S14E6 - Avoid This

As humans, we are wired to move toward pleasure and avoid pain. We do this in many ways, including through five main types of avoidance. Avoidance is a part of life. There are times when you avoid people, places, or things because you know already know how the situation will turn out (and it's not good)

We feel afraid of certain things (like inadequacy, looking bad, imperfection, disappointment, shame, embarrassment, failure), so we avoid them. When we avoid someone troubling or something difficult, we sometimes believe we can avoid the stress and anxiety associated with it.

Avoidance therapy, also known as avoidance conditioning, is a behavioral therapy technique that aims to reduce unwanted behaviors by associating them with unpleasant stimuli. It's a type of counterconditioning where a negative stimulus is paired with the undesirable behavior, with the goal of creating an aversion to that behavior. While it can be effective in the short term, it's often used in conjunction with other therapies and is not typically considered a standalone treatment. 
How Avoidance Therapy Works:
Pairing:
The core principle involves pairing the unwanted behavior with an unpleasant stimulus, such as a bad taste or a mild electric shock.
Aversion:
The goal is to create an aversion to the unwanted behavior, making it less likely to occur.
Counterconditioning:
This process aims to replace the positive association with the unwanted behavior with a negative one. 

This week we would like to highlight River Bank Therapy if you would like to learn more or donate click the link below https://www.riverbanktherapy.com/blog/5-tools-for-dealing-with-avoidance

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