Understanding Attachment and Relational Disturbances in Adults
Attachment and relational disturbances in adults are complex yet significant aspects of mental and emotional well-being. Unlike diagnosable mental health conditions, which are identified by specific symptoms, attachment disturbances manifest through behavioral patterns or re-enactments of earlier life experiences. Recognising these signs and symptoms is crucial for seeking appropriate support and understanding the role of psychotherapy in healing and fostering healthier relationships.
Signs of attachment disturbances can vary widely but may include:
1. Difficulty forming or maintaining close relationships: Some adults with attachment disturbances may struggle to trust others or fear intimacy, leading to frequent conflicts or emotional withdrawal. Others find close relationships very uncomfortable, or feel desperately anxious when separated from a loved one.
2. Emotional dysregulation: Intense mood swings, feelings of emptiness, or difficulty managing stress may indicate underlying attachment issues.
3. Pattern of re-enactment: Individuals may unconsciously repeat relational dynamics from their past, even if they are harmful or dysfunctional. For example, entering into different relationships or friendships that result in the same patterns playing out, including trauma-bonding, domestic violence, or even just an unfulfilling sense of disconnection.
While mental health disorders like depression or anxiety may coexist with attachment issues, the focus in therapy often revolves around understanding and resolving attachment-related patterns rather than solely addressing symptoms. Here, we go deep! And it can be very healing and soothing to experience a felt sense of security within.
The Importance of Seeking Therapy:
Seeking therapy for attachment and relational disturbances offers a safe and supportive space to explore one’s past experiences and their impact on current relationships. By delving into the root causes of attachment disruptions, individuals can gain insight into their relational patterns and develop healthier coping mechanisms.
How Psychotherapy Can Help:
Psychotherapy, particularly approaches like attachment-based therapy or eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR), can be highly effective in addressing attachment disturbances. Through guided exploration and reflection, individuals can:
1. Gain insight: Therapy provides an opportunity to understand the origins of attachment disruptions and how they influence present behaviors and relationships.
2. Develop coping strategies: Therapists help clients develop healthy coping mechanisms to manage emotions and navigate interpersonal challenges more effectively.
3. Shift unhelpful beliefs: By gainined understanding of distorted beliefs about oneself and others, then reprocessing the experiences that led to those beliefs developing, individuals can cultivate a more positive and secure sense of self.
The Possibility of Earned Secure Attachment:
One of the transformative outcomes of therapy is the potential for earned secure attachment. Through consistent therapeutic work and the cultivation of trusting therapeutic relationships, individuals can learn to form secure attachments and experience more fulfilling, authentic connections with others.
Recognising and addressing attachment and relational disturbances is crucial for emotional well-being and healthy relationships. Therapy offers a pathway to healing and growth, empowering individuals to break free from unhealthy patterns and cultivate greater resilience and connection in their lives. With the right treatment and support, earned secure attachment is not only possible but achievable.
If you relate to this post, please reach out to us at gemstonepsychology.com.au for support.
Reference: Brown & Elliott “Attachment Disturbances in Adults: Treatment for Comprehensive Repair.”
