Avoidant coping is one of the strongest maintaining factors in anxiety. It includes any strategy that reduces discomfort in the short term by escaping, suppressing, or distracting from difficult thoughts, sensations, or situations. Research by Barlow, Craske, and Hayes shows that avoidant coping prevents new learning, increases fear, and keeps the threat system active.
Avoidant coping interacts closely with avoidance, safety behaviours, and rumination.
Avoidant coping is not just avoiding situations — it includes any behaviour that reduces emotional discomfort without addressing the underlying issue. These strategies feel helpful in the moment but reinforce the belief that discomfort is dangerous or unmanageable.
Common examples include:
Avoidant coping provides immediate relief. When anxiety drops after avoiding something, the brain learns that avoidance “worked,” even though the situation was safe. This reinforcement loop is the same mechanism described in the anxiety cycle.
Avoidant coping also reduces uncertainty — a major driver of anxiety described in intolerance of uncertainty.
Avoidant coping prevents the brain from learning that feared situations, sensations, or thoughts are tolerable. This blocks “inhibitory learning,” the process described by Craske that teaches the brain to update old fear associations.
Avoidant coping also strengthens:
These processes create a self‑reinforcing loop that keeps anxiety alive.
“Avoiding it keeps me safe.” Avoidance reduces discomfort, not danger.
“I’ll face it when I feel ready.” Avoidance prevents readiness — confidence grows through action.
“If I don’t avoid it, I’ll lose control.” This belief is shaped by past learning, not current reality.
CBH helps reduce avoidant coping through methods supported by research from Barlow, Hayes, and Alladin.
This approach is especially effective when combined with reducing safety behaviours and attention training.