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Post by tnr9 on Feb 4, 2022 15:34:12 GMT
I wish there was a way to pin this post because I would like this to be the first post you encounter…whether you are someone who has recently discovered that your attachment style is FA or if you are here because your ex, friend, boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife or child is FA…I and other long time participants on these forums welcome you.
FA is not a personality disorder….it doesn’t define a person, it doesn’t mean that person is broken….it simply means that sometime in the past….something or some “things” happened that created an out of whack nervous system along with a lack of tools for being able to properly address stressors. As a result…there is a confusing mix of behaviors and a distrust of self and others. Because attachment issues tend to reveal themselves in close relationships….an insecure person can have a very secure looking life within the context of his/her job, hobbies, etc.
FA and DA often are confused with one another but they are very distinct attachment styles….and it requires looking at the behaviors of both participating people in order to fully determine this nuance.
All insecurely attached individuals start off unaware…..and without awareness and a self expressed decision to change….they will stay stuck in patterns of behavior that follow them from relationship to relationship. There is no…I can save him, her by making that person aware or changing myself to suit them because all of this is “internal” within the insecure person.
I would like to open this post up for anyone else who has additional comments to add in this welcome thread.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2022 16:33:49 GMT
Great topic tnr9! I have some things I'd like to add from my perspective as an established contributor to the community, and will return to offer my introductory insights.
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Post by charlii on Feb 4, 2022 23:05:51 GMT
And even if aware may not know how to change, or too painful to do so.. So they remain stuck I guess.
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Post by tnr9 on Feb 5, 2022 14:32:56 GMT
And even if aware may not know how to change, or too painful to do so.. So they remain stuck I guess. That certainly can happen….but it can happen to all insecure individuals. I find that those with AP….we can include myself in that dialogue…are just as resistant to address their attachment issues due to being “stuck” in a loop of “other” focus. I remember years that I was in therapy but I kept trying to talk about, understand and win back my partner instead of looking at what I needed to face and change.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 5, 2022 14:55:36 GMT
And even if aware may not know how to change, or too painful to do so.. So they remain stuck I guess. You seem to be having a little trouble getting unstuck yourself, and I say that based on your posts. You are a it resistant to taking actions that are recommended to you, such as blocking social media, saying you aren't strong enough yet. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to examine and comment on your own stuckness, your own insecure predicament, rather than chime in on someone else's? It's a tendency of AP posters to focus on the woeful condition of others while minimizing and covering their own dysfunction. Your comment illustrates a worthy point to mention: Improve your own condition and dysfunction, that's your responsibility, and stop focusing on the ex.
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Post by tnr9 on Feb 5, 2022 15:02:19 GMT
And even if aware may not know how to change, or too painful to do so.. So they remain stuck I guess. You seem to be having a little trouble getting unstuck yourself, and I say that based on your posts. You are a it resistant to taking actions that are recommended to you, such as blocking social media, saying you aren't strong enough yet. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to examine and comment on your own stuckness, your own insecure predicament, rather than chime in on someone else's? It's a tendency of AP posters to focus on the woeful condition of others while minimizing and covering their own dysfunction. Your comment illustrates a worthy point to mention: Improve your own condition and dysfunction, that's your responsibility, and stop focusing on the ex. Not the person this was intended for @introvert…but as an AP leaning FA….yes. Why? Because of a lack of boundaries learned very early and an “other” focus.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 5, 2022 15:16:19 GMT
It should be noted, if an AP wants to have a lasting relationship with healthy intimacy, this problem needs to be eliminated first and it's a tall order, just like it's a tall order for an avoidant to overcome their blocks to relationship. This issue is a full 50 percent of the reason that these relationships break down, become miserable, or end entirely.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 5, 2022 15:18:11 GMT
ADDITION: AP lack of boundaries and other focus is why they choose unavailable people in the first place. I'd mention the avoidant side but that's been well covered, it's worth mentioning again and would belong in this thread as well. It's DUAL dysfunction. All of it.
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Post by charlii on Feb 5, 2022 17:38:53 GMT
And even if aware may not know how to change, or too painful to do so.. So they remain stuck I guess. You seem to be having a little trouble getting unstuck yourself, and I say that based on your posts. You are a it resistant to taking actions that are recommended to you, such as blocking social media, saying you aren't strong enough yet. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to examine and comment on your own stuckness, your own insecure predicament, rather than chime in on someone else's? It's a tendency of AP posters to focus on the woeful condition of others while minimizing and covering their own dysfunction. Your comment illustrates a worthy point to mention: Improve your own condition and dysfunction, that's your responsibility, and stop focusing on the ex. Respectfully, how do you know I a not trying and in the process to get unstuck myself..because I am and tho I have relapse days I am doing pretty good. I am not resistant to anything. Minimal posts here does not define me or what you would know about me. But we both had our own Dysfunction and Woefulness. Not contacting him is a huge success on my part, and not obsessing over it or making a plan or a goal to do so. Maybe in the day I analyze or learn about another style of attachment but you can bet in between that time, and at night I am thinking about myself and my contributions to how I make another person feel. Some like myself may use this as an outlet for those feelings to get out and it has been helpful And FWIW this comment (OP and follow ups) is on an avoidant thread....I do believe it can apply to anxious as well. But that is not where this post landed so that is why I am commenting here. This is not the only thread I am reading and internalizing..just bc you dont see me commenting there.
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Post by charlii on Feb 5, 2022 17:40:55 GMT
It should be noted, if an AP wants to have a lasting relationship with healthy intimacy, this problem needs to be eliminated first and it's a tall order, just like it's a tall order for an avoidant to overcome their blocks to relationship. This issue is a full 50 percent of the reason that these relationships break down, become miserable, or end entirely. Well this I agree on and I basically stated that.. It IS both working on. Sadly only realized after a breakup exp when one is just learning about styles. It is a tall order on both sides.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 5, 2022 18:46:19 GMT
You seem to be having a little trouble getting unstuck yourself, and I say that based on your posts. You are a it resistant to taking actions that are recommended to you, such as blocking social media, saying you aren't strong enough yet. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to examine and comment on your own stuckness, your own insecure predicament, rather than chime in on someone else's? It's a tendency of AP posters to focus on the woeful condition of others while minimizing and covering their own dysfunction. Your comment illustrates a worthy point to mention: Improve your own condition and dysfunction, that's your responsibility, and stop focusing on the ex. Respectfully, how do you know I a not trying and in the process to get unstuck myself..because I am and tho I have relapse days I am doing pretty good. I am not resistant to anything. Minimal posts here does not define me or what you would know about me. But we both had our own Dysfunction and Woefulness. Not contacting him is a huge success on my part, and not obsessing over it or making a plan or a goal to do so. Maybe in the day I analyze or learn about another style of attachment but you can bet in between that time, and at night I am thinking about myself and my contributions to how I make another person feel. Some like myself may use this as an outlet for those feelings to get out and it has been helpful And FWIW this comment (OP and follow ups) is on an avoidant thread....I do believe it can apply to anxious as well. But that is not where this post landed so that is why I am commenting here. This is not the only thread I am reading and internalizing..just bc you dont see me commenting there. This comment is intended for the general group of new members, and it so happens that your comment illustrated a worthy point. Not least because the AP mode of relating is common in FA, particularly anxious leaning FA. There are also Avoidant leaning FA, and content here will reflect things to know about that style of FA as well. If you read through the FA and DA forums both, you will see a lot of contribution from long standing members in various stages of personal development working through their own style, AP, FA, and DA all, continuously bringing the focus back to self. There is a place for discovering other attachment styles, obviously! And, the established community here also finds it very important to turn discussion to the issues in the self, as part of the process. People here come to vent and learn about their partners, in hardship or after a breakup. It's not as though people come to explore FA for curiosity outside of the dynamic they shared with one. Or, less frequently but very importantly, be cause they are FA themselves and want to understand themselves. In order to be most constructive and helpful as a community, we mostly focus on self-care and self responsibility. In light of that, a welcome post to newcomers can reasonably include that perspective, even though it may be uncomfortable for some to mention. That said, good for you for developing awareness about your own contributions to the AP/FA dynamic! They don't operate in a vacuum, of course. And it's fantastic that you are growing as you participate here. That's what the general hope of the community is, for all.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 5, 2022 18:48:36 GMT
It should be noted, if an AP wants to have a lasting relationship with healthy intimacy, this problem needs to be eliminated first and it's a tall order, just like it's a tall order for an avoidant to overcome their blocks to relationship. This issue is a full 50 percent of the reason that these relationships break down, become miserable, or end entirely. Well this I agree on and I basically stated that.. It IS both working on. Sadly only realized after a breakup exp when one is just learning about styles. It is a tall order on both sides. We agree! And, it cannot be stated enough, certainly not to any newcomer hoping to ultimately find relief from the pain of insecure relationships.
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Post by tnr9 on Feb 26, 2022 11:15:07 GMT
Just moving this thread up. 🙂
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