Why attachment matters?

Attachment is a process that we all go through in different ways and has various implications for our future.  The attachment has a huge impact on our relationships with others in the present and the future.  Attachment styles develop in our formative years of life and stick with us throughout our lives.  While someone can learn tools to work on their attachment style later in life if it is getting in the way of healthy relationships, it does stick with them throughout their life.  Therefore, the attachment style that someone develops in their formative years of life can have positive or negative implications for the rest of their life.  A healthy attachment style can lead to safer, more secure relationships in that person’s future.  An unhealthy attachment style can lead to unsafe relationships and/or large amounts of insecurity in future relationships.

Attachment matters in that it has a crucial impact on one’s mental health.  A healthy attachment style can help someone develop a more positive state of mind which can help that person go after their goals in life.  An unhealthy attachment style has been shown to lead others to possible serious mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety.  For example, if someone develops an anxious attachment style in their formative years of life, they will likely suffer from anxiety in future relationships. That anxiety could negatively impact their day-to-day life in so many ways, included but not limited to their friendships, careers, family relationships, among others. 

When a healthy attachment occurs, it can positively impact someone’s life in several ways.  In their formative years of life, someone with a healthy attachment style will be more likely to succeed in school.  They will not suffer from the anxiety and/or depression that comes with an unhealthy attachment style, which means that they will hopefully be able to focus on school better.  Later in life, they should be more focused on their life goals and relationships in a positive way rather than suffering from the negative weight an unhealthy attachment style can come with.