Fear of abandonment in relationships
Introduction
Fear of abandonment is a natural response to any perceived threat. However, when the fear of abandonment becomes chronic and persistent it can affect a person emotionally and may even lead to depression. Fear of abandonment is also known as hypersensitivity to rejection or separation anxiety disorder. The fear of being alone or abandoned can manifest itself in various ways depending on its severity and how much it affects your day-to-day life.
Types
Intimacy issues: If you have intimacy issues, it means that you have a hard time getting close to people. This can be for a variety of reasons and some people who are extremely shy may even avoid relationships altogether.
Fear of abandonment: People with this disorder are afraid that their significant other will leave them for someone else. They also often feel like they need to keep the person happy in order to prevent them from leaving them.
Fear of rejection: While everyone gets rejected at some point in their lives, those with this disorder fear that they will consistently be rejected by potential partners because they believe there is something wrong with them or that no one wants them around.
Fear of engulfment: This occurs when one partner tries too hard to show their love and devotion to their significant other by smothering them with their attention or affection; however sometimes it's unintentional due to poor communication skills
Causes of fear of abandonment
Fear of abandonment is a common fear. It can be caused by a number of things, including:
A history of being left or abandoned by someone who was important to you (e.g., your parents)
A childhood in which you felt uncared for or neglected by your parents
Having experienced the death of a loved one at an early age
Being unable to trust people because they have let you down in the past
Symptoms of fear of abandonment
Inability to trust
Obsessive thoughts about the relationship
Insecurity
Anxiety
Depression
Anger
Self-destructive behavior (e.g., self-injury, substance abuse) A person may also feel angry with themselves when they are in a relationship and start to act out due to their fear of abandonment. This includes things like self-blame and guilt.
How to overcome fear of abandonment
Get to the root of your fear. Fear of abandonment can be a deeply rooted issue, so it’s important to understand where it came from. One way that psychologists recommend doing this is by exploring your childhood experiences. If you were abandoned by one or both parents, this can leave a lasting impression on you as an adult and make you more likely to fear being alone in relationships when they inevitably end.
Talk to someone about your feelings if necessary. If you are dealing with difficult childhood issues that are contributing to your fear of abandonment, talking with a therapist or another professional might help you overcome them and move forward in life without feeling like there's nowhere else left for you go—even if that place happens not be romantic love itself!
It's a common fear, and there are ways to work through it.
The first step to working through your fear of abandonment is to recognize the fear for what it is. It's not logical, and you may be able to think of many examples where this has been true in the past; however, that doesn't mean it will always be true. It's important not to panic when you feel this way or allow yourself to be paralyzed by these thoughts. Instead, try thinking about your fears in a more rational way—even if only for a moment before returning back into panic mode!
The second step toward overcoming your fear of abandonment is understanding that there are other ways of looking at things besides "I'm going to lose this person forever." You may want someone who has abandoned you before back in your life again (or vice versa), but it doesn't mean anything has changed since then apart from some time passing by since they left/you left them behind (or whatever happened). Every relationship is different; some people have very short relationships while others have long marriages spanning decades upon decades! If one person leaves another person then there's no guarantee that they won't return again someday once they're ready—and maybe even sooner than we expect too!
Conclusion
Fear of abandonment in relationships is a common and understandable fear. The good news is that it can be overcome with some work, self-knowledge, and support from others. It's important to remember that everyone experiences abandonment differently, so what works for one person may not work for another. If you're struggling with this issue or just want more information on how it affects relationships, talk with a therapist who has experience helping clients cope with this emotion.
