Attachment styles
The link between BPD and Attachment Styles
In recent years, researchers have started to explore the links between BPD and attachment styles. Shaped by the way young child attaches to their parents, secure, insecure, and fearful attachment styles describe the way we form and maintain relationships with others. Some researchers have proposed that:
People with borderline personality disorder may be more likely to have insecure or disorganised attachment styles
Some of the main features of BPD may be related to a hyperactive attachment system, causing young people to quickly and intensely bond with others.
This may lead to some of the interpersonal difficulties associated with BPD, such as:
Intense fear of abandonment by the other person, which may cause people with BPD to suddenly and pre-emptively end relationships
Quickly escalating relationships that move from acquaintance to great intimacy over a short period
Unstable relationships rooted in intense feelings of anxiety or avoidance attachment to the other person
Four primary styles
Attachment styles are formed by the early interactions between a parent and their child. These first relationships have a huge impact on the emotional and social development of an infant, affecting the neurobiology of their brains and shaping the way they attach to others throughout the rest of childhood, adolescence, and into their adult lives. There are four main styles. One secure and three insecure.
Secure
Secure attachment - Secure adults tend to have healthy, trusting, and supportive relationships.
Insecure
Anxious-preoccupied - adults often crave intimacy but may struggle with feelings of insecurity and fear of abandonment.
Dismissive-avoidant - likely to avoid emotional closeness and may prioritize independence over intimate relationships.
Fearful-avoidant - long for connection with a fear of getting too close, often resulting in conflicting emotions and unstable relationships.