Attachment styles
Patterns in how people connect and respond to closeness, formed in early relationships: secure, anxious, avoidant, and disorganised.
Category: Concepts and skills
What is attachment styles?
Attachment theory describes how early caregiving shapes expectations of relationships. Secure attachment develops from consistent responsive care; anxious, avoidant, and disorganised patterns develop from inconsistent, distant, or frightening care.
Key things to know
In adults, attachment patterns show up in how you handle closeness, conflict, and separation: fear of abandonment, discomfort with intimacy, or both.
- Four patterns: secure, anxious, avoidant, disorganised.
- They form in early caregiving and show up in adult closeness and conflict.
- They are tendencies, not fixed types or diagnoses.
- Style can shift toward security through stable relationships and therapy.
- Online attachment quizzes are starting points, not assessments.
What helps
Attachment styles are tendencies, not fixed types or diagnoses. They can shift toward security through stable relationships and therapy.
How SelfMind can help
SelfMind is an AI companion for everyday mental health support: a private place to talk through what you are feeling, in Hindi, English or Hinglish, at any hour. It is not therapy and not a crisis service; it works alongside professional care, never in place of it. You can try it free, no account needed.
Try a quiz
How You Connect in Relationships. A short check-in related to attachment styles, with a personal result at the end. 2 minutes, free, no signup.
Related terms
This entry is educational information, not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment plan. For assessment and treatment, consult a qualified mental health professional. If you are in crisis, see our crisis resources. In India, Tele-MANAS is free at 14416, 24x7.