Complex Trauma and Attachment Styles: A Complex Interplay
Complex trauma, also known as developmental trauma or complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD), arises from prolonged exposure to multiple traumatic events, often in the context of relationships, during critical developmental periods. This form of trauma can have a profound and lasting impact on an individual’s mental health, with attachment styles playing a crucial role in this complex interplay.
Attachment Theory: Attachment theory, developed by John Bowlby, emphasizes the importance of early caregiver-child relationships in shaping an individual’s attachment style. There are four primary attachment styles: secure, anxious-preoccupied, dismissive-avoidant, and fearful-avoidant (also known as disorganized)1.
Impact of Complex Trauma on Attachment: Complex trauma can disrupt the development of secure attachment2. For instance, children who experience inconsistent or abusive caregiving may develop anxious or avoidant attachment styles as adaptive mechanisms to cope with the unpredictability and threat in their environment.
The attachment styles developed in response to complex trauma can result in specific interpersonal patterns, including difficulties with trust, intimacy, and self-esteem. Recognizing and addressing these patterns is crucial for therapeutic progress.
Anxious-Preoccupied Attachment: Individuals with anxious-preoccupied attachment tend to be hyper-vigilant and overly dependent on others for validation and reassurance. Complex trauma can intensify these characteristics, leading to chronic anxiety, fear of abandonment, and difficulty establishing boundaries in relationships.
Dismissive-Avoidant Attachment: Those with dismissive-avoidant attachment often suppress their emotions and maintain emotional distance from others. Complex trauma can exacerbate these tendencies, resulting in emotional numbness, social isolation, and an aversion to seeking help or support.
Fearful-Avoidant (Disorganized) Attachment: Complex trauma is strongly associated with disorganized attachment, characterized by contradictory behaviors such as clinging to and avoiding caregivers3. This attachment style can lead to severe difficulties in forming and maintaining relationships, as well as a heightened risk for mental health disorders, including dissociation and borderline personality disorder3.
Healing and Recovery: Recovery from complex trauma often involves addressing attachment-related challenges. Trauma- and attachment-informed therapies can help individuals with complex trauma develop healthier attachment patterns 4,5. Building safe, supportive relationships is also vital in the healing process.
Let’s explore the relationship between complex trauma, attachment styles, and their impact on mental health through a hypothetical story:
Once upon a time in a small town, there lived a young woman named Emily. From an early age, Emily had faced hardships no one should ever have to endure. She had grown up in a tumultuous household, with caregivers who were often absent or unpredictable. As a child, she developed a unique way of coping with this instability.
Emily’s attachment style was what psychologists call “anxious-preoccupied.” She was always eager for reassurance and validation from others. Her friends often noticed her need for constant approval and her fear of abandonment. Emily was trapped in a never-ending cycle of anxiety about her relationships, a cycle that had started in her early years.
But as Emily grew older, her attachment style began to affect her mental health. The constant worry about whether people liked her, the fear of being abandoned, and the struggle to set boundaries were taking a toll on her well-being. She was becoming increasingly anxious and found it difficult to trust anyone, even herself.
One day, Emily decided to seek help. She reached out to a therapist who specialized in trauma-informed care. Through therapy, Emily began to unravel the layers of her past experiences and understand how her anxious-preoccupied attachment style had developed as a way to survive in her chaotic childhood.
Emily’s journey to healing was not easy. She had to confront the pain of her past and learn to build healthier, more secure relationships. With the guidance of her therapist and the support of friends who truly cared for her, she started to make progress. She discovered that she could trust people, and that she was worthy of love and respect just as she was.
As time passed, Emily’s attachment style slowly began to shift. She became more secure in her relationships, less anxious about being abandoned, and better at setting boundaries. Her mental health improved, and she felt a sense of peace she had never known before.
Emily’s story demonstrates the profound impact that complex trauma and attachment styles can have on our mental health. It reminds us that healing is possible, and with the right support and understanding, we can overcome the challenges that life throws our way. It’s a reminder that we are all capable of growth, change, and resilience, no matter what we’ve been through.
Author: Linh Nguyen, Bach Psychology (hons)
Linh is a general psychologist at M1 and Vision Psychology. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Psychological Science (Hons) and a Postgraduate Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology.
To make an appointment with Linh Nguyen try Online Booking. Alternatively, you can call M1 Psychology Loganholme on (07) 3067 9129
References
- Bretherton, I. (1992). The origins of attachment theory: John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth. Developmental Psychology, 28(5), 759.
- Erozkan, A. (2016). The Link between Types of Attachment and Childhood Trauma. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 4(5), 1071-1079.
- Brown, D. P., & Elliot, D. S. (2016). Attachment disturbances in adults : Treatment for comprehensive repair. W.W. Norton & Company.
- Speranza, A. M., Farina, B., Bossa, C., Fortunato, A., Maggiora Vergano, C., Palmiero, L., … & Liotti, M. (2022). The role of complex trauma and attachment patterns in intimate partner violence. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 769584.
- Pleines, K. E. (2019). An attachment-informed approach to trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy. Clinical Social Work Journal, 47(4), 343-352.
Vietnamese translation of this article:
Sang Ch?n Ph?c T?p và Phong Cách G?n Bó
Sang ch?n ph?c t?p, còn ???c g?i là ch?n th??ng phát tri?n ho?c r?i lo?n c?ng th?ng h?u ch?n th??ng ph?c t?p (C-PTSD), phát sinh do ti?p xúc kéo dài v?i nhi?u s? ki?n ch?n th??ng, th??ng là trong b?i c?nh các m?i quan h?, trong các giai ?o?n phát tri?n quan tr?ng. D?ng ch?n th??ng này có th? có tác ??ng sâu s?c và lâu dài ??n s?c kh?e tâm th?n c?a m?t cá nhân, trong ?ó các ki?u g?n bó ?óng m?t vai trò quan tr?ng trong m?i t??ng tác ph?c t?p này.
Lý thuy?t g?n bó: Lý thuy?t g?n bó, ???c phát tri?n b?i John Bowlby, nh?n m?nh t?m quan tr?ng c?a m?i quan h? s?m gi?a ng??i ch?m sóc và tr? em trong vi?c hình thành phong cách g?n bó c?a m?t cá nhân. Có b?n ki?u g?n bó chính: an toàn, lo l?ng-b?n tâm, né tránh và s? hãi-né tránh 1.
Các ki?u g?n bó ???c phát tri?n ?? ?ng phó v?i nh?ng sang ch?n ph?c t?p có th? d?n ??n các ki?u m?u cá nhân c? th?, bao g?m nh?ng khó kh?n v? lòng tin, s? thân m?t và s? t? tin.
Tác ??ng c?a sang ch?n ph?c t?p ??n s? g?n bó: Sang ch?n ph?c t?p có th? phá v? s? phát tri?n c?a s? g?n bó an toàn2. Ví d?, nh?ng ??a tr? ???c ch?m sóc không nh?t quán ho?c b? l?m d?ng có th? phát tri?n phong cách g?n bó lo l?ng ho?c né tránh nh? nh?ng c? ch? thích ?ng ?? ??i phó v?i nh?ng ?i?u không th? ?oán tr??c và m?i ?e d?a trong môi tr??ng c?a chúng.
G?n bó lo l?ng-b?n tâm: Nh?ng cá nhân có g?n bó lo l?ng-b?n tâm có xu h??ng c?nh giác cao ?? và ph? thu?c quá m?c vào ng??i khác ?? ???c ch?p nh?n và tr?n an. Ch?n th??ng ph?c t?p có th? làm t?ng thêm nh?ng ??c ?i?m này, d?n ??n lo l?ng mãn tính, n?i s? b? b? r?i và khó thi?t l?p ranh gi?i trong các m?i quan h?.
S? g?n bó né tránh-ph? nh?n: Nh?ng ng??i có s? g?n bó né tránh-né tránh th??ng kìm nén c?m xúc c?a mình và duy trì kho?ng cách c?m xúc v?i ng??i khác. Ch?n th??ng ph?c t?p có th? làm tr?m tr?ng thêm nh?ng xu h??ng này, d?n ??n tê li?t c?m xúc, cô l?p v?i xã h?i và ác c?m v?i vi?c tìm ki?m s? giúp ?? ho?c h? tr?.
S? g?n bó s? hãi-né tránh (vô t? ch?c): Ch?n th??ng ph?c t?p có m?i quan h? ??n s? g?n bó vô t? ch?c, ??c tr?ng b?i nh?ng hành vi mâu thu?n nh? bám víu và tránh né ng??i ch?m sóc3. Ki?u g?n bó này có th? d?n ??n nh?ng khó kh?n nghiêm tr?ng trong vi?c hình thành và duy trì các m?i quan h?, c?ng nh? làm t?ng nguy c? m?c các r?i lo?n s?c kh?e tâm th?n, bao g?m phân ly và r?i lo?n nhân cách ranh gi?i3.
Ch?a lành và ph?c h?i: Ph?c h?i sau sang ch?n ph?c t?p th??ng liên quan ??n vi?c ??i m?t và gi?i quy?t các thách th?c liên quan ??n s? g?n bó. Các li?u pháp tr? li?u d?a trên ch?n th??ng và g?n bó có th? giúp nh?ng ng??i b? sang ch?n ph?c t?p phát tri?n các mô hình g?n bó lành m?nh h?n4,5. Xây d?ng các m?i quan h? an toàn và h? tr? c?ng r?t quan tr?ng trong quá trình ch?a lành.
Hãy cùng khám phá m?i quan h? gi?a sang ch?n ph?c t?p, phong cách g?n bó và tác ??ng c?a chúng ??i v?i s?c kh?e tâm th?n thông qua m?t câu chuy?n gi? ??nh:
Ngày x?a ngày x?a ? m?t th? tr?n nh? có m?t cô gái tr? tên là Emily. Ngay t? khi còn nh?, Emily ?ã ph?i ??i m?t v?i nh?ng khó kh?n mà l? ra không ai ph?i ch?u ??ng. Cô l?n lên trong m?t gia ?ình h?n lo?n, v?i nh?ng ng??i ch?m sóc th??ng xuyên v?ng m?t ho?c khó ?oán. Khi còn nh?, cô ?ã phát tri?n m?t cách g?n bó ?? ??i phó v?i s? b?t ?n này.
Ki?u g?n bó c?a Emily ???c các nhà tâm lý h?c g?i là “lo l?ng-b?n tâm”. Cô ?y luôn mong mu?n ???c ng??i khác tr?n an và ch?p nh?n. B?n bè c?a cô th??ng nh?n th?y cô luôn c?n ???c ch?p thu?n và s? b? b? r?i. Emily b? m?c k?t trong m?t chu k? lo l?ng không bao gi? k?t thúc v? các m?i quan h? c?a mình, m?t chu k? ?ã b?t ??u t? nh?ng n?m ??u ??i c?a cô.
Nh?ng khi Emily l?n lên, phong cách g?n bó b?t ??u ?nh h??ng ??n s?c kh?e tinh th?n c?a cô. N?i lo l?ng th??ng tr?c v? vi?c li?u m?i ng??i có thích cô hay không, n?i s? b? b? r?i và cu?c ??u tranh ?? xác l?p ranh gi?i ?ang ?nh h??ng ??n s?c kh?e c?a cô. Cô ngày càng tr? nên lo l?ng và khó có th? tin t??ng b?t c? ai, k? c? chính mình.
M?t ngày n?, Emily quy?t ??nh tìm ki?m s? giúp ??. Cô ?ã liên h? v?i m?t nhà tr? li?u tâm lý chuyên v? ch?n th??ng. Thông qua tr? li?u, Emily b?t ??u làm sáng t? nh?ng l?p tr?i nghi?m trong quá kh? c?a mình và hi?u ???c phong cách g?n bó b?n tâm lo l?ng c?a cô ?ã phát tri?n nh? th? nào nh? m?t cách ?? t?n t?i trong th?i th? ?u h?n lo?n.
Hành trình ch?a lành v?t th??ng c?a Emily không h? d? dàng. Cô ph?i ??i m?t v?i n?i ?au trong quá kh? và h?c cách xây d?ng nh?ng m?i quan h? lành m?nh, an toàn h?n. V?i s? h??ng d?n c?a bác s? tr? li?u và s? h? tr? c?a nh?ng ng??i b?n th?c s? quan tâm ??n cô, cô b?t ??u ti?n b?. nh?. Cô phát hi?n ra r?ng cô có th? tin t??ng m?i ng??i và cô x?ng ?áng ???c yêu th??ng và tôn tr?ng.
Th?i gian trôi qua, phong cách g?n bó c?a Emily d?n thay ??i. Cô tr? nên an toàn h?n trong các m?i quan h? c?a mình, ít lo l?ng h?n v? vi?c b? b? r?i và gi?i h?n trong vi?c thi?t l?p ranh gi?i. S?c kh?e tinh th?n c?a cô ???c c?i thi?n và cô c?m th?y m?t c?m giác bình yên mà tr??c ?ây cô ch?a t?ng bi?t ??n.
Câu chuy?n c?a Emily ch?ng minh tác ??ng sâu s?c mà nh?ng t?n th??ng ph?c t?p và phong cách g?n bó có th? gây ra ??i v?i s?c kh?e tâm th?n c?a chúng ta. Nó nh?c nh? chúng ta r?ng vi?c ch?a lành là có th? và v?i s? h? tr? và hi?u bi?t ?úng ??n, chúng ta có th? v??t qua nh?ng th? thách mà cu?c s?ng ??t ra. ?ó là l?i nh?c nh? r?ng t?t c? chúng ta ??u có kh? n?ng phát tri?n, thay ??i và kiên c??ng, b?t k? chúng ta ?ã tr?i qua ?i?u gì.