Avoidance Coping: Does It Cause Stress or Does It Work?

Day in and day out, we are exposed to various forms of stressors. Sometimes, we may engage in avoidance coping to mitigate or deal with the effects of a stressful situation. At other times, we may have a more active way of dealing with the situation, by tackling it head on.

A person who depends on the former strategy is likely to constantly escape from the situation. For example, someone who engages in avoidance coping is likely to call in sick the day they are supposed to have a tough meeting at work. Other forms of avoidance coping include overthinking, procrastination, and passive aggressiveness. However, is there a way to determine what works the best?

There are times when we flee from the situation, because it becomes too overwhelming for us to tackle it head on. (Image via Vecteezy/ Vecteezy)

Avoidance Coping Examples

Its so much easier to avoid than face the situation. (Image via Vecteezy/ yazid)

Everyone has experienced avoidance coping at least once, since it is a cognitive shortcut. These shortcuts give us instant relief, and, therefore, we end up relying on them for every situation. There are several common examples of avoidance coping:

1) Denial

Psychonalytically inclined psychologists coined the term "defence mechanism." These are internal responses that protect us from external threat and stress. Denial is one of the defence mechanism which involves refusing to acknowledge the existence of a problem or minimizing its significance.

For instance, an individual who has experienced a traumatic event, like the loss of a parent, may experience denial. They may deny the reality which provides temporary relief from distress but does not solve the underlying issue.

2) Distraction

What is your distraction strategy? (Image via Pexels/ RDNE Stock)

One of the common avoidance strategies is engaging in activities or behaviors that divert attention from the stressor.

Whether it is watching excessive TV shows, engaging in an unrelated activity, or thinking about other things, distraction is easy and immediately saves us from the stressor.

3) Avoidance of triggers

Triggers are situations, places, or people that cause negative emotions like anxiety. Avoidance can range on a continuum from being somewhat exposed to the trigger to not at all being exposed. For instance, individuals with social anxiety may be comfortable with online meetings but will go lengths to avoid in-person meetings.

4) Substance use

Will you choose to avoid or confront? (Image via Vecteezy/ FF)

Substance use can turn into misuse and also addiction if not regulated. Have you heard your loves ones saying that by taking a particular substance, they can forget all their sorrows and worries. For the time being, yes, but what about the future?

You are also likely to develop substance use disorder in the long run, since it becomes an emergency mechanism.

5) Procrastination

Procrastination is the thief of time and also a very common avoidance strategy. How likely are you to avoid studying for an exam that is three months away? Very likely. We end up procrastinating because the nature and content of the task is very overwhelming and our mind is not ready for that.

Avoidance Coping Mechanism

Sometimes, it makes sense, but what about other times? (Image via Vecteezy/ Yazeed Nashuha)

In the short term, avoidance as a coping mechanism may be beneficial, for example, in response to a situation that is both uncontrollable and too threatening. However, it is not likely to be beneficial for the longer term because it does not actively deal with the threat and its impact.

Avoidance coping doesn’t work because it is not sustainable. All of us go through challenges, and this is a fact in our lives that we can't change. If you find that you deal with anxiety by avoiding, try shifting from anxiety avoidance to anxiety management.

Anxious people can be susceptible to avoidance coping because, initially, it appears to be a way to avoid anxiety-provoking thoughts and situations. Some research indicates that in in the long run, an avoidance coping tends to exacerbate your negative thought and emotions. Unfortunately, then you become more fearful of anxiety, and it turns into a vicious cycle. Instead of avoiding your stressor, consider healthy ways to manage it. For example:

Talking through problems in a relationship or partnership.
Talking a look at your finances and learning to budget vs. hiding from your bank account.
Reframing a tough situation and seeking out lessons or positives vs only seeing negatives.
Taking inventory and getting honest about your health habits vs. just saying you’re busy now but tomorrow you’ll focus on your health.

When faced with stressful situations, it's generally more beneficial to engage in problem-solving, seeking social support, and adopting healthier coping strategies that directly address the issue. Professional help, such as therapy or counseling, can also provide guidance in developing more effective coping mechanisms.

Your go-to approach might be avoidance coping and that is completely typical. No one is expecting you to change your approach over night. However, it might be of importance to see what works for you in the long-term and not necessarily the short-term. What would you choose--avoidance or active engagement?

Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.

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