Effects Of Attachment On Work, Love, And Health In Adulthood
It is true that attachment appears during the first year of our life and develops its characteristics depending on the behavior of our primary caregivers (in terms of their availability, receptivity, validation and support).
But attachment can be defined as the simple approach to someone who we consider has more resources than ourselves to face an experience, with the aim of feeling safe. In this sense, We can implement attachment (or approach) behaviors regardless of our age.
Bowlby (1973) defined attachment behavior as that which gets another person, important to us, to come closer or stay by our side.
According to this author, it appears in children when they want to stay close to their reference figure, resist letting them leave and/or need a secure base on which to explore the world and to return to when something is not going well.
Two types of attachment have been defined: secure or insecure.
1. Secure attachment
Securely attached individuals have grown up around affectionate and/or receptive people. They have learned to trust in the availability and reciprocity of those who have been or are important in their lives.
Within the insecure attachment style, We distinguish avoidant attachment and anxious-ambivalent attachment.
People with avoidant attachment have grown up around unaffected and/or inflexible caregivers. They have learned to remain distrustful of the availability and reciprocity of those who have been or are important in their lives.
People with anxious-ambivalent attachment have grown up around figures that are inconsistent in their availability, that is, on some occasions they have been insensitive and on other occasions they have been intrusive.
How does attachment style influence work?
Hazan and Shaver (1990) proposed that In adults, work fulfills the exploration function of children. Taking this premise into account, they carried out a study whose results suggested the following:
1. Securely attached people feel satisfied with their work
Studies suggest that securely attached people are confident in their abilities to do their jobs. Also that They trust in the availability of others to help them when they need it. Studies have detected that they are people who tend to feel satisfied and valued in the workplace, and that they tend to ensure that the professional does not interfere with the social, family and personal spheres.
2. People with avoidant attachment are more likely to work compulsively
According to the study by Hazan and Shaver (1990), it has been suggested that individuals with avoidant attachment They may focus on work as a way to avoid intimate relationships. In this way, although they do not have to doubt their performance, they can act in such a way that work interferes with their relationships and/or their health.
3. People with anxious-ambivalent attachment may try to satisfy their needs in other areas at work
According to the aforementioned study, people with an anxious-ambivalent attachment They may have difficulty separating work from personal life.
This could generate confusing situations in which relational needs are attempted to be met through work, leading to distractions, difficulty finishing projects or working as a team. All of this could influence a feeling of dissatisfaction with one’s own performance and the feeling of not being valued by colleagues.
It should be noted that much more research is still needed in this regard. In any case, the studies carried out to date in relation to attachment style and romantic relationships suggest the following:
1. Securely attached couples are better able to express their emotions, seek and give support
It has been observed that in situations of high anxiety, Couples with a secure attachment style are more capable of seeking support from their romantic partners. In turn, it seems that they support them more, establishing a congruence between what is requested and what is received, which facilitates and reinforces intimacy and satisfaction in the couple.
2. People with avoidant attachment distance themselves from their partners when stressed and may have difficulty committing.
It has been suggested that people with avoidant attachment would tend to distance themselves from their partners, both physically and emotionally, when they feel high anxiety. Besides, the ability to offer support would also decrease in these situations.
This would be consistent with the desire of these people to be self-sufficient and with the learned distrust regarding the availability of attachment figures to help or support them when they need it.
Within the couple, this could pose a risk of dissatisfaction and intimacy difficulties. In any case, it must be taken into account that it has been observed that this difficulty for closeness in individuals with avoidant attachment decreases in situations of stability, so it seems that It would not be correct to consider these people cold and distant per se but rather these characteristics would be activated in specific situations.
3. People with anxious-ambivalent attachment tend to be more dependent on their partners
It has been observed that individuals with an anxious-ambivalent attachment They tend to constantly seek intimacy in relationships which, in the couple, can be perceived (at least initially and depending on the degree and intensity) as a greater interest in the relationship.
However, they are people who feel insecure and worried about any separation and who tend to use coping strategies focused on emotion, which could encourage conflict and dissatisfaction in the long term.
How does attachment style influence health behaviors?
Health behaviors are related to the type of response to stress and the capacity for emotional regulation. Feeney and Ryan (1994) proposed a model that integrates early family experiences of illness, attachment style, and adult health-related behaviors. According to their studies, we could consider the following results:
1. People with secure attachment are able to regulate negative emotionality, but they know how to ask for help
It has been observed that individuals with a secure attachment they would have more tools to manage the emotions that arise when faced with physical discomfort or a potential health problem. Also, that they would be able to ask for help and advice when they need it, in an assertive way and consistent with the symptoms.
2. People with avoidant attachment go to the doctor less
According to Feeny and Ryan (1994), people with avoidant attachment They would take longer to go to the doctor if they have physical discomfort. This fits with the general tendency of these people not to seek support or advice in stressful situations. It should be noted that, in the field of health, this avoidance could have serious consequences.
3. People with anxious-ambivalent attachment complain more
It has been observed that people with an anxious-ambivalent attachment They are more aware and attentive to any manifestation of stress, negative emotion or physical symptoms. This, together with their tendency to worry, would make them more likely to complain about physical discomfort and consult more specialists.
Conclusion
In summary, Our attachment style has an impact on the way we relate and behave in adult life. As we grow, we internalize beliefs and expectations about our abilities, our worth, our right to be loved, taken into account and helped by others.
We also learn (more or less effective) communication and emotional regulation strategies. Depending on all this, in situations of exploration (work), intimacy (couple) or stress (health), different reactions and behaviors will be activated in us, which are worth detecting in order to know each other, understand each other and ask for help to carry out changes in case they generate significant interference in our daily lives.
