Schema Therapy


Common Maladaptive Coping Responses


Overcompensation
1.  Aggression, Hostility:  Counterattacks through defying, abusing,  blaming, attacking, or criticizing others
2.  Dominance,  Excessive Self-assertion:  Controls others through direct means to accomplish goals
3.  Recognition-seeking,  Status-seeking:  Overcompensates through impressing, high achievement, status, attention-seeking, etc.
4.  Manipulation, Exploitation:  Meets own needs through covert manipulation, seduction, dishonesty, or conning
5.  Passive-aggressiveness, Rebellion:  Appears overtly compliant while punishing others or rebelling covertly through procrastination, pouting, “backstabbing,” lateness, complaining, rebellion, non-performance, etc.
6.  Excessive Orderliness, Obsessionality:  Maintains strict order, tight self-control, or high level of predictability through order & planning, excessive adherence to routine or ritual, or undue caution.  Devotes inordinate time to finding the best way to accomplish tasks or avoid negative outcomes.
Surrender
7.  Compliance, Dependence:  Relies on others, gives in, seeks affiliation, passive, dependent, submissive, clinging, avoids conflict, people-pleasing.

Avoidance
8.  Social withdrawal,  Excessive autonomy: Copes through social isolation, disconnection, and withdrawal.  May demonstrate an exaggerated focus on independence and self-reliance, rather than involvement with others. Sometimes retreats through private activities such as excessive tv watching, reading, recreational computing, or solitary work.
9.  Compulsive Stimulation-seeking:  Seeks excitement or distraction through compulsive shopping, sex, gambling, risk-taking, physical activity, novelty, etc.
10.  Addictive Self-Soothing:  Avoids through addictions involving the body, such as alcohol, drugs, overeating, excessive masturbation, etc.
11.  Psychological Withdrawal:  Copes through dissociation, numbness, denial, fantasy, or other internal forms of psychological escape



COPYRIGHT 2012 , Jeffrey Young, Ph.D.  Unauthorized reproduction without written consent of the author is prohibited. For more information, write:  Schema Therapy Institute, 561 10th Ave., Suite 43D, New York, NY  10036