Attachment disorder???

[Erin27]

Has anyone else ever been told they suffer from attachment disorder??

I was seeing a therapist recently to talk through some personal issues involving relationships, a fear of intimacy, depression and anxiety... sometimes almost phobic symptoms that come about at the beginning of a relationship with someone new... and was told I suffer from 'attachment disorder'. I had to give up going to the sessions as they were costing me a fortune so never really got a chance to explore this further.

At the moment, I am experiencing really bad anxiety / depression / panic related to my new relationship and worry that there are deep-rooted issues that I haven't resolved yet. I'm not even sure I know what 'attachment disorder' is?? I recognise a lot of the symptoms (and their triggers) that I'm suffering just now from previous situations and feel that they are recurring due to 'thought association', for example, these awful feelings / thoughts / symptoms are triggered when I compare my current circumstances to the past.

This, I've been told (and have read up on it) is the 'fight or flight' response. I'm just a bit confused as I don't know what feelings are real and what feelings are just triggered by my 'fight or flight' response!!!! I'm also suffering badly from PMS which makes everything feel distorted and intesifies things much more.

Does anyone else suffer in this way? Can anyone relate to any of these issues??? I can't stop crying and feel so sick and awful and am alone in the house until tomorrow! :(

[Springsteen10]

I think your post makes sense. Opening yourself up to others always brings with fear it.

"Love", sexual attraction, excitement, or whatever you want to call it, go hand-in-hand with fear for me.

[Erin27]

Thanks for your response Springsteen10. I'm guessing you've suffered bad anxiety from relationship situations too then? Do you think it's something that happens automatically no matter who the person is and no matter what the circumstances?

[Springsteen10]

Yes. I get very afraid of people knwing me intimately. Even if that person appears to adore me...I worry that they will find out the "truth" about me (I'm boring, selfish, obsessive, etc).

I'd like to write a more detailed response but I'm forcing myself to go out and play football with some people now. For the best. Maybe later I will elaborate, but it's hard to articulate what I mean...

[Saor]

Yes. I get very afraid of people knwing me intimately. Even if that person appears to adore me...I worry that they will find out the "truth" about me ...

This is so me...ohmygod. I honestly thought I was the only one. I'm terrified of letting people get close, and that the ones that like me from a distance wouldn't like me anymore if they knew the real me. then again that has happened, I was dumped by a boyfriend because he couldn't handle the depression/anxiety but this was before I sought help. I'd love to have normal relationships with people but it is so hard now even to make eye contact with people makes me uncomfortable. :weep: I'm having a really really bad set back day today.