Self-harm:
This can include non–suicidal self-injury or suicidal ideation. This could be related to struggling with impulsivity, trauma, anxiety, and depression.
Some causes to explain maladaptive behavior include the following: trauma/PTSD, anxiety/panic disorders, personality disorders (such as borderline personality disorder), and autism spectrum disorder. Maladaptive behaviors can affect many different areas of one’s life such as familial conflict, physical health, work/employment, and social life. Once maladaptive behaviors start to affect daily function, this may be a good sign to begin seeking treatment to help you manage these behaviors. The first step is recognizing the behaviors, then the goal is to begin to work towards engaging in adaptive behavior.
Maladaptive versus Adaptive
What is adaptive behavior and how do you work towards this goal? If you are engaging in adaptive behavior, this means you are learning to deal with and manage your stressors in a healthy way. This could look like the following: Being active by engaging in problem-solving; Changing expectations depending on the situation; Effectively managing emotions, especially stress-related emotions; Being aware of how thoughts are impacting behavior; and Engaging in healthy coping patterns.
Treatment options
CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). CBT is used to assist in identifying unhelpful or maladaptive ways of thinking, emotional responses, or behaviors. By identifying these unproductive patterns, therapy can assist in replacing these patterns with healthier patterns to make it easier to manage these responses and thought patterns.