10 warning signs that your relationship is approaching critical failure
Part 4 of 10: Unhealed Attachment Injuries
This 10 part series is all about the most critical warning signs that can spell trouble for your marriage or long-term relationship (LTR).
Once you understand these factors, you’ll get a clearer picture of how healthy your LTR or marriage may be at the moment, and your risk of separation or divorce.
First things first, here’s a way to organize these signs in your head.
We’ll call 8 of these signs “internal factors” and the last 2 “external factors.”
What do I mean by this?
This fourth sign is an internal warning sign.
Warning Sign 4: Unhealed Attachment Injuries
Within Attachment Theory, “attachment” is the emotional and psychological bond shared between people.
ALL humans form these bonds from birth - and even in utero - as a necessity of survival and thriving.
An “attachment injury” is when there is damage done to this bond via betrayal or abandonment.
All of us, from cradle to grave, are happiest when life is organized as a series of excursions, long or short, from the secure base provided by our attachment figure(s).
-Susan Johnson
How to Course Correct
If an attachment injury happened in your relationship but never healed properly, it’s a red flag for potential relationship failure!
Course correct by identifying and repairing such injuries. Whether they are 2 months or 20 years old, they MUST get proper care to heal and keep your bond strong.
Work on acknowledging the injury, rebuilding trust, and both earning and granting forgiveness.
Stay tuned for Part 5!