General psychology

Avoidant attachment

Avoidant attachment is one of the four adult attachment styles. Avoidantly attached people value independence over closeness, downplay emotional needs and withdraw under conflict or pressure for intimacy.

Strengths: self-reliance, steady under pressure, decisive. Watch-outs: deactivation (shutting down emotion) can read as coldness and leave partners feeling invisible. The "anxious-avoidant trap" — anxious chases, avoidant withdraws — is the most common pattern in couples therapy caseloads.