evitaçãoevitação

evitaçãoevitação is a neologism used in Portuguese-language discussions of avoidance behavior to denote a recursive or self-referential form of avoidance. The term blends evitação (avoidance) with itself, signaling a meta-level pattern in which the act of avoiding becomes the object of further avoidance. It is not a standard term in mainstream psychology, and its usage appears mainly in theoretical, heuristic, or informal writings rather than in formal textbooks.

Conceptual framework. The idea characterizes a two-tier pattern: at the first tier, a person avoids a distressing stimulus or situation; at the second tier, the person avoids reflecting on or applying coping strategies that would reduce distress. This recursive avoidance can prolong anxiety, reinforce avoidance habits, and interact with known phenomena such as avoidance-avoidance conflicts or experiential avoidance.

Clinical and practical implications. If discussed clinically, evitaçãoevitação would draw attention to the difficulty of breaking the cycle of avoidance, emphasizing the need for interventions that address both immediate avoidance and the underlying avoidance meta-processes, such as exposure-based therapies or cognitive restructuring. It aligns with research on chronic avoidance and its role in anxiety disorders, though it is not a widely adopted label.

Usage and critique. Because it is a coined and potentially confusing term, many scholars prefer established phrases such as avoidance-avoidance, meta-avoidance, or experiential avoidance. When used, it should be defined clearly to avoid conflation with standard avoidance concepts.

See also: avoidance-avoidance conflict; experiential avoidance; exposure therapy; coping strategies.