Regulating Angst

To cope with anxiety and overwhelming experiences, many people develop distracting strategies which can lead to dysfunctional habitual patterns. It is often when poor behavioural coping becomes symptomatic that people come into therapy.

Regular avoidance of uncomfortable situations can hardly offer a long-term strategy to deal with our problems. Yet, when faced with stressful and overwhelming events, our immediate response is often to remove ourselves from the unbearable and painful experience. The problems arise when over time the avoidant tendencies become automatic and start limiting our range of responses, affect optimal performance and social interactions, ultimately lowering the very quality of our lives.

DISTRESS TOLERANCE

Recognising the protective factors underlying even the most disruptive coping can help individuals in the understanding of their relapsing behaviours. With each failure to prevent undesired behaviour, many people report feelings of regret, shame and loss of control. This, in turn, exacerbates anxiety further, causing subsequent coping failures, and eventually locking affected individuals in a perpetuating habitual cycle. Despite the common stigma surrounding substance use disorders, it is often in an effort to feel normal again that people resort to harmful choices, often against their best judgement. Similarly, habitual automaticity can be recognised in any number of avoidant behaviours, whether it is excessive smartphone and internet use, overeating, smoking, or other distracting habits.

Continue Reading this article and learn about the ways to Strengthen Prefrontal Cortex responses, as well as Self-regulating skills for better Distress Tolerance and stress management.

Originally published on MindnLife.com

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