The Cycle of Anxiety and Avoidance
Understanding the concept
Avoiding feared situations can reduce anxiety immediately, making avoidance more likely next time. Over time, the person may have fewer chances to discover what they can tolerate. Supportive, gradual exposure is one evidence-based approach for some anxiety problems.
What this might look like
Declining every social invitation may feel relieving tonight but make next month’s invitation feel even harder.
A question to reflect on
What small step might be possible without pushing beyond what feels safe or manageable?
Research & further reading
- NICE (2022). Depression in adults: Treatment and management (NG222).
- National Institute of Mental Health. Psychotherapies: Finding a therapist and understanding treatment.
These sources offer background reading and do not necessarily substantiate every sentence in this article. This is educational information, not diagnosis or personalized advice. Content should be clinician-reviewed prior to public launch.