The Safety Behaviour Detective Kit: A Glasgow Counsellor's Guide to Hidden Anxiety Patterns

The Safety Behaviour Detective Kit: Your Guide to Breaking Free from Hidden Anxiety Traps

Are You Unknowingly Keeping Your Anxiety Alive?

You've probably tried everything to manage your anxiety - breathing techniques, positive thinking, mindfulness apps, even forcing yourself into uncomfortable situations. But what if I told you that some of the very strategies you're using to feel safer are actually the things keeping your anxiety strong?

As a counselling professional in Glasgow, I see this pattern constantly with my clients: they're working so hard to manage their anxiety, but they're stuck because they don't recognise the subtle safety behaviours that are maintaining the very cycle they're trying to break.

Whether you're dealing with health anxiety, social fears, panic attacks, or general worry, understanding your safety behaviours is crucial for recovery. Many people seeking therapy in Glasgow come to me after years of trying various coping strategies, only to discover that some of their "helpful" habits were actually maintaining their anxiety cycle.

That's where this detective kit comes in. It's time to become a detective of your own patterns and discover what's really keeping you stuck.

What Are Safety Behaviours (And Why Your Brain Loves Them)?

Safety behaviours are the subtle things we do to try to prevent the catastrophes our anxious brain is convinced will happen. They're your mind's way of saying "I'll help you get through this situation without something terrible occurring."

Here's what's fascinating about safety behaviours: they do provide instant relief. They feel protective in the moment and give you a sense of control. BUT, they create a cycle that reinforces anxiety long-term.

Think of it like this - every time you use a safety behaviour and nothing terrible happens, your brain doesn't think "Oh great, I was wrong about the danger." Instead, it thinks "Phew, good thing I did that safety behaviour, otherwise something awful would have happened!"

The Safety Behaviour Detective: Your Investigation Toolkit

Part 1: Safety Behaviour Inventory Checklist

Health Anxiety Safety Behaviours:

[ ] Constantly checking your body for symptoms or changes
[ ] Googling symptoms repeatedly throughout the day
[ ] Seeking frequent reassurance from family, friends, or medical professionals
[ ] Avoiding news or information about illnesses
[ ] Taking your temperature, pulse, or blood pressure multiple times daily
[ ] Avoiding certain foods, activities, or places due to health fears
[ ] Carrying medication "just in case" even when not needed
[ ] Repeatedly checking previous medical test results
[ ] Scheduling excessive medical appointments for minor concerns
[ ] Avoiding exercise due to fear of physical sensations

Social Anxiety Safety Behaviours:

[ ] Checking your phone frequently to avoid social interaction
[ ] Over-rehearsing what you'll say before conversations
[ ] Avoiding eye contact or making very brief eye contact
[ ] Agreeing with everything to avoid potential conflict
[ ] Asking lots of questions to keep focus off yourself
[ ] Apologising unnecessarily ("Sorry, this might sound stupid, but...")
[ ] Bringing a friend as your "safety person" to social events
[ ] Researching social situations extensively beforehand
[ ] Leaving social events early to avoid potential embarrassment

Panic Attack Safety Behaviours:

[ ] Carrying "emergency" items (water, medication, phone charger)
[ ] Avoiding certain places where you've had panic attacks before
[ ] Sitting near exits or in aisle seats
[ ] Avoiding caffeine, exercise, or anything that increases heart rate
[ ] Constantly monitoring your breathing or heart rate
[ ] Having escape routes planned for every situation
[ ] Avoiding being alone in case you need help
[ ] Staying close to hospitals or medical facilities

General Anxiety Safety Behaviours:

[ ] Making excessive lists and plans to feel in control
[ ] Constantly checking locks, appliances, or work multiple times
[ ] Seeking reassurance about decisions from others repeatedly
[ ] Avoiding news or triggering content completely
[ ] Procrastinating on important tasks to avoid potential failure
[ ] Over-researching every decision before making it
[ ] Keeping busy to avoid anxious thoughts
[ ] Having multiple backup plans for every scenario
[ ] Avoiding making decisions independently
[ ] Checking and re-checking emails before sending

Work/Performance Anxiety Safety Behaviours:

[ ] Over-preparing for routine meetings or presentations
[ ] Arriving extremely early to every commitment
[ ] Double and triple-checking work before submitting
[ ] Avoiding leadership opportunities or speaking up in meetings
[ ] Seeking excessive feedback and approval from supervisors
[ ] Working longer hours than necessary to avoid potential criticism
[ ] Avoiding challenging projects that might result in failure
[ ] Rehearsing phone calls extensively before making them

Part 2: The 7-Day Safety Behaviour Tracker

Instructions: For the next week, carry this tracker with you. Each time you notice yourself doing a safety behaviour, make a quick note. Don't judge yourself - you're just gathering information.

Day 1: ____________

Situation:
Type of anxiety (health/social/panic/general/work):
Safety behaviour used:
How did it make me feel immediately?
How did I feel 2 hours later?

Day 2: ____________

Situation:
Type of anxiety (health/social/panic/general/work):
Safety behaviour used:
How did it make me feel immediately?
How did I feel 2 hours later?

Day 3: ____________

Situation:
Type of anxiety (health/social/panic/general/work):
Safety behaviour used:
How did it make me feel immediately?
How did I feel 2 hours later?

Day 4: ____________

Situation:
Type of anxiety (health/social/panic/general/work):
Safety behaviour used:
How did it make me feel immediately?
How did I feel 2 hours later?

Day 5: ____________

Situation:
Type of anxiety (health/social/panic/general/work):
Safety behaviour used:
How did it make me feel immediately?
How did I feel 2 hours later?

Day 6: ____________

Situation:
Type of anxiety (health/social/panic/general/work):
Safety behaviour used:
How did it make me feel immediately?
How did I feel 2 hours later?

Day 7: ____________

Situation:
Type of anxiety (health/social/panic/general/work):
Safety behaviour used:
How did it make me feel immediately?
How did I feel 2 hours later?

Weekly Reflection:

Which safety behaviours did I use most often?
What patterns do I notice?
Which types of situations trigger the most safety behaviours?
What themes am I seeing across different anxiety types?

Part 3: From Safety to Confidence - Your 3-Step Transition Guide

Step 1: Start Small, Start Safe Pick ONE safety behaviour that you use regularly but that feels like it might be the easiest to experiment with reducing. This might be:

Checking your phone one less time during the day
Making one decision without seeking reassurance
Not googling a symptom when you notice it
Submitting work without checking it a final time
Going to one place without mapping out all the exits

Step 2: The "Stay and Observe" Experiment Instead of immediately using your safety behaviour, try staying in the situation for just 30 seconds longer than you normally would. Notice:

What happens in your body?
What thoughts come up?
What actually happens in the situation?
How intense does the anxiety actually get?

Step 3: Collect the Evidence After each experiment, write down:

What I feared would happen:
What actually happened:
How I felt during the experiment:
What I learned:

Remember: The goal isn't to eliminate anxiety completely - it's to learn that you can handle uncertain situations and the uncomfortable feelings that come with them.

Part 4: Quick Reference - What to Do Instead

For Health Anxiety: Instead of googling symptoms → Set specific "check-in" times once a day maximum Instead of constant body checking → Schedule one brief body scan per day Instead of seeking immediate reassurance → Wait 24 hours before asking someone else

For Social Anxiety: Instead of avoiding eye contact → Try looking at people's eyebrows or the space between their eyes Instead of over-apologising → Pause and ask yourself "What am I actually sorry for?" Instead of extensive mental rehearsal → Set a 5-minute timer for preparation, then stop

For Panic Anxiety: Instead of avoiding trigger places → Visit for just 5 minutes initially Instead of constant heart rate monitoring → Check only when you notice you're checking Instead of always carrying emergency items → Leave one item at home occasionally

For General Anxiety: Instead of making endless lists → Limit yourself to 3 priority items per day Instead of seeking constant reassurance → Make one small decision independently Instead of over-researching → Set a 15-minute research limit for minor decisions

For Work Anxiety: Instead of excessive preparation → Prepare for the appropriate amount of time, then stop Instead of multiple work checks → Check once, then submit Instead of avoiding challenges → Take on one small stretch assignment

The Science Behind Why This Works

Your brain processes threats (whether real or imagined) by activating your amygdala - your internal alarm system. When this alarm goes off repeatedly, your brain starts to believe the danger is real, even when it's not. But here's what's fascinating: the more you resist and try to control your anxiety, the more it backfires and reinforces it. It's like trying not to think of a pink elephant - the harder you try, the more pink elephants show up.

Through counselling approaches like Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), we can help your brain get the "software update" that this response is no longer necessary. But first, you need to become aware of all the ways you're inadvertently feeding the anxiety cycle.

Understanding Different Types of Anxiety Patterns

In my experience providing anxiety therapy in Glasgow, I've noticed that safety behaviours often overlap across different anxiety types. Someone might start with health anxiety safety behaviours (constantly checking symptoms) and develop social anxiety patterns (avoiding discussing their health fears with others) or panic-related behaviours (avoiding places where they've felt physically anxious).

This interconnected nature of anxiety is why working with a qualified counsellor in Glasgow can be so valuable - we can help you see the bigger picture of how these patterns reinforce each other, rather than just addressing symptoms in isolation.

When Self-Help Isn't Enough

While this detective kit can help you identify patterns and start making small changes, sometimes the safety behaviour patterns run deeper than what self-help can address. This is particularly true if you've experienced trauma, which can make safety behaviours feel absolutely essential for survival. A trauma counsellor can help you understand how past experiences might be driving current safety-seeking patterns.

If you're finding that:

You recognise your safety behaviours but feel unable to reduce them
The anxiety feels too overwhelming to face without your protective strategies
You've tried reducing safety behaviours but the anxiety got worse instead of better
Your anxiety is significantly impacting your work, relationships, or daily functioning
You have multiple types of anxiety with complex safety behaviour patterns
Past difficult experiences seem connected to your current anxiety patterns

This might be a sign that professional support could make a real difference. Many clients find that working with a trauma therapist using approaches like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) alongside traditional anxiety therapy provides the comprehensive support needed for lasting change.

Your Next Steps

Complete the Safety Behaviour Inventory - knowledge is power
Use the 7-Day Tracker - patterns become clear with consistent observation
Try one small experiment - start building evidence that you're more capable than your anxiety thinks
Be patient with yourself - these patterns developed over time and take time to change

Remember: You're not broken, your anxiety isn't permanent, and you definitely don't have to figure this out alone.

Ready for More Support?

If this detective work has shown you just how much your safety behaviours are running your life, and you're ready to reclaim your confidence without the exhausting protective strategies, I'm here to help.

As a specialist providing anxiety therapy in Glasgow, I understand exactly how these patterns develop across different types of anxiety and, more importantly, how to help you change them. Whether you need support for recent anxiety patterns or deeper work with a trauma counsellor to address underlying experiences, I use evidence-based approaches that actually work (not just "think positive" advice).

For those whose anxiety stems from difficult past experiences, I also provide trauma counselling, including EMDR therapy, which can be particularly effective when safety behaviours are rooted in past events that your nervous system hasn't fully processed.

Working with a qualified counsellor in Glasgow means you get personalized support that addresses your unique combination of anxiety patterns, safety behaviours, and underlying experiences. We can help you move from safety-seeking to authentic confidence, whether that requires traditional anxiety therapy, trauma work, or a combination of approaches.

Book a free consultation call to discuss how counselling could help you move from safety-seeking to authentic confidence. You deserve to live your life without constantly trying to prevent disasters that probably won't happen.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Rebecca is a Glasgow-based therapist specialising in anxiety treatment for millennial women. With 12 years of experience providing anxiety counselling in Glasgow and specialised training in ERP and ACT approaches, she helps clients break free from safety behaviour cycles across all types of anxiety including social anxiety, health anxiety, panic disorder, and generalised anxiety.

Book a free call

The Safety Behaviour Detective Kit: A Glasgow Counsellor's Guide to Hidden Anxiety Patterns

The Safety Behaviour Detective Kit: Your Guide to Breaking Free from Hidden Anxiety Traps

​

Are You Unknowingly Keeping Your Anxiety Alive?

​

​

As a counselling professional in Glasgow, I see this pattern constantly with my clients: they're working so hard to manage their anxiety, but they're stuck because they don't recognise the subtle safety behaviours that are maintaining the very cycle they're trying to break.

​

​

That's where this detective kit comes in. It's time to become a detective of your own patterns and discover what's really keeping you stuck.

​

What Are Safety Behaviours (And Why Your Brain Loves Them)?

​

Safety behaviours are the subtle things we do to try to prevent the catastrophes our anxious brain is convinced will happen. They're your mind's way of saying "I'll help you get through this situation without something terrible occurring."

​

Here's what's fascinating about safety behaviours: they do provide instant relief. They feel protective in the moment and give you a sense of control. BUT, they create a cycle that reinforces anxiety long-term.

Think of it like this - every time you use a safety behaviour and nothing terrible happens, your brain doesn't think "Oh great, I was wrong about the danger." Instead, it thinks "Phew, good thing I did that safety behaviour, otherwise something awful would have happened!"

​

The Safety Behaviour Detective: Your Investigation Toolkit

Part 1: Safety Behaviour Inventory Checklist

​

Health Anxiety Safety Behaviours:

[ ] Constantly checking your body for symptoms or changes

[ ] Googling symptoms repeatedly throughout the day

[ ] Seeking frequent reassurance from family, friends, or medical professionals

[ ] Avoiding news or information about illnesses

[ ] Taking your temperature, pulse, or blood pressure multiple times daily

[ ] Avoiding certain foods, activities, or places due to health fears

[ ] Carrying medication "just in case" even when not needed

[ ] Repeatedly checking previous medical test results

[ ] Scheduling excessive medical appointments for minor concerns

[ ] Avoiding exercise due to fear of physical sensations

​

Social Anxiety Safety Behaviours:

[ ] Checking your phone frequently to avoid social interaction

[ ] Over-rehearsing what you'll say before conversations

[ ] Avoiding eye contact or making very brief eye contact

[ ] Agreeing with everything to avoid potential conflict

[ ] Asking lots of questions to keep focus off yourself

[ ] Apologising unnecessarily ("Sorry, this might sound stupid, but...")

[ ] Bringing a friend as your "safety person" to social events

[ ] Researching social situations extensively beforehand

[ ] Leaving social events early to avoid potential embarrassment

​

Panic Attack Safety Behaviours:

[ ] Carrying "emergency" items (water, medication, phone charger)

[ ] Avoiding certain places where you've had panic attacks before

[ ] Sitting near exits or in aisle seats

[ ] Avoiding caffeine, exercise, or anything that increases heart rate

[ ] Constantly monitoring your breathing or heart rate

[ ] Having escape routes planned for every situation

[ ] Avoiding being alone in case you need help

[ ] Staying close to hospitals or medical facilities

​

General Anxiety Safety Behaviours:

[ ] Making excessive lists and plans to feel in control

[ ] Constantly checking locks, appliances, or work multiple times

[ ] Seeking reassurance about decisions from others repeatedly

[ ] Avoiding news or triggering content completely

[ ] Procrastinating on important tasks to avoid potential failure

[ ] Over-researching every decision before making it

[ ] Keeping busy to avoid anxious thoughts

[ ] Having multiple backup plans for every scenario

[ ] Avoiding making decisions independently

[ ] Checking and re-checking emails before sending

​

Work/Performance Anxiety Safety Behaviours:

[ ] Over-preparing for routine meetings or presentations

[ ] Arriving extremely early to every commitment

[ ] Double and triple-checking work before submitting

[ ] Avoiding leadership opportunities or speaking up in meetings

[ ] Seeking excessive feedback and approval from supervisors

[ ] Working longer hours than necessary to avoid potential criticism

[ ] Avoiding challenging projects that might result in failure

[ ] Rehearsing phone calls extensively before making them

​

Part 2: The 7-Day Safety Behaviour Tracker

Instructions: For the next week, carry this tracker with you. Each time you notice yourself doing a safety behaviour, make a quick note. Don't judge yourself - you're just gathering information.

Day 1: ____________

Situation: