The connection between attachment styles and PTSD

When we experience trauma, our built-in attachment system kicks in, pushing us to seek safety and support. However, if we have an insecure attachment, our coping and recovery strategies may be negatively impacting us. 

For veterans who generally experience PTSD at higher rates than the general population, understanding their attachment style, and whether they have a secure or insecure attachment, can help better inform a mental health professional how the veteran has experienced and then processed their trauma when treating their PTSD symptoms.  

What is a secure vs insecure attachment style? 

Attachment theory emphasises the importance of early emotional bonds between a child and their caregiver. The first five years of a child’s life are seen to be a particularly critical period for developing attachment. 

As we grow up, the four primary attachment styles then reflect distinct ways in which we relate emotionally and behaviourally to others. 

A person with a secure attachment style is comfortable sharing their feelings, sees themselves and others in a positive light, and builds healthy, trusting relationships without needing constant approval. 

For veterans and trauma, secure attachment acts as a protective factor against PTSD symptoms, supporting resilience, emotional regulation, and healthy coping. Veterans with secure attachment are more likely to seek help, process trauma effectively, and reduce their risk of PTSD. 

An insecure attachment style incorporates the avoidant-dismissive, anxious-preoccupied and disorganised (also known as fearful-avoidant) attachment styles. 

It can form in childhood when care feels unpredictable or unsafe. This might happen after abuse, trauma, neglect, early separation, or frequent changes in caregivers. 

If you’re unsure of what your attachment style is, you can take short online attachment questionnaires for a general idea or speak to a psychologist for a clearer picture of your attachment style and how it might be impacting you.  

How insecure attachment styles can present in veterans 

Veterans with an avoidant-dismissive attachment style may downplay trauma and suppress emotions which often can manifest as somatic symptoms such as chronic pain, fatigue and gastrointestinal issues. They may struggle to form supportive relationships, leaving family feeling shut out and complicating their recovery from trauma. 

Veterans with an anxious-preoccupied attachment style are more vulnerable to PTSD, showing heightened sensitivity to relationship disruptions, exacerbating trauma responses such as anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and hypervigilance. They may rely heavily on loved ones for reassurance, which can lead to carer fatigue. 

Veterans with a disorganised attachment style have increased fight-or-flight responses and emotional dysregulation, making severe trauma symptoms more likely including complex PTSD and dissociative disorders. Unstable relationships can further reduce access to family support. 

Developing a more secure attachment 

The good news is, if you identify with one of the insecure attachment styles, this does not mean you can’t implement strategies in your life to develop a more secure attachment. Some ways to do this include: 

• examining your beliefs about relationships and yourself 
• treating any underlying trauma 
• increasing your emotional awareness  
• learning emotional regulation strategies 
• developing self-compassion. 

Support at Mates4Mates 

Mates4Mates mental health team of psychologists, counsellors and social workers can provide support for veterans to explore and understand the patterns of thinking and behaviour that may underlie an insecure attachment style. 

They also can help with learning effective strategies to develop a more secure attachment and, in turn, greater emotional resilience. 

Mates4Mates psychologists are also trained in a range of trauma-focused therapies that can assist in treating any underlying trauma. 

For more information about Mates4Mates services and how we can help to support you, reach out to us on 1300 4 MATES (62 837) for a confidential chat. 

 

Written by Sally Rostas, Mates4Mates Clinical Psychologist