“Mom, there is a monster in the closet”: The impact of early attachment trauma (EAT) on the development of anxiety disorders and treatment possibilities

Abstract

Objectives

In this workshop, I want to broaden the vision on attachment trauma and highlight the importance to acknowledge EAT as a hidden epidemic.

The significance of EAT in the development of anxiety symptoms becomes more and more apparent.

Methods

Recognizing the effect, that the quality of the attachment relationship has on the development of a secure attachment bond, is important to understand the factors underlying the development of anxiety symptoms.

The availability, responsiveness, mentalizing possibilities… of the parent create a secure base from which the child can explore and develop.

The absence of those features in the child–parent relationship, causes traumatic stress in the child and impacts his psychological and neurological well-being.

Results

Insecure attachment influences the neurobiology and results in dissociative processes (hyper- and hypo-aroused) expressed in different types of anxiety disorders.

Derived from the neurobiology there is a clear link between anxiety, depression and aggression.

The internal working model (IWM), rises from insecure attachment, influences adversely the child's capability to regulate and relate.

From an intergenerational point of view, an insecure attachment style of the parent implements the absence of affect en stress regulation capabilities and leave the child with the inability to regulate his anxiety.

Conclusion

There is a clear link between EAT and different types of anxiety disorders.

Treatment strategies should integrate neurobiological, attachment and trauma insights resulting in body oriented therapy, development of affect – and stress – regulation strategies, restructuring the internal working model, the therapeutic relationship as attachment bond…

Disclosure of interest

The author has not supplied his declaration of competing interest.