Am I Engaging in Maladaptive Behaviors?

To know if you are engaging in maladaptive behavior, first, you must have a good understanding of what maladaptive behavior is. There can be a few different types that can affect your life in various ways.

Signs of maladaptive behavior include the following:

• Avoidance of situations
• Struggling with assertiveness, not being open with feelings
• Outbursts of anger
• Noticing yourself not engaging in social activities
• Using self-harm
• Misusing substances to cope

Types of maladaptive behaviors:

Avoidance (typically as a response to anxiety or fear):

This includes avoiding a situation that could be challenging instead of confronting the situation directly. As this can be an anxiety response, avoidance can be used as an effort to get the anxiety to stop.

Passive-aggressiveness:

This is typically used when someone is upset at someone or something but struggles with saying those feelings directly to the person they are upset at. Being passive-aggressive could be a way to release emotions without having to face the problem directly.

Anger:

Anger can be a normal emotion or response to a situation. It becomes a maladaptive behavior when it becomes unregulated, chronic, problematic, and causes impairment.

Sexual maladaptive behavior:

These are behaviors that could be harmful or not age-appropriate.

Substance use:

This can sometimes be used to avoid or cope with stressful situations.

Maladaptive daydreaming:

While daydreaming can be normal, maladaptive daydreaming typically affects a person’s functioning day-to-day.

Self-harm:

This can include non–suicidal self-injury or suicidal ideation. This could be related to struggling with impulsivity, trauma, anxiety, and depression.

Some causes to explain maladaptive behavior include the following: trauma/PTSD, anxiety/panic disorders, personality disorders (such as borderline personality disorder), and autism spectrum disorder. Maladaptive behaviors can affect many different areas of one’s life such as familial conflict, physical health, work/employment, and social life. Once maladaptive behaviors start to affect daily function, this may be a good sign to begin seeking treatment to help you manage these behaviors. The first step is recognizing the behaviors, then the goal is to begin to work towards engaging in adaptive behavior.

Maladaptive versus Adaptive

What is adaptive behavior and how do you work towards this goal? If you are engaging in adaptive behavior, this means you are learning to deal with and manage your stressors in a healthy way. This could look like the following: Being active by engaging in problem-solving; Changing expectations depending on the situation; Effectively managing emotions, especially stress-related emotions; Being aware of how thoughts are impacting behavior; and Engaging in healthy coping patterns.

Treatment options

CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). CBT is used to assist in identifying unhelpful or maladaptive ways of thinking, emotional responses, or behaviors. By identifying these unproductive patterns, therapy can assist in replacing these patterns with healthier patterns to make it easier to manage these responses and thought patterns.

In general, therapy can help in expanding your toolbox. Maladaptive behaviors are usually used to provide short-term relief but then cause issues in the long run. Healthy coping skills can assist in providing long-term relief. Some examples could include learning to be kind to yourself (self-compassion), reframing negative thinking patterns, being able to openly express emotions, and building on a support system and self-care.

If you are struggling with changing these behaviors, know that you do not have to do it alone. You can reach out to a healthcare professional such as a doctor, a psychiatrist, or a therapist. Making a change is not easy but seeking help will provide you with tools to feel better equipped to manage current and future stressors.

Contact information for Symmetry Counseling– You can contact us via phone at 888-661-2742 or request an appointment online. Crisis information: For immediate help- Call 911 or 988 (988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)

References:

Maladaptive behavior: Signs, causes, treatment, and more. (2023, July 28).

medicalnewstoday.com

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/maladaptive-behavior#seeking-help

Marston, D. (2022, December 2). Maladaptive Behavior: Definition, Causes, &

Treatment. Choosing Therapy. https://www.choosingtherapy.com/maladaptive-behavior/