Avoidance coping, or escape coping, is a kind of generally maladaptive coping, characterized by the effort to escape from having to deal with a stressor

Stressor

Stressor is a chemical or biological agent, environmental condition, an external stimulus or an event that causes stress to an organism. An event that triggers the stress response may include for example:...

.Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms are thought to be the precursor to avoidance coping. PTSD symptoms are high stress which cause the person suffering from them to draw into themselves, avoiding the problem entirely and leading to avoidance coping whether it be cognative or behavioral. Not much is understood about avoidance coping. For quite some time it was thought not to even exist until more recent research was put forth toward the subject.

Symptoms

Avoidance coping, also called Classic or Type I Avoidant Personality Disorder display a number of symptoms that are used to diagnose the person so that they may be treated. They can include some or all of the symptoms that will follow. The person tends to draw inward. They don't wish to be involved in relationships or social activites, usually showing a fear of commitment. They do this due a fear of rejection from their peers, family, or even strangers that they just meet. This withdraw can create a sense of timidness and appear through out the personality with indecision and a lack of confidence in their own beliefs or hopes and achievements.

Alzheimer's Connection

Those who care for a loved one with Alzheimer's also demonstrate symptoms of depression and stress which lead to signs of avoidance coping. The closer the person was with the loved one with Alzheimer's, the stronger the avoidance coping. Those who cope using avoidance show signs such has making an effort to avoid thoughts or feelings associated with the traumatic event and a loss of interest in once positive activities.

Treatments

Ways to treat those who use avoidance to cope is to simply reduce the degree in which one ignores emotion. Ways to do this are Cognitive-Behavioral or psychoanalytic therapies. These types of therapies help people express and comprehend their emotions. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (or ACT) can also be used for those who avoid their emotions when coping. It is a particular type of behavioral therapy that focuses on helping a person live a meaningful life by breaking down avoidance coping and reasons as to why it is an unhealthy method of coping with traumatic experiences.