Attached by…

Have you ever wondered what type of attachment style you have in a relationship, or perceive to use? First of all, what is an attachment style?

Back in the 1930s psychiatrist and psychoanalyst John Bowlby put his life work into understanding his viewpoint and theory of attachment styles. He postulated that “children’s emotional problems actually arise from how they interact with their environment growing up,” rather than solely arising from their internal processes; the thought processes of other psychoanalysts around that time. This was after his time working in a psychiatric hospital and also being trained in developmental psychology and child psychiatry. He had observed two different patients of his, children, with one child completely distant and emotionless, as another child was called his “shadow,” as this child was constantly in Bowlby’s vicinity.

Bowlby’s attachment theory implied that “attachment bonds are innate and when a child’s immediate need for a secure attachment bond is not met, the child feels threatened and will react accordingly - such as crying or calling out for their caregiver. Moreover, if the need for a stable bond is not met consistently, the infant can develop social, emotional and even cognitive problems.”

With the two children Bowlby had initially observed, a spectrum of attachment behaviors came to be. Call to life in your mind a spectrum, if you will, with one side the attachment- anxiety and the other with attachment- avoidance. As you remember before, the distant one who had shown no emotions (avoidant) to the other who was suctioned to Bowlby’s side consistently (anxious). With certain triggers, it can elicit a response in any human, even into adulthood. Most adults fall into a category over the other if they haven’t done internal work on themselves and made themselves aware. For example, an anxious attacher who hasn’t heard from their partner for some time will trigger the anxious attachment behavior and text or call them constantly. On the other hand, the opposite occurs.

Further research had to be done and in comes Mary Ainsworth. Ainsworth is considered the second founder in the field of attachment, building off of Bowlby’s work. Ainsworth came with the concept of a secure base needed for a child with their caregivers before venturing into exploration of the world around them - known as the “Strange Situation.” The study was designed to look at all associations between infants’ exploration of their surroundings and their attachment styles to them.

Unfortunately, I have again run out of room. I will continue on this discussion of attachment styles next week. In the meantime, do some research for yourself if you are interested in finding out which attachment style you could be and different ways to improve. Until then, stay safe and warm. Spring will be here soon.

SEEKING

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ONDER

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SAMANTHA Y OCIUS CREATIVE MEDIA