Editing Coping (section)

==={{anchor|Negative}}Negative techniques (maladaptive coping or non-coping)===

Whereas adaptive coping strategies improve functioning, a [[maladaptive]] coping technique (also termed non-coping) will just reduce symptoms while maintaining or strengthening the stressor. Maladaptive techniques are only effective as a short-term rather than long-term coping process.

Examples of maladaptive behavior strategies include [[avoidance coping|anxious avoidance]], [[dissociation (psychology)|dissociation]], [[escapism|escape]] (including [[self-medication]]), use of [[humor styles|maladaptive humor styles]] such as [[Humor styles#Self-defeating humor|self-defeating humor]], [[procrastination]], [[rationalization (psychology)|rationalization]], [[safety behaviors (anxiety)|safety behaviors]], and [[sensitization]]. These coping strategies interfere with the person's ability to unlearn, or break apart, the paired association between the situation and the associated [[anxiety]] symptoms. These are maladaptive strategies as they serve to maintain the disorder.

* Anxious avoidance is when a person avoids anxiety provoking situations by all means. This is the most common method.
* Dissociation is the ability of the mind to separate and compartmentalize thoughts, memories, and emotions. This is often associated with [[post traumatic stress syndrome]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Md. Akhir |first1=Noremy |last2=Parveen Mubarak |first2=Niseetha |last3=Mohamad |first3=Mohd Suhaimi |last4=Mohamad Aun |first4=Nur Saadah |date=2024 |title=The Coping Mechanism by School Children in Response to The Psychosocial Impact of Flood Disaster: Case Study at Ernakulam, Kerala India |url=https://doi.org/10.17576/ebangi.2024.2103.44 |journal=E-Bangi Journal of Social Science and Humanities |volume=21 |issue=3 |doi=10.17576/ebangi.2024.2103.44 |issn=1823-884X}}</ref>
* Escape is closely related to avoidance. This technique is often demonstrated by people who experience panic attacks or have phobias. These people want to flee the situation at the first sign of anxiety.<ref>{{cite web|last=Jacofsky|first=Matthew|title=The Maintenance of Anxiety Disorders: Maladaptive Coping Strategies|url=http://www.seabhs.org/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=38479|access-date=25 July 2011|archive-date=28 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328041653/http://www.seabhs.org/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=38479|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* The use of self-defeating humor means that a person disparages themselves in order to entertain others. This type of humor has been shown to lead to negative psychological adjustment and exacerbate the effect of existing stressors.<ref>{{cite journal | last= Burger |first=C. | journal=International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health | title=Humor styles, bullying victimization and psychological school adjustment: Mediation, moderation and person-oriented analyses | volume=19 | issue=18 | pages=11415 | date= 2022 | issn=1661-7827 | doi=10.3390/ijerph191811415| pmid=36141686 | pmc=9517355 | doi-access=free }}</ref>
* Procrastination is when a person willingly delays a task in order to receive a temporary relief from stress. While this may work for short-term relief, when used as a coping mechanism, procrastination causes more issues in the long run.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Sirois |first1=Fuschia M. |last2=Kitner |first2=Ryan |date=July 2015 |title=Less Adaptive or More Maladaptive? A Meta–analytic Investigation of Procrastination and Coping |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/per.1985 |journal=European Journal of Personality |volume=29 |issue=4 |pages=433–444 |doi=10.1002/per.1985 |s2cid=55889911 |issn=0890-2070}}</ref>
* Rationalization is the practice of attempting to use reasoning to minimize the severity of an incident, or avoid approaching it in ways that could cause [[psychological trauma]] or stress. It most commonly manifests in the form of making excuses for the behavior of the person engaging in the rationalization, or others involved in the situation the person is attempting to rationalize.
* Sensitization is when a person seeks to learn about, rehearse, and/or anticipate fearful events in a protective effort to prevent these events from occurring in the first place.
* Safety behaviors are demonstrated when individuals with anxiety disorders come to rely on something, or someone, as a means of coping with their excessive anxiety.
* Overthinking
* Emotion suppression
* Emotion-driven behavior