Attachment Disorders in Relationships

Children with attachment issues may either withdraw emotionally from caregivers or become overly friendly with unknown adults. Untreated, attachment disorders may negatively affect social development.

What are attachment disorders? Attachment disorders describe conditions that cause children to have difficulty with emotional attachments with others. This can include a lack of emotional responses or overly emotional attachments. These conditions may cause you to have a hard time connecting and forming meaningful relationships with others as you grow older.

While the causes of attachment disorders may vary, experts believe these may be the result of inadequate caregiving. Examples may include experiencing physical or emotional abuse or neglect or experiencing a traumatic loss.

There are two types of attachment disorders: reactive attachment disorder (RAD) and disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED). The DSM-5 also considers these separate disorders, and the distinguishing symptoms are described below.

Reactive attachment disorder (RAD). RAD involves patterns of emotional withdrawal from caregivers. Affected children may also be sad, irritable, or scared when they’re with their caregiver, even during usual daily activities.

Children with RAD usually don’t look for or respond to comfort, even when they’re upset. Due to negative experiences with adults early in life, they may also experience difficulty expressing emotions and forming relationships with others.

Additionally, children with RAD may be at an increased risk of developing hyperactivity, anxiety, and depression.

Disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED). Unlike RAD, DSED involves being overly friendly with unknown adults. Children with DSED might wander off often, approach strangers with no hesitation, and hug or touch unknown.

Additionally, children with DSED may also tend to wander off with others or interact with strangers without checking with their parents first.

Can adults have attachment disorder? There’s no formal diagnosis for attachment disorder in adults. But you can certainly experience attachment difficulties in adulthood. For some, these may be lingering symptoms of RAD or DSED that went undiagnosed in their childhood.

Left untreated, RAD and DSED may persist in adulthood. For example, adults who experience attachment avoidance may experience difficulties with self-disclosure within interpersonal relationships as well as intimacy with romantic partners.