Treat Attachment Disorder Symptoms in Colorado Springs & Englewood

From a very young age, most people will form lasting attachments to important figures in their lives, like parents or caregivers. However, some infants and young children may not form an emotional attachment to their caregivers. These children may struggle to manage their emotions or form connections with others. This is called attachment disorder, and it can lead to long-term developmental and emotional problems. It can be challenging to treat attachment disorder symptoms in Colorado Springs and Englewood, but it’s a good idea to seek treatment as soon as possible.

Understanding Attachments

Emotional attachments are best described as internal feelings of connection and affection that you may experience for people you are close to. These attachments are essential for our personal development as they help establish a network of peers and loved ones who you can trust and lean on.

The first emotional attachments that you make as a kid are foundational to your life. When parental figures respond to a baby’s crying, the infant learns that they can rely on and trust the adult for care and safety. Over time, the emotional attachment between the baby and the caregiver will grow stronger and help the children build healthy relationships in the future. Plus, your child will be more willing to try new things and explore independently, they’ll be able to respond to stress in healthier ways and gain better problem-solving skills.

While it’s nearly impossible to pinpoint a sole cause for an attachment disorder, children can develop this type of disorder when they’re unable to have a consistent and positive emotional connection with their primary caregivers. This can cause your child to develop insecure attachments with others and lead them to:

  • Avoid others
  • Feel angry, fearful, and/or anxious on a consistent basis
  • Experience difficulty when engaging with others
  • Have extreme stress responses

The Most Common Attachment Disorder Symptoms

Attachment disorders are mood or behavioral disorders that directly affect a person’s ability to form and maintain healthy relationships. The symptoms of attachment disorders can vary widely from child-to-child, but you can generally expect to see the following symptoms:

  • Difficulty showing emotions, especially guilt or regret
  • Avoidance of physical touch or eye contact (especially with the caregivers)
  • Antisocial behavior and/or self-destructive behavior
  • Bullying or hurting others
  • Impulsive decisions
  • Refusing to join other children when they’re playing
  • Anger and irritability

Types of Attachment Disorders

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5), recognizes just two types of attachment disorders. These include:

  • Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) – In the majority of cases, RAD stems from maltreatment or neglect in early childhood. Children with RAD may experience low levels of interaction with others and may experience emotional difficulties when engaging in activities with their caregivers.
  • Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder (DSED) – This may develop in response to social neglect and a lack of consistent attachment to a primary caregiver during the first 2 years of life. Children with this disorder tend to lack awareness of social boundaries and have extreme trust in people they do not know well.

Untreated childhood attachment disorders can lead to many long-term social problems like low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, dissociation, emotional impairment, and even substance use issues.

How to Treat Attachment Disorder Symptoms in Colorado Springs & Englewood

Psychotherapy has often been the first treatment method for attachment disorders in both adults and children. These counseling sessions can help people focus on overcoming the impact of negative early experiences with attachment and understand how the disorder may be affecting current relationships. However, you have options outside of traditional talk therapy to address attachment disorders.

At Cognitivve, we focus on re-training the brain through non-invasive, science-based therapies. If you or your child suffers from an attachment disorder in Colorado Springs and Englewood, we can leverage qEEG brain mapping technology to pinpoint areas of the brain that are imbalanced or not performing optimally. From there, we can build a personalized brain training treatment plan that will work to address the disorder symptoms at the source. Our custom treatment strategy can be integrated alongside existing psychotherapy practices for even greater long-term results.

Contact us today to schedule your consultation with our brain specialists and learn how we can help treat attachment disorder symptoms in Colorado Springs and Englewood.