CHALLENGING BEHAVIOURS
ARE YOU STRUGGLING WITH CHALLENGING BEHAVIOURS?
As all behaviour is a way of communicating, you may find that you exhibit behaviour that challenges due to having unmet needs. Understanding the causes of challenging behaviour is the first step towards finding a way to get help with this. At Select Psychology, our team of specialists provides a range of support services to help you cope and work towards your mental well-being in a safe and confidential environment.
WHAT IS BEHAVIOUR WHICH CHALLENGES?
Behaviour which challenges is any behaviour that puts someone at risk to themselves or others. This can be physical or emotional behaviour and often has a significant impact on an individual’s quality of life and their ability to engage in positive relationships. It is often seen in people with health problems that affect communication and the brain, but can also be common amongst children and adults who experience emotional difficulties.
If you or a person you know is experiencing difficulties with challenging behaviours it is likely there is a certain level of anxiety, frustration and stress involved. Anyone experiencing this should seek treatment to help identify the issues causing this and therapy is a great way to do this. Therapy can help a person recognise negative thinking patterns and behaviours in order to implement healthier coping strategies.
Symptoms of Challenging Behaviour
Challenging behaviour can take many different forms and this includes but is not limited to:
- Hitting, biting and scratching
- Verbal abuse
- Self-harm
- Head-banging, pulling hair out
- Aggression
- Inappropriate sexualised behaviour
- Disinhibited or impulsive behaviour
WHEN TO SEEK THERAPY FOR CHALLENGING BEHAVIOURS
Behaviour that challenges can be social, biological and/or psychological. You should seek treatment when:
You experience frequent boredom in social situations
You attempt to exert control over situation(s)
Often seeking social interaction at inappropriate times
You experience physical pain
You tend to rely too much on medication
You experience hypo or hyper sensitivity
Often feeling excluded from social situations
Constantly trying to live up to the expectations of others or yourself (whether positive or negative)
THE BEST THERAPIES FOR TREATING CHALLENGING BEHAVIOURS
Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT)
Child Psychology
Family Therapy
Counselling
BENEFITS OF THERAPY FOR CHALLENGING BEHAVIOURS
It can help you identify your own needs as well as unhealthy coping strategies you may currently have in place
It allows you to take steps towards creating positive behaviours and coping mechanisms
Bring you closer to yourself and help you understand yourself more holistically
Help family and friends to understand you better
Identify underlying issues that are causing the challenging behaviour
THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP WITH CHALLENGING BEHAVIOURS
If you are worried that you or someone you know is suffering, it is important to seek help as soon as you can. But here are some things you can do in the meantime while you wait for your first appointment:
Slow down. When you feel yourself getting stressed or frustrated try and slow down and see if you can recognise the feelings building. Ask yourself what you need from the situation and is there a different way to go about it.
Maintaining a routine can provide you with a sense of stability and comfort. Include activities that you enjoy and boost your mood.
Prepare yourself for certain events that may be difficult. Anniversaries, holidays and milestones may heighten feelings of anxiety and stress. During this time, you can plan some activities to keep your mind occupied or talk to others and know that it is ok to say no to an event if you feel you will not be able to cope.
HOW CAN OUR PSYCHOLOGY SERVICES HELP WITH CHALLENGING BEHAVIOURS?
We offer a wide range of therapies to help with challenging behaviours and give you the tools to cope and understand your emotions. We are a private mental health service with highly trained therapists and no waiting lists.
This is how therapy would work:
Step 1
Get in touch
Step 2
Telephone Consultation
Step 3
Appointment Offer
Step 4
Initial Assessment
Step 5
Your Therapy
Step 6
Feeling Better
HELPFUL THINGS TO KNOW
What are some important things to remember for someone with challenging behaviour?
You are not alone
It is important to talk to people and share how you are feeling. This not only helps you feel heard but also enables the people around you to understand what you are going through.
If you are the carer of someone with challenging behaviour
It is important to seek support for yourself also. Find people in similar situations and share coping strategies. Make sure you take regular breaks for the sake of your own health.
It is more beneficial to reinforce good behaviour
Rather than reacting negatively to challenging behaviour, try to remain neutral when challenging behaviour occurs.
What are the indicators of challenging behaviour?
Some indicators of challenging behaviour are:
- Intentionally doing things that others might not like
- Hurting others physically like pinching, hitting or biting someone else
- Non-compliance to others’ requests
- Feelings of aggression and irritation
What are the ABCs of challenging behaviour?
Research shows that every type of challenging behaviours consists of 3 common components: Antecedents (the event, whether internal or external, that triggers the behaviour); Behaviours (indicates any sort of action that someone does following the antecedent); Consequences (what follows as a result of the behaviour exhibited).