Attachment disorder in adults typically develops from early childhood experiences that disrupted the formation of secure emotional bonds with primary caregivers. This mental health condition, which can stem from neglect, abuse, frequent changes in caregivers, or inconsistent parenting, often makes it challenging to form and maintain healthy relationships in adulthood.
Adults with attachment disorders may struggle with trust, emotional intimacy, and regulating their emotions. They might avoid close relationships altogether or become excessively dependent on others while also fearing abandonment. These individuals often have a distorted view of themselves and others, which can lead to persistent feelings of unworthiness, anxiety about relationships, and difficulty understanding or expressing their emotional needs.
The impact of attachment disorder and other mental health behavioral issues on daily life can be profound and far-reaching. People with this condition often experience challenges in their personal and professional lives, struggling to maintain stable relationships or form meaningful connections with colleagues and friends.
They may find themselves caught in cycles of self-sabotaging behavior, pushing people away when they get too close or becoming overwhelmingly clingy out of fear of abandonment. This can lead to chronic feelings of loneliness, depression, and anxiety.
The condition can also affect their ability to parent their children, as they may struggle to provide the consistent emotional support and secure attachment their children need. Without proper treatment and support, these patterns can persist throughout adulthood, though with professional therapy and intervention, many people can learn to develop healthier attachment styles and more fulfilling relationships.
What Are the Symptoms of Adult Attachment Disorders?
Adults with attachment disorders often display an array of symptoms that are displayed in their relationships and emotional responses. Common signs include intense fear of abandonment, difficulty trusting others, and a tendency to either avoid emotional intimacy altogether or become overly dependent in relationships.
These individuals may have issues with severe anxiety when others try to get emotionally close to them, leading to patterns of pushing people away or testing relationships through manipulative behaviors. They might also struggle with emotional regulation, experiencing intense mood swings, angry outbursts, or periods of emotional numbness. Many adults with attachment disorders may also have a negative self-image, chronic feelings of emptiness, and difficulty accepting or giving love despite desperately wanting a connection.
The behavioral symptoms of attachment disorders can significantly impact daily functioning. People with this condition often demonstrate inconsistent patterns in relationships, alternating between idealizing and devaluing their partners, friends, or family members. They may have difficulty reading social cues, maintaining boundaries, or expressing their needs in healthy ways.
Physical symptoms can also include anxiety-related issues such as insomnia, digestive problems, or tension headaches when facing relationship stressors. Many individuals with attachment disorders report feeling like an outsider or being fundamentally different from others, leading to social isolation and difficulty maintaining long-term relationships.
Mental Health Treatment That Works
Which Attachment Style Is Most Codependent?
The anxious-preoccupied attachment style is typically most associated with codependent behaviors and relationships. People with this attachment style often develop strong codependent tendencies because they have an intense fear of abandonment combined with a negative self-image and an overwhelming need for external validation and reassurance from others. These individuals tend to exhibit classic codependent behaviors such as:
- Excessive people-pleasing to maintain relationships
- Difficulty setting and maintaining personal boundaries
- Making their self-worth dependent on their relationships
- Frequently sacrificing their own needs for others
- Becoming overly involved in their partner’s problems
- Having an excessive need for approval and reassurance
- Difficulty functioning independently
- Taking responsibility for others’ emotions and behaviors
While other attachment styles can also display codependent traits, the anxious-preoccupied style is particularly prone to codependency because these individuals typically have a deep belief that they must earn love through caretaking and self-sacrifice.
They often develop an identity that’s heavily wrapped up in their relationships, making it difficult for them to maintain a strong sense of self separate from their relationships with others.
However, having an anxious-preoccupied attachment style doesn’t automatically mean someone will develop codependent relationships, but it does increase the likelihood of other risk factors being present.
What Is the Unhealthiest Attachment Style?
The fearful-avoidant attachment style, also known as disorganized attachment, is generally considered the most challenging and potentially problematic attachment pattern.
This style typically develops from significant childhood trauma, abuse, or severe neglect, where caregivers were simultaneously a source of both comfort and fear. This creates a profound internal conflict in relationship dynamics.
People with fearful-avoidant attachment face unique challenges because they simultaneously crave close relationships while being intensely afraid of them.
They exhibit an approach-avoidance pattern where they desperately want connection but become overwhelmed and withdraw when they get it. This creates a tough cycle where they can neither comfortably move toward relationships nor comfortably move away from them.
- Unpredictable responses to intimacy
- Difficulty regulating emotions
- High levels of relationship anxiety and avoidance
- Struggle with trust and emotional vulnerability
- Tendency to expect the worst in relationships
- Difficulty maintaining stable relationships
- Higher risk for mental health challenges
- Problems with emotional regulation
- Increased likelihood of relationship dysfunction
How Do You Treat Attachment Disorder in Adults?
Attachment disorder treatment for adults typically involves a comprehensive therapeutic approach focusing on building secure relationships and developing healthy emotional regulation skills. The primary treatment method is psychotherapy, which can help patients understand their attachment patterns, process past traumas, and gradually learn to form secure relationships.
The healing process often involves several key components that promote recovery. This includes developing emotional awareness and regulation skills, learning to identify and express needs in healthy ways, and gradually building trust in relationships. Many therapists also incorporate techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help patients challenge negative beliefs about themselves and others that stem from early attachment wounds.
For lasting recovery, treatment typically needs to extend beyond individual therapy. Partners, family members, and close friends may be included in the therapeutic process through couples or family therapy sessions. This helps create a supportive environment for practicing new attachment behaviors and allows loved ones to understand and support the healing process.
Find Treatment for Attachment Disorder in Adults at Moment of Clarity
Seeking professional treatment for attachment disorder in adults is crucial for overcoming destructive relationship patterns and achieving emotional well-being. Without proper intervention, individuals may struggle to maintain healthy relationships, manage their emotions, and develop a stable sense of self-worth.
Professional treatment at Moment of Clarity’s network of outpatient mental health centers in California provides a structured and safe environment where patients can begin to heal with help from a trained specialist who understands the nuances of attachment trauma. Our specialists can offer evidence-based therapy approaches specifically designed to address attachment issues, helping patients develop new coping strategies, build healthier relationship patterns, and process underlying trauma.
To access the best outpatient treatment options for recovery from attachment disorder, call Moment of Clarity at 949-625-0564 today.
External Sources
- National Library of Medicine: Associations between adult attachment style and mental health care utilization: Findings from a large-scale national survey
- MedicalNewsToday: What are attachment disorders in adults?
- National Library of Medicine: Attachment difficulties and disorders
