Safety Behaviors

One of the most harmful responses to anxiety is avoidance. When a person avoids the source of their anxiety, they feel relief. However, the next time they face a similar situation, their anxiety will be worse.

Safety behaviors are subtle actions used to avoid anxiety in social situations. For example, someone who is anxious about socializing at a party might focus on their phone to discourage others from approaching. Although safety behaviors provide some relief, they make anxiety worse in the long run.

Anxiety		Safety Behaviors		Consequences
·   drawing attention to myself in groups		·   speak very softly·   avoid eye contact		·   temporary relief from anxiety·   difficulty making friends·   people think I’m unfriendly·   I never face my fear

Circle the safety behaviors you use to avoid social anxiety, or write your own.

speak very little	speak very softly	hold arms stiffly at sides to prevent trembling
stand far from others to avoid conversation	avoid sharing personal information	avoid eye contact
constantly check appearance in mirror	obsess over appearance before socializing	come up with reasons to leave social event early
use drugs / alcohol	avoid eating in front of others	wear excessive makeup to hide blushing
avoid asking questions	excessively rehearse what to say before socializing	use distractions to appear busy (e.g. phone, TV)
talk excessively to avoid silences	lie or exaggerate to look better	continually seek reassurance or approval
cave to peer pressure or wishes of others

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