Psychology Facts

▲ Attachment Styles ▲

》There are four adult attachment styles:

Anxious (also referred to as Preoccupied)

Avoidant (also referred to as Dismissive)

Disorganized (also referred to as Fearful-Avoidant)

Secure

》Attachment style theory states that the primary goal of a human infant is to maintain proximity to its caregiver, [which] was necessary for survival during our evolution

》Secure attachment is defined by an ability to build healthy, long-lasting relationships.

Ultimately, you felt safe, understood, comforted, and valued during your early interactions.

Your caregivers were probably emotionally available and aware of their own emotions and behaviors.

》Signs of a secure attachment style include:

ability to regulate your emotions

easily trusting others

effective communication skills

ability to seek emotional support

comfortable being alone

comfortable in close relationships

ability to self-reflect in partnerships

being easy to connect with

ability to manage conflict well

high self-esteem

ability to be emotionally available

》Avoidant, dismissive-avoidant, or anxious-avoidant are all words for the same insecure attachment style.

"[It's] defined by failures to build long-term relationships with others due to an inability to engage in physical and emotional intimacy

》You might have an anxious-avoidant attachment style if you:

persistently avoid emotional or physical intimacy
feel a strong sense of independence

are uncomfortable expressing your feelings
are dismissive of others

have a hard time trusting people

feel threatened by anyone who tries to get close to you

spend more time alone than interacting with others

believe you don't need others in your life
"commitment issues"

》(Avoidant Type) In childhood, you may have had strict or emotionally distant and absent caregivers.

Your caregivers may have:

left you to fend for yourself

expected you to be independent

reprimanded you for depending on them

rejected you when expressing your needs or emotions

been slow to respond to your basic needs

》Anxious attachment style — also known as anxious-ambivalent or anxious-preoccupied — is another type of insecure attachment characterized by:

fear of rejection

fear of abandonment

depending on a partner for validation and emotional regulation

codependent tendencies

》What Causes Anxious Attachment In Childhood

alternated between being overly coddling and detached or indifferent

been easily overwhelmed

been sometimes attentive and then push you away

made you responsible for how they felt

》Signs you might have an anxious attachment style include:

clingy tendencies

highly sensitive to criticism (real or perceived)

needing approval from others

jealous tendencies

difficulty being alone

low self-esteem

feeling unworthy of love

intense fear of rejection

significant fear of abandonment

difficulty trusting others

》Anxious-disorganized attachment is defined as having extremely inconsistent behavior and difficulty trusting others. The most common causes of a disorganized attachment style are childhood trauma, neglect, or abuse. Fear of their parents (their sense of safety) is also present.

》Signs of a disorganized attachment style include:

fear of rejection

inability to regulate emotions

contradictory behavior

high levels of anxiety

difficulty trusting others

signs of both avoidant and anxious attachment styles

》this type is also associated with mental health conditions in adulthood, including:

mood disorders

personality disorders

self-harm

substance use disorder