Avoidant Coping
Avoidant coping, also known as maladaptive coping, is the most commonly used strategy in the United States. In fact, people who use avoidant coping to it’s extreme are considered to have Avoidant Personality Disorder. Avoidant Personality Disorder, classified by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), is characterized by socially pervasive behaviors.
Although not all individuals who use avoidant coping are considered mentally-ill, it entails method such as:
According to some research, avoidant coping is even associated with symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). World War II prisoners of war that had PTSD were found to have avoidant coping tendencies such as social isolation, nostalgic thinking, and self-blame. Tiet and colleagues also investigated 5 Department of Veteran Affairs medical centers to study individuals with PTSD and found that their participants who used avoidant coping such as venting feelings to others in a negative way have weaker social connections with their family and friends.
It is unclear why avoidant coping is the most commonly used technique to deal with stress but is associated with little to worse outcomes of psychological well-being. Thus, you may want to try a different technique to deal with stress.
Although not all individuals who use avoidant coping are considered mentally-ill, it entails method such as:
- Displacing emotions unto others
- Relying on externalization
- Wishful thinking
- Mental breakdowns
- Drug use
- Gambling abuse
- Risky behaviors
- Denial, and/or ignoring the problem
According to some research, avoidant coping is even associated with symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). World War II prisoners of war that had PTSD were found to have avoidant coping tendencies such as social isolation, nostalgic thinking, and self-blame. Tiet and colleagues also investigated 5 Department of Veteran Affairs medical centers to study individuals with PTSD and found that their participants who used avoidant coping such as venting feelings to others in a negative way have weaker social connections with their family and friends.
It is unclear why avoidant coping is the most commonly used technique to deal with stress but is associated with little to worse outcomes of psychological well-being. Thus, you may want to try a different technique to deal with stress.