Reference no: EM133625063

Question: In CBT, safety-seeking behaviours are actions carried out with the intention of preventing a feared catastrophe (Osborne & Williams, 2018). Controlled breathing can become a safety-seeking behaviour if clients rely on it excessively or use it to avoid facing their fears (Kennerley & Westbrook, 2017). However, Aafjes-van Doorn et al. (2019) argue that not all safety behaviours are harmful, and that some may actually help the patients to cope and regulate their emotions. They examined the role of different types of safety behaviours in the treatment of panic disorder and found that people-focused safety behaviours, such as seeking reassurance or support from others, were associated with worse outcomes, while other types of safety behaviours were not. Thwaites and Freeston (2005) even went further in their detailed discussion of the challenge in distinguishing between safety-seeking behaviours and adaptive coping strategies across anxiety disorder. They argue that they can only be fully distinguished by taking into account the intention of the client and their perceived function to that client in the specific context. For instance, controlled breathing can be distinguished from a safety-seeking behaviour to an adaptive coping strategy if the client does not believe that controlled breathing is the only thing that can prevent or stop a panic attack, and that they can cope or survive without it (Kennerley & Westbrook).

Can different types of safety behaviours interact with each other?