Your phone says “delivered,” but there’s no reply. Minutes stretch out. Your mind starts running faster than your day can hold. To calm the spike, you open Instagram, refresh, then refresh again.
In the kitchen, you reach for cheese puffs. You start wiping the counter like it’s urgent. Then you add “replace charger” and “order storage bins” to your cart—useful items, technically. The tight feeling in your chest softens for a moment.
This is emotional avoidance in real time. A high-vulnerability trigger—like not being able to reach a partner who’s late—kicks up body sensations. Your brain reads that nervous system surge as danger. So you pivot to fast relief by avoiding emotions instead of meeting them.
The same pattern shows up when a laptop crashes right before a deadline, when a child melts down in a grocery store, or when you’re waiting on medical test results. The discomfort can feel so personal that it turns into harsh stories: “What if they’ve been in an accident?” “There’s something wrong with me.” “I can’t cope.” That mental spiral is also experiential avoidance, even when it looks like problem-solving.
Over time, this matters for emotional health. Research links emotional avoidance with higher pain levels, increased cardiovascular risk, higher cancer rates, more depression and anxiety, and added strain in relationships. It can look productive on the outside, but inside, it keeps the nervous system on alert.
This article uses a case study approach to show how avoidance takes hold—and how to reverse it. Emotional regulation isn’t “never feeling overwhelmed.” Many people grew up hearing “stay strong” and “push through,” which can train avoiding emotions without anyone noticing.
What works instead is slower, but real: tuning into the body, easing activation, and making room for what’s underneath. When you can stay present with discomfort, the urge for certainty and control loosens. Self-criticism softens. And relationships get more honest, because you’re not disappearing into coping tactics.
Key Takeaways
- emotional avoidance often starts with a vulnerable trigger and a rush of body sensations.
- avoiding emotions can look like scrolling, snacking, overworking, shopping, or “what if” thinking.
- experiential avoidance brings short-term relief but can strengthen anxiety and stress over time.
- emotional health improves when you notice sensations and emotions instead of trying to erase them.
- A case study lens can make these patterns easier to spot in daily life.
- Emotional regulation means staying with hard feelings long enough for them to move through.
Emotional avoidance: what it is and what it looks like in real life
Most people seek relief when they feel heavy inside. Emotional avoidance is a way the mind tries to find quick relief. It might look calm on the outside, but stress can be building up underneath.
This pattern often shows up as small, repeated moves away from discomfort. Over time, avoiding emotions can shape choices at work, at home, and in relationships.
Definition: escaping or controlling unwanted internal experiences
In psychology, experiential avoidance means trying to escape, reduce, or control unwanted inner experiences. This includes feelings, thoughts, memories, or body sensations. The goal is often to feel “better” right now, not to understand what is happening.
This is not the same as refusing to feel anything. Many people still feel a lot; they just relate to those feelings with fear, urgency, or shutdown. Emotional suppression can become the default move, even when it makes emotions rebound later.
Common “escape hatches”: staying busy, numbing out, intellectualizing, or overworking
- Staying busy so there is no quiet moment for feelings to surface.
- Overworking or overachieving to create a sense of control when life feels uncertain.
- Intellectualizing by analyzing emotions instead of sensing them in the body.
- Dodging hard talks that might bring up anger, guilt, or grief.
- Numbing out with screens, alcohol, food, or constant background noise.
These “escape hatches” can look productive or harmless, which is why emotional avoidance is easy to miss. The difference is the purpose: is the action serving your life, or is it mainly a way of avoiding emotions?
Everyday examples: doomscrolling, productivity spirals, comfort eating, online shopping, or constant checking
Real-life emotional suppression often hides inside routines. Doomscrolling can become a way to stay activated so you do not have to feel sadness or loneliness. Constant checking of email, news, or social apps can keep your mind occupied when your body wants to slow down.
Some people fall into productivity spirals, where anxiety powers a long list of tasks. Others lean on comfort eating or online shopping for a quick mood shift. In each case, the short relief can train the brain to repeat the same loop.
Why it’s often automatic (and not a conscious choice)
For many, emotional avoidance is a reflex learned early. If strong feelings were ignored, punished, or treated as “too much,” the nervous system may tag emotion as unsafe. Later, experiential avoidance can kick in before a person even notices what they feel.
Chronic stress and trauma can also keep the body on alert, as if discomfort equals danger. Some workplaces and social norms reward toughness and nonstop output, which can reinforce avoiding emotions. In that setting, emotional coping skills may never get practiced, because the fastest option is to shut down and push through.
| What it looks like | What it’s trying to prevent | What it can quietly reinforce |
| Doomscrolling late at night | Feeling alone, tense, or uncertain in silence | More stress arousal and less sleep, making emotions louder the next day |
| Productivity spirals and overworking | Fear of failure, guilt, or a sense of not being “enough” | Burnout patterns that make it harder to use emotional coping skills |
| Comfort eating or impulse snacking | Restlessness, sadness, or anger in the body | Less clarity about true needs, plus more shame that fuels avoidance |
| Online shopping and quick purchases | Emptiness, boredom, or a hit of stress | Short reward that trains the brain to chase relief instead of tolerance |
| Constant checking of messages and notifications | Worry, uncertainty, or fear of missing something | More vigilance and less ability to stay present with feelings |
Case study: when vulnerability shows up as “unrest” in the body
Vulnerability doesn’t start as a thought. It begins as unrest. You want safety and certainty but can’t control the outcome.
Emotional avoidance can sneak in here. It might look like speed, planning, or staying busy. Even when your body is asking for calm.
The presenting problem: anxiety after a triggering situation with limited control
Imagine waiting for medical test results and your phone is silent. You keep refreshing your inbox and replaying the appointment details.
First, you feel unrest. Then, avoiding emotions kicks in. Your mind tries to solve the unsolvable, and anxiety starts to build.
Body signals of unrest: braced muscles, shallow breathing, sweaty palms, racing heart
Your body often tells you before you can say a word. A knot forms in your stomach. Your muscles tense up, and your breathing becomes shallow.
Your palms get sweaty, and your heart races. You might hold your breath, raise your shoulders, or fidget.
These signs aren’t random. They show your nervous system is activated, even when you’re safe.
The turning point: noticing the body instead of escaping it
The shift happens when you stop escaping. Instead of reaching for a phone or food, you turn inward with curiosity.
Get specific: “Where is the tightness?” “How big is the area?” “Is it bracing, clenched, heavy, knotted, buzzing, or jittery?” Then ask again, “What does that feel like?” and refine your words.
Stay with one sensation long enough to notice a small change, even 20%. This slight easing can reduce the urge to avoid emotions and soften the need to fix everything right now.
How small moments of pause create space for real emotional processing
When your body settles a bit, the next layer may appear. Under unrest, you might find sadness, longing, anger, or disappointment.
A short pause can make room for honest truths. You might need help, face limits, want connection, or fear loss. This isn’t avoiding emotions; it’s making contact with them without getting lost in anxiety.
Over time, these small pauses can help you stop running from discomfort. They teach your brain to slow down when it feels nervous, not to panic.
| Moment | What shows up in the body | Common escape move | Pause-based alternative |
| Waiting with limited control | Knot in the stomach, raised shoulders, shallow breathing | Rapid checking, over-research, rushing into tasks | Locate the tight area; describe it as constricted or heavy; slow the exhale |
| Unrest spikes | Sweaty palms, racing heart rate, fidgety fingers | Worry loops, scrolling, comfort eating | Name the sensation as buzzing or fluttery; stay with one spot until it eases slightly |
| Mind searches for certainty | Clenched jaw, braced muscles, furrowed brow | Control plans, rehearsing conversations, more checking | Ask “What does that feel like?”; refine the description; drop the shoulders on purpose |
| After a small settle | Breath deepens; less agitation; slower pulse | Going numb or “powering through” | Notice the emotion underneath; allow it without solving; choose one next right step |
The anxiety avoidance cycle and why short-term relief makes symptoms worse
At first, avoiding anxiety might seem like a good idea. It makes you feel better right away. But, it can also have a hidden downside.
By avoiding feelings, your body learns to see them as threats. This means you miss out on learning that anxiety can change. Your brain starts to look for relief as proof that it’s safe.
How avoidance reinforces the brain’s “this is dangerous” learning
Every time you avoid something, your brain thinks it’s safer to escape. It marks the situation or feeling as dangerous. This makes your brain’s alarm system get better at spotting threats.
Skipping one tough moment can make the next one seem even scarier. Your mind thinks, “I got out last time, so I must have needed to.” This strengthens your fear.
Why worry and control can become an avoidant strategy
Worrying and controlling can seem like planning. But, they can also be a way to avoid feelings. Thinking “what if” or “if only” keeps you busy and avoids the real issue.
Even checking your body can backfire if you’re trying to avoid anxiety. You look for reassurance but don’t find it. This keeps you in a cycle of emotional avoidance.
How avoidance can spread: life gets smaller (work, relationships, social settings)
At first, avoidance might just be about not speaking up in meetings. But, it can grow to affect all areas of your life. You might start avoiding groups, delaying conversations, or ignoring texts.
At work, fear of failure can lead to procrastination. This can make you hesitant to make decisions, leading to a more restricted life.
Even small events, like a car accident, can make you avoid certain situations. You might start to feel uneasy about driving, leading to a smaller world without realizing it.
Example loop: anxiety rises, avoidance reduces discomfort, anxiety returns stronger next time
This pattern shows how avoiding feelings can make your anxiety worse over time. The quick relief is nice, but it strengthens your alarm system.
| Moment in the loop | What it feels like | What the brain learns | Common real-life example |
| Anxiety rises | Racing heart, tight chest, uneasy thoughts | “Something is wrong; act now” | You’re about to speak in a meeting and feel heat in your face |
| Avoidance lowers discomfort temporarily | Relief, tension drops, sense of control returns | “Escape works; keep doing it” | You stay silent, change the subject, or call in sick |
| Brain tags avoidance as “success” | Confidence in the escape plan, not in yourself | “That was dangerous; I prevented harm” | You tell yourself you “saved” the situation by not being noticed |
| Anxiety increases next time | Faster spike, stronger urge to bail | “This is even more threatening than before” | The next meeting feels worse, even if the topic is small |
| Urges to avoid intensify | More rules, more checking, less flexibility | “Safety requires strict control” | Worry and control take over: rehearsing lines, over-prepping, scanning your body |
| Cycle becomes harder to break | Life feels narrow; stress stays high | “I can’t handle this without escaping” | You start declining social plans and delaying hard conversations |
The hidden costs of avoiding emotions for mental health and relationships
Ignoring emotions doesn’t make them disappear. They often hide in our bodies, habits, and how we interact with others. Over time, avoiding emotions can make us seem fine on the outside but secretly stressed.
Studies show that avoiding emotions can lead to more symptoms, strained relationships, and health problems. It can also increase pain levels and raise the risk of heart disease and some cancers.
What tends to increase over time
When we ignore uncomfortable feelings, our minds struggle to process them. This can lead to depression and anxiety. We might start to cancel plans, withdraw, and lose interest in activities that once brought us joy.
Relationships can also suffer. Partners, friends, and coworkers may notice our distance, irritability, or sudden withdrawal. Our conversations become shallow, and small issues can turn into big fights.
At work, avoiding emotions can manifest as pushing through deadlines, missing signs of tension, and getting less sleep. We may become impatient with colleagues and experience physical symptoms like headaches or stomach problems.
| Pattern over time | How it shows up day to day | Common ripple effects |
| Emotional avoidance | Staying busy, overworking, numbing out, skipping hard talks | Less emotional clarity, more conflict avoidance, rising health complaints |
| Depression and anxiety | Withdrawal, rumination, dread about small tasks, loss of interest | Fewer positive experiences, more isolation, reduced motivation |
| Burnout | Late nights, poor recovery, cynicism, reduced focus | Mistakes at work, short temper, higher sick days |
| Relationship strain | Defensiveness, emotional distance, “walking on eggshells” | Lower trust, repeated arguments, less intimacy and support |
How minimizing and “pushing through” can lead to exhaustion and shutdown
Minimizing can seem like a strength, but it can actually harm us. Our bodies still feel stress through muscle tension, shallow breathing, and increased arousal. Ignoring these signs can lead to long-term strain.
This strain can cause burnout and even shutdown. In this state, even simple tasks feel overwhelming, and recovery is slow.
Self-attack and harsh inner narratives that flatten emotion and lower self-worth
Some people criticize themselves instead of facing their vulnerabilities. This can start early, in homes where strong emotions were punished or mocked. Feeling unsafe around emotions can lead to self-attack.
Common self-criticism includes thoughts like “If I tried harder,” “If I were smarter,” or “If I were more lovable.” Over time, this can flatten our emotions, lower our self-worth, and keep depression and anxiety in place.
“Faux feelings” and emotional masquerades that block what’s underneath
When certain emotions are unacceptable, we might swap them for safer ones. This can confuse communication and keep conflicts unresolved. The outward emotion may seem real, but it hides the true need underneath.
- If anger was punished, sadness or weepiness may show up during conflict.
- If sadness was labeled “weak,” anger may take over and push people away.
- Guilt can cover anger toward someone important, when closeness feels at risk.
These emotional disguises can keep us stuck in avoiding emotions. They can harm our relationships, leading to more misunderstandings, distance, and fewer chances to repair.
What to do instead: emotional coping skills that build regulation (not suppression)
Emotional avoidance can make you feel stuck between two bad choices. You might try to ignore your feelings or let them overwhelm you. But there’s a better way: regulation. This approach helps you focus on your feelings without avoiding them or losing control.
It views discomfort as useful information, not a bad sign. With practice, you learn to say, “I can handle this.” Your mind stops needing certainty to feel safe.
Differentiate fear vs. anxiety vs. unrest
Fear is about immediate danger. It prepares you to react quickly by making your muscles tense and your breathing faster.
Anxiety worries about the future or past. It turns into stories about what might or should have happened.
Unrest signals your body’s vulnerability. It might feel like fear but isn’t always about danger. It often leads to emotional avoidance because your brain sees it as danger.
| State | Core signal | Time focus | Common body cues | Skillful next step |
| Fear | Immediate threat | Right now | Adrenaline surge, braced muscles, quick breath, narrowed focus | Check safety, take protective action, then downshift with slower breathing |
| Anxiety | Predicted threat | Future or past | Racing thoughts, tight chest, restless energy, scanning for certainty | Name the worry as a prediction, return attention to what is true in the present |
| Unrest | Vulnerability cue | Present body signal | Knot in stomach, shoulder lift, breath-holding, fidgeting, sweaty palms | “Come home to the body” and locate one sensation with precision |
Practice “come home to the body” attention: locating sensations precisely
First, find your “ringtone” for unrest. Look for signs like raised shoulders or jaw clenching. Videos of yourself during stress can show patterns you miss.
Then, focus on one sensation. Ask yourself, “Where is it, exactly?” Use simple words like constricted or buzzing to describe it.
Stay with one feeling at a time. Ask, “What does that feel like?” Keep your focus until you notice a small change.
Use emotion labeling and self-compassion to reduce escalation
Labeling your emotions helps your brain sort out what’s real. Say, “This is anxiety,” or “I’m feeling sadness.” Naming it doesn’t feed it.
Be kind to yourself, too. Replace “I shouldn’t feel this way” with “This is hard, and I’m doing my best.” This kindness lowers tension and helps you avoid emotions.
Ride the wave: allowing emotions to crest and ebb without forcing certainty or control
After soothing your body, let your emotions flow. Unrest might show up, then safety, and then the real emotion. This could be anger, sadness, or longing.
These feelings can peak and then soften with breathing. Over time, this reduces emotional avoidance and helps you make better choices.
People often notice clearer thinking and more honest relationships when they stop avoiding emotions. Using emotional coping skills in real moments helps build resilience.
Therapy for emotional regulation: how evidence-based treatment targets avoidance
Emotional avoidance can make you feel like you just want to escape. But, this escape can keep the cycle of anxiety going. Therapy for emotional regulation helps you see what you do to avoid and what it costs you in the long run.
In CBT and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), the goal isn’t to get rid of feelings. It’s about changing how you relate to them. This way, you can respond with more choice and less panic.
Building awareness of avoidance patterns with curiosity (not judgment)
A big first step is tracking patterns without blaming yourself. You look at what happens right before you shut down or overwork. This makes it easier to spot avoidance in real time.
With CBT tools, you examine the thoughts that make you want to escape. Thoughts like “I can’t handle this” or “Something bad will happen.” Naming the pattern helps you avoid getting swept away by it.
Learning emotions are tolerable through gradual exposure to internal experience
Exposure in therapy is not about flooding. It’s about gradually getting comfortable with feelings and situations. The goal is to teach your nervous system that discomfort is temporary and safe.
One way to start is by imagining a crowded event for 30 seconds. Then, drive past the venue, then go inside for five minutes. Gradually, this reduces fear of your internal signals and breaks the anxiety cycle.
Replacing avoidance with flexible skills: grounding, mindfulness, distress tolerance
Therapy also teaches you skills for the moment. Grounding practices keep you focused, while mindfulness helps you observe feelings without getting caught up. Distress tolerance gives you options when your body is tense.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) pairs these skills with emotion labeling and self-compassion. This lowers shame and makes it easier to stay present, even when avoidance feels automatic.
Values-based action: choosing what matters even when discomfort is present
Avoidance makes life feel small. Values-based work makes it bigger by reconnecting you with what matters. In ACT, you practice taking small steps towards your values, even when it’s uncomfortable.
If avoidance is linked to trauma, pacing is key. A trauma-informed approach focuses on safety, choice, and collaboration. This way, emotional processing can happen without pushing too hard or too fast.
Thinking about therapy? Call 510-877-0950 or schedule an online appointment when you’re ready.
https://bewellcounselingtx.com/book-an-appointment/
| Focus in treatment | How it targets emotional avoidance | What you practice between sessions |
| CBT | Identifies fear-based predictions that drive escape and keeps the anxiety avoidance cycle going. | Thought checks, behavior experiments, and brief exposure steps matched to your current stress level. |
| Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) | Builds willingness to feel feelings while reducing the struggle to control them. | Mindfulness, defusion, values-based action, and “making room” for uncomfortable sensations. |
| Trauma-informed care | Supports emotional processing with steady pacing, so protection strategies can soften safely. | Choice-based grounding, body scanning with consent, and skills for staying oriented in the present. |
Conclusion
The case study revealed a significant change. Often, what we call “anxiety” is actually a body’s unrest. Signs like tight muscles, shallow breathing, and a racing heart appear first. Then, emotional avoidance kicks in to quickly shut it down, making us feel like we’re in control.
This quick relief might seem good, but it can have negative effects. Emotional avoidance can make the brain see normal feelings as threats. This can increase anxiety and make us pull back from life. Studies also link it to higher pain, heart risks, cancer rates, and relationship issues.
There’s a better way, focusing on emotional coping skills instead of hiding feelings. Start by pausing and naming your emotions. Then, pinpoint where they show up in your body. Add self-compassion, let feelings rise and fall, and you’ll reduce the need for control. This builds emotional freedom.
You don’t need to change your whole life to start. Choose one small thing you avoid, explain why it’s hard, and break it into tiny steps. Notice your feelings before, during, and after, and keep doing it until it feels easier. Therapy can help if you need support.
FAQ
What is emotional avoidance (experiential avoidance)?
Emotional avoidance, or experiential avoidance, is trying to escape or control unwanted feelings. It’s not about refusing to feel. It’s about avoiding feelings through distractions or staying busy.
What does emotional avoidance look like in real life, moment to moment?
It shows up as quick fixes like eating cheese puffs or cleaning the kitchen. It can also be checking social media or watching TikTok. These actions help avoid uncomfortable feelings.
What are common high-vulnerability triggers that activate avoidance?
Triggers include situations where you feel out of control, like waiting for a partner or medical results. These situations make you feel vulnerable and may lead to avoidance.
Why does emotional avoidance feel so urgent in the body?
When you feel vulnerable, your body gets tense. Your brain might think this tension is danger, even if it’s not. Avoidance feels like a quick fix to this discomfort.
What is “unrest,” and how is it different from anxiety?
A: Unrest is your body’s signal of vulnerability. Anxiety is worry about the future or past. Unrest is a physical feeling, while anxiety is a mental response.
What are the body signals of unrest to watch for?
Look out for a knot in your stomach or tight muscles. Shallow breathing and a racing heart are also signs. These signals mean your body is reacting to something uncertain.
Can you give a case-study style example of how avoidance keeps anxiety going?
Imagine you can’t reach your partner. You feel tense and try to find relief by checking their location. This temporary relief makes your brain think avoiding is the answer. Next time, you’ll feel more anxious and want to avoid even more.
What is the anxiety avoidance cycle?
It starts with anxiety, then you avoid to feel better. Your brain thinks avoiding is working, so you do it more. This cycle is hard to break without new skills or support.
How can worry and control become a form of emotional avoidance?
Worry can be a way to escape uncomfortable feelings. Thinking about what-ifs or trying to control situations can keep you stuck in avoidance. It’s about seeking certainty instead of facing your feelings.
What are common “escape hatches” that look productive but still avoid emotions?
Being constantly busy or overworking can be a way to avoid feelings. So is intellectualizing or minimizing your emotions. These strategies keep you from dealing with your true feelings.
How does avoidance spread and start shrinking someone’s life?
Avoidance can generalize, making you avoid more situations. It might start with avoiding meetings and grow to avoiding social events. Over time, your world can feel very small.
What are the documented risks linked to emotional avoidance?
Research shows emotional avoidance can lead to higher pain levels and increased risk of depression and anxiety. It can also harm your relationships and overall well-being.
How can emotional avoidance contribute to burnout at work?
Pushing through stress without noticing it can lead to burnout. It might start with feeling tense and then grow into physical symptoms. This can affect your productivity and overall health.
How does depression be a form of emotional avoidance?
Depression can show up as withdrawal or numbness. It can make you avoid activities you once enjoyed. This avoidance can deepen your low mood and make it harder to engage with life.
What is self-attack, and how does it connect to avoidance?
Self-attack is harshly criticizing yourself for feeling vulnerable. It can make you feel less worthy and increase the risk of depression. This pattern often starts when vulnerability feels unsafe.
What are “faux feelings” and emotional masquerades?
Faux feelings are pretending to feel something else when you’re really scared or upset. This can block true emotions and keep problems unresolved. It’s a way to avoid dealing with your real feelings.
What’s the difference between fear, anxiety, and unrest?
A: Fear is an immediate danger, like a threat to your life. Anxiety is worry about the future or past. Unrest is a physical feeling of vulnerability. They all activate similar brain systems, making them hard to tell apart.
What’s the “pause practice” for interrupting emotional avoidance?
The pause practice means focusing on your body instead of escaping. Notice specific sensations and describe them. This helps your nervous system feel safe and reduces discomfort.
What does “come home to the body” mean in practical terms?
It means learning to recognize your body’s signals of unrest. Use these cues to focus inward. This practice helps your body learn it’s safe to stay present with discomfort.
How do emotion labeling and self-compassion help with emotional regulation?
Labeling your emotions reduces escalation. Self-compassion softens self-criticism, helping your nervous system settle. Together, they improve emotional coping skills.
What does it mean to “ride the wave” of an emotion?
Riding the wave means allowing your emotions to rise and fall naturally. After soothing your body, let the emotion emerge. This process helps you understand and act on your true feelings.
Why do many people develop emotional avoidance without realizing it?
Avoidance often starts as protection. If you were punished for feelings in the past, you might avoid them now. Trauma and stress can also make strong feelings feel dangerous.
Does emotional regulation mean never feeling overwhelmed?
No. Emotional regulation is about noticing and soothing your nervous system. It’s about being present with discomfort without immediately escaping. It’s about flexibility, not suppression.
How does therapy for emotional regulation address emotional avoidance?
Therapy uses approaches like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). It teaches skills like grounding and helps you stay with your feelings. This helps your nervous system learn to tolerate discomfort.
What does gradual exposure mean when the problem is internal feelings, not just situations?
Gradual exposure means facing feared feelings in small steps. It’s like imagining a big event and then attending for a few minutes. This helps reduce fear and increases flexibility.
How does values-based action help break the avoidance pattern?
Values-based action means choosing purpose-driven behavior even when it’s uncomfortable. It reduces the need for certainty and control. This improves your presence in relationships.
When is trauma-informed pacing important in therapy for emotional avoidance?
Trauma-informed pacing is crucial when avoidance stems from trauma. It ensures emotional processing is safe and controlled. This approach helps avoid overwhelming or re-traumatizing the person.
Thinking about therapy?
Thinking about therapy? Call 510-877-0950 or schedule an online appointment when you’re ready. https://bewellcounselingtx.com/book-an-appointment/
What’s one small way to start changing emotional avoidance today?
Start by noticing one moment you avoid. Name the feeling you’re trying to avoid, then take a small step towards facing it. This builds confidence and weakens the avoidance cycle over time.
