Attachment Styles
How you were raised as a child can influence how you navigate and build relationships (social, romantic, work, etc) as an adult. Typically your attachment style as an adult reflects the dynamics your caregiver gave to you as a child. In determining what your attachment style is, you can better understand yourself and how others may perceive you.
The concept of attachment style is based on two bi-directional spectrums: avoidance and anxiety. Avoidance ranges from low to high and describes how likely someone is to avoid conflict or avoid others when an issue arises. Those with low avoidance address issues as they come up, while those with high avoidance may isolate or keep issues to themselves. Avoidance is associated with how someone views others. Positive model of others=low avoidance. Negative model of others=high avoidance. Such that, if someone believes that others tend to be more positive, kind, and/or understanding, they will be less likely to avoid confronting someone else. If someone believes that others tend to be more negative, hostile, or that they are not compassionate/empathetic, they will be more likely to avoid others.
Anxiety also ranges from low to high and describes how nervous someone feels about bringing up issues. It relates to how someone views themselves. Those with low anxiety have a positive view of self, or believe that they are competent, confident and deserving, whereas those with high anxiety have a negative self view, or believe that they are not deserving of good things and may lack a stable sense of confidence.
There are four main attachment styles based on these two spectrums: secure, anxious, avoidant “dismissive,” and fearful-avoidant “disorganized.” As earlier mentioned, attachment styles can be influenced by your upbringing, however, with help from others and trained professionals, it is possible to move from an insecure attachment style to a secure one.
