The negative cycle of anxious-preoccupied attachment: Here's how it works in a relationship

From an anxiously attached person being clingy to the partner withdrawing emotionally and physically, here's how the cycle works.

Published on: May 30, 2024 4:51 PM IST

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It’s important to get out of a toxic relationship. (Shutterstock)

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When an anxiously attached person starts to feel insecure, they portray it as clingy behaviour on their partner, and start to become dependent on them for everything.  (Unsplash)

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This further triggers the partner to withdraw physically and emotionally because the clingy behaviour of the partner can make a person feel suffocated.  (Unsplash)

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For an anxiously attached person, the withdrawal of the person can act as a trigger for fear of abandonment and anxiety.  (Pexels)

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They react further to this anxiety by being more clingy to the partner, seeking reassurance about the relationship from them.  (Freepik )

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This further makes the partner withdraw more – thus the fear of abandonment becomes a real concern, reinforcing anxiety and stress.  (Unsplash)