Safety behaviours list: 30 examples and how to drop them
Safety behaviours are the small things you do to feel safer when you are anxious. They can feel sensible, but over time they can keep the fear going. This list gives 30 common examples by type of anxiety, and a gentle way to start dropping them, with a free tracker you can print.
Add the safety behaviours you use to each ladder step and track which ones you've dropped.
Fade them in EtappiWhat safety behaviours are
A safety behaviour is something you do in a feared situation to feel safer or to stop the feared thing happening. Carrying water, rehearsing what to say and sitting by the door are all common examples. They bring short-term relief, which is why they are so easy to keep using.
The catch is what they teach you. If you always use the behaviour, you never find out whether the feared thing would have happened without it. The credit goes to the behaviour, and the belief that you needed it stays exactly where it was.
Panic safety behaviours
With panic, the aim is usually to stop the frightening sensations from turning into something worse, or to be ready to escape. They can quietly shrink the places you feel able to go.
- Carrying water everywhere
- Sitting near exits
- Holding on to something solid
- Planning every route around where you can get out quickly
- Going out only with a trusted person
- Avoiding caffeine or exercise to prevent racing hearts
- Checking your pulse
- Carrying a distraction 'just in case'
Health anxiety safety behaviours
In health anxiety, safety behaviours aim to find out whether something is wrong. They often make you more aware of your body, which can make ordinary sensations feel more alarming.
- Checking your pulse
- Searching symptoms online
- Asking family or friends for reassurance
- Examining your skin or body in the mirror
- Pressing on a part of your body to see if it hurts
- Booking repeated tests when nothing has changed
- Avoiding anything that mentions illness
Worry and general anxiety safety behaviours
With worry, safety behaviours often take the form of preparing, checking and controlling. They can seem responsible, but they can also keep you on high alert.
- Over-preparing for events
- Making lists to stop yourself worrying
- Texting to check that someone is safe
- Rereading emails several times before sending
- Putting off decisions until you feel certain
- Asking others what they would do
- Staying busy so you do not have time to think
Avoidance versus safety behaviours
Avoidance means not going into the situation at all. A safety behaviour means going, but only with protection. Avoiding a party is avoidance, while going but staying glued to one friend is a safety behaviour.
Both can keep fear going, and both are worth working on. The difference is mainly useful for spotting them: ask yourself whether you are avoiding something, or doing it but only with a crutch.
Dropping them gradually
Start by picking one safety behaviour from the list. Choose the one that feels least essential, rather than the one you rely on most. Then drop it during an easier exposure step, one you would rate at 30 or 40 out of 100.
Afterwards, note what happened. Did the feared thing take place? How did you cope? Write it down on the tracker below. Once the first behaviour feels easier to leave behind, choose the next one and repeat. Do not change any prescribed medication without talking to your prescriber.
Free printable worksheet
Safety behaviour tracker
Notice the things you do to feel safer, then drop them one at a time.
- List the situations you find hard and what you do to get through them.
- Write what you fear would happen without that behaviour.
- Pick one to drop on an easier step and record what actually happened.
My safety behaviours
| Situation | Safety behaviour | What I fear without it | Date I dropped it | What actually happened |
|---|---|---|---|---|
This page is general self-help information, not a diagnosis. It is not a substitute for professional care. Free worksheet from Etappi.
Add the safety behaviours you use to each ladder step and track which ones you've dropped.
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Frequently asked questions
Are all safety behaviours bad?
No. Some are sensible precautions. The question is whether a behaviour is stopping you learning that you can cope without it.
Should I drop them all at once?
Usually not. Dropping one at a time, on easier steps first, keeps practice manageable.
Is reassurance seeking a safety behaviour?
Often, yes. Asking others or searching online for reassurance can work in the same way, giving brief relief that keeps the worry going.
Social anxiety safety behaviours
In social situations, safety behaviours often aim to hide anxiety or avoid being judged. They can make conversations more tiring and make you seem more distant than you are.