anxious attachment

• #attachment
• #mentalhealth
• #parenting
• #psychology
• #relationships

An insecure attachment style characterized by being more clingy or needy as a child, or otherwise being more vocal to get the attention they need. Those with anxious attachment can often have exaggerated sense that they might be abandoned.

It is often the result of a childhood where the child has parents who do not consistently regulate their emotions, may expect the child to help regulate their emotions, overstimulate the child with a need for their attention or presence, or discourage autonomy.

Adults with an anxious or preoccupied attachment have an intense focus and concern about their relationships and may have trouble identifying healthy boundaries between themselves and their partners. They can jump into relationships very quickly, sometimes missing red flags when idealizing a new partner. They can question or worry whether they deserve their partner's love, and can require a lot of validation from them.

See attachment theory.