Associated symptoms

In the case of attachment disorder, different accompanying symptoms occur depending on the type of attachment disorder. What they all have in common is the disturbed relationships and contacts with people from the surrounding area and close contact persons. This is often accompanied by often contradictory or ambivalent behaviour.

This means that, on the one hand, an inappropriately excessive trusting behaviour can be observed and, on the other hand, a dismissive behaviour. The latter is also often associated with aggressive and angry intentions. In the case of a reactive attachment disorder, there is also great fear and an often unhappy mood.

This makes it more difficult to find access to the affected persons and to be able to talk openly with them about their emotions. Furthermore, a so-called apathy, i.e. indifference, often occurs. In the case of a attachment disorder with disinhibition, on the other hand, there is often a disruption of the attachment behaviour, which is independent of the person. This means that an increased inclined behaviour without keeping a certain distance can also occur with strangers.

What can be signs in children?

Children with attachment disorders show excessive caution and a pronounced fearfulness. In addition, clear disturbances in being together with persons can be recognized, also with other children. Occasionally, aggression and outbursts of anger can also occur.

The children usually show themselves to be emotionally unstable personalities, which can be seen in alternating or contradictory actions with strong affection and dislike. This can be explained by the lack of a constant reference person. These signs are not situation-specific in children. This topic might also be of interest to you: Personality Disorders Persönlichkeitssto

Binding disorders with disinhibition

A dissociation disorder with disinhibition is a disturbed change in social interactions without adherence to certain barriers of its own. A leading symptom is the unspecific attachment behaviour with excessive friendliness. This often refers to persons from the environment who are otherwise unimportant to the person affected.

In this case, attention is very much sought after. With whom this is sought and possibly found plays a subordinate role. When the affected person is sad, they often seek comfort from people they are not familiar with.

This is illustrated by the term “disinhibition”. Otherwise mostly existing inner barriers, which prevent one from approaching strangers indiscriminately, are reduced and the person is uninhibited, so to speak. Sometimes, however, no consolation is sought at all.

In the case of such a disruption of attachment, the causes often lie in severe childhood neglect. This lacks the ability to learn a constant social bond with a reference person, which greatly reduces the chance of accepting the desired attention. This topic might also be of interest to you: Hospitalism