Dismissive avoidant attachment often gets a bad rap and, sometimes, that can be justified based on “bad” behavior in relationships. That said, dismissive avoidant people are also widely misunderstood.

Avoidant attachment makes closeness feel threatening. As intimacy deepens, withdrawal replaces presence—leaving partners lonely, overfunctioning, and longing for connection.

A while back, when recording a podcast, my team and I asked a random group of people if they considered themselves the pursuer or the distancer in their relationship. In other words, did they see ...

Ever feel like you're constantly chasing someone who keeps backing off, or maybe you're the one who needs space while your partner wants more closeness? That's an anxious-avoidant trap. When one ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about relationships, personality, and everyday psychology. Some couples can’t get enough — or too much — of each other.