Another thing that I think is crucial to know about addictive behavior is that when we avoid something, we experience temporary peace or relief from the thorniness of that thing. This reinforces the avoidant behavior, but it also reinforces the belief that the thing we’re avoiding is dangerous. Peter Levine, who has written and taught extensively

These automated actions are very difficult to see in the heat of the moment because we are so used to doing them without thinking. This is why building self-awareness and understanding the patterns of your thought and behavior are essential for emotional resilience. Without this, you will only be able to address the symptoms and not the cause.

states, learning what may have triggered a dangerous emotional collapse or an inflation, the more we can attend to psychological well-being as a practice, something to exercise and improve at, not simply something to fall victim to and about which to depend upon others for answers.