Why Attachment Theory is Important to Thinking about BPD
People with BPD can often seem to be unpredictable and intense. For those who care about them, their responses can look to be out of proportion and over the top. For the person with BPD, it can be very hard to understand what is going on for them and how their behaviour might affect others. It can be a bit of a roller coaster — for all parties.
Looking at attachment theory can help us understand a bit more about what is going on underneath these puzzling behaviours.
According to psychoanalyst John Bowlby, we are all hard-wired for attachment and our early environment including caregiver relationships will influence the way we think about all relationships into adulthood. Current research has supported the idea that people with insecure and/or disorganised attachment are at risk of developing BPD and that the diagnosis is associated with one of these two attachment styles.
Attachment theory explains that people with an insecure attachment style will feel less secure in relationships, unable to withstand the ups and downs of being involved with someone over time. They often need reassurance and will likely be very sensitive to any sign that their boyfriend or girlfriend (or friend) is losing interest.
