Learning library
Anxiety and depression
Coping with Anxiety: Negative Strategies to Avoid

Coping with Anxiety: Negative Strategies to Avoid

What are the negative coping strategies for anxiety? Learn more about it and how you can stay away from them in this article from Confidant Health.

People who struggle with anxiety disorders can feel desperate to try to ease their symptoms. Unfortunately, they don't always choose healthy coping mechanisms. 

Negative or "maladaptive" coping strategies may feel beneficial for a while. But over the long run, they can have detrimental effects that end up worsening the anxiety disorder. Consider these common examples.

Avoidance

It may seem like a simple solution to managing anxiety -- avoid the situations that make you feel anxious. Avoidance, however, isn't realistic, nor is it likely to make the anxiety go away. 

A person who avoids anxiety triggers also misses opportunities to work through the anxiety. Avoiding situations prevents you from having positive and healthy experiences that communicate to your brain that feelings of anxiety aren't realistic or necessary.

Perfectionism 

Some people with anxiety disorders develop a mentality that they can overcome the problem if they reach some level of perfection. Rationally speaking, this is impossible. A person who becomes a perfectionist in response to their anxiety is likely to get more anxious when they inevitably fall short of their ideal.

Rumination

Obsessive thoughts, thinking about something over and over again, is called rumination. Sometimes people feel as if they can think their way out of their anxieties or fears, or they simply allow their brains to obsess over the things that trigger their anxiety. 

The trouble is many fears are irrational to begin with and unlikely to become real. Focusing on that fear only communicates to the brain that there is something to worry about, which strengthens the connection between the anxiety and the trigger.

📞
Request an Enrollment Call

Our team will call you to answer any questions you have or to help you schedule an appointment.

Request an enrollment call

Compulsions

Some people with anxiety disorders get hung up on the notion that there's something they can do to make the distress go away. They think certain compulsive behaviors or routines, like excessive handwashing, for example, help keep the anxiety in check. 

However, compulsions are a temporary fix. You may feel as if you're taking action against your fears, but you're reinforcing them by communicating to your brain that you need to be afraid. The anxiety will return over and over again unless you break the cycle.

Controlling

Trying to control everything around you is a coping mechanism that some people develop in an attempt to prevent disaster. Not only is this exhausting, but it also can cause anxiety in situations that don't go as planned. 

You can't control everything, and sometimes, other people are unpredictable. Then, when the unforeseen happens, you become even more anxious because you weren't able to foresee it. The brain is then even more convinced that the worst will happen, and the anxiety will continue. 

🗓️
Book with Confidant

Book with a vetted Confidant Health provider

Book appointment

Self-medicating

It's common for people with anxiety disorders to turn to alcohol or drug use as a way of dulling the physical and mental discomfort of anxiety. Not only can this lead to substance use disorder, but it can prevent you from actually working through the anxiety. 

Learning to manage problems is important to all aspects of your life. If you don't do the work, like going through treatment, you prevent the brain from reacting appropriately and solving problems.

This article has been medically reviewed by
Erin Hillers
Erin Hillers
Erin Hillers
Nurse Practitioner

Erin is a Nurse Practitioner with 8 years of experience in midwifery and women's health. She has spent the past 5 years specializing in the treatment of opioid and alcohol use disorders.

👍
Recommended reading
5 minutes
read time
Treating Depression: Options and Approaches to Recovery
5 minutes
read time
Types of Depression Medication (Antidepressants) and Treatment Options
5 minutes
read time
MDD vs PDD: The Difference Between Depression and Dysthymia
5 minutes
read time
Types of Depression: Exploring the Different Forms of the Condition
5 minutes
read time
Substance Use and Depression: Understanding the Connection and Finding Help
5 minutes
read time
What are positive coping strategies for depression?
5 min
read time
Coping with Job Loss: Helpful Strategies to Move Forward
4 minutes
read time
Letting Go of Fear: Techniques for Moving Forward
4m
read time
How to Improve Your Focus: Tips for Better Concentration
5 minutes
read time
Boosting Energy: Simple Strategies for Productivity and Alertness
4 minutes
read time
Overcoming Restlessness: Tips for Finding Calm and Focus
4 minutes
read time
How to Cope with Depression: Proven Strategies for Effective Management
4m
read time
Overcoming Overeating: Practical Tips for Managing Cravings
5 minutes
read time
Coping with Grief and Loss of a Loved One
4 minutes
read time
Quick Mood Boosters: Simple Strategies for Feeling Better
4 minutes
read time
The Physical Effects of Anxiety: Understanding the Impact on Your Body
5 minutes
read time
Fast Asleep: 6 Strategies for Falling Asleep Quickly
3m
read time
Gabapentin for Anxiety: Understanding the Treatment Timeline
5 minutes
read time
CBD Oil for Anxiety: When to Expect Relief
5 minutes
read time
Boosting Your Appetite: Tips for Eating When You Have No Appetite
4 minutes
read time
Managing Worries: Strategies for Coping with Anxiety and Stress
5 minutes
read time
Understanding the Difference Between Anxiety Attack and Panic Attack
4 minutes
read time
Identifying the Root Cause of Anxiety: Underlying Factors
5 minutes
read time
Coping with Sadness: Things to Do When You're Feeling Down
4 minutes
read time
Holiday Relaxation: Tips for Unwinding at Home
4 minutes
read time
Can't Sit Still? Tips for Calming Restlessness
5 minutes
read time
Finding Pleasure in Life: Tips for Increasing Joy and Satisfaction
4 minutes
read time
Types of Anxiety Medications: Understanding Your Treatment Options
4 minutes
read time
Types of Anxiety: Understanding the Different Forms of the Condition
4 minutes
read time
Coping with Anxiety: Negative Strategies to Avoid
4 minutes
read time
What is Anxiety? Understanding the Symptoms and Treatments
6 minutes
read time
Exploring the Connection Between Anxiety and Substance Abuse
4 minutes
read time
Zoom Fatigue: Understanding the Causes and Coping Strategies
5 minutes
read time
Building Resilience: Tips for Strengthening Your Mindset
5 minutes
read time
Understanding the Effects of Depression on the Mind and Body
5 minutes
read time
Coping with Depression: Unhealthy Strategies to Avoid
5 minutes
read time
What Causes Depression? Understanding the Triggers and Risks
5 minutes
read time
What is Depression? Causes, Symptoms and Treatments
Confidant mobile app screens

Get immediate access to the care you need today

Scan the QR code below to download the app. We'll help you to get immediate access to the care that your need.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play
Scan this QR code to download the app
QR code to download the app
Trusted by 5000+ members