take a closer look at anxiety safety behaviors and how they work in practice. Common safety behaviors include avoiding certain places or situations, using medication, alcohol or drugs to cope with anxious states, avoiding eye contact, giving a false sense of reassurance, seeking constant reassurance from others, and so on. For example, someone who has social anxiety may avoid going to parties or other social events, compulsively check their phone in order to distract themselves from conversations, and only attend events when accompanied by a close friend or family member.

While these behaviors may seem like they’re providing short-term relief, they can backfire as they end up reinforcing the anxious states. Whenever someone carries out a safety behavior, they’re essentially telling themselves that they need to be protected in that situation otherwise something bad will happen. Over time, this reinforces the idea that the situation is dangerous, triggering even more symptoms of anxiety and further safety behaviors.

This cycle of safety behaviors often becomes automatic, meaning that it can be extremely difficult to break free from it. As people rely more and more on safety behaviors, they become less likely to try new things and reach external goals like forming relationships or succeeding in work. This means that safety behaviors often lead to a state of chronic stress, fear and low self-esteem as one’s day-to-day life becomes dominated by avoiding and protecting oneself from potentially dangerous situations.

In order to reduce reliance on safety behaviors and instead aim for recovery and a more fulfilling life, it’s important to become mindful of safety behaviors you’re engaging in and be aware of unproductive patterns of behavior. Acknowledge that while safety behaviors may provide some temporary relief, they’re keeping you from recovery in the long-run. Make sure to identify situations that trigger safety behaviors and actively work to eliminate them in the future. Additionally, reach out for professional help if necessary.

It can be difficult to break away from long-term cycles of safety behaviors, but it’s possible. Becoming aware of the issue is the first step towards reducing reliance on safety behaviors and leading a more fulfilled life without the interference of anxiety.