Maladaptive behavior is behavior that prevents an individual from living their life fully and limits their ability to adjust to situations. Examples of maladaptive behavior include over-the-top avoidance of problems, withdrawing from social situations, passive-aggressiveness, angry outbursts, and acts of self-harm.
Its opposite counterpart, adaptive behavior, involves a person choosing to solve a problem head-on or minimize the chances of unwanted harm. This may include a person taking actions they don’t enjoy but acknowledge are necessary to resolve the issue.