If you or your child has recently been diagnosed with attachment disorder, know that you are not alone and that treatment options are available. Though therapy is often the first treatment utilized for attachment disorder, it isn’t always successful. In order for talk therapy to really work, patients have to care, in some capacity, about the therapist. This can be problematic since by definition people with attachment disorders often lack the necessary empathy to care about others (including their therapist). The good news is there are alternative attachment disorder treatments available that can prove to be more successful.
But before we get started, let’s take some time to fully understand attachment disorder and its associated symptoms.
What is attachment disorder?
Attachment disorder is a mental health disorder that develops when infants or young children are not given the necessary opportunities to establish healthy bonds with their parents, guardians, or caregivers. The attachment that is usually developed between infants and their caregivers happens at a critical point in an individual’s overall development. So when the child is denied that emotional bond at this young age, they suffer negative consequences for many years to follow.
In fact, in order for infants and children to learn how to trust others, they need to be surrounded by a secure, safe, and caring environment. When that type of environment is not provided, and when those developmental needs of an infant or child go unmet, they consistently feel unsafe and lack the ability to develop a sense of attachment or trust in others. As children with attachment disorders grow up, they continue to expect to be treated the same way they were during that crucial developmental stage. And as a result, they may struggle to form relationships with others well into adulthood.
Who is at risk for developing attachment disorder?
Attachment disorder is relatively rare, but there are a few groups of people that are at higher risk of developing the disorder. Children who were abandoned, adopted, or who grew up in institutional care often have a higher likelihood of developing attachment disorder. Even multiple changes in caregivers can create a higher risk for the disorder. Still, scientists do not fully understand why some children develop attachment disorder while others who grew up in the same environment do not.
Symptoms of attachment disorder
The symptoms of attachment disorder will vary depending on which type of attachment disorder you’re diagnosed with: reactive attachment disorder (RAD) or disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED). Typically, both disorders can be characterized by the following symptoms:
- Lack of empathy
- Lack of remorse
- Difficulty showing emotions
- Avoiding eye contact or physical touch
- Antisocial behavior
- Anger
- Irritability
- Bullying or intentionally hurting others
- Impulsive decision making
- Self-destructive behavior
Alternative attachment disorder treatments
More and more healthcare professionals are recommending a highly effective alternative treatment for attachment disorder called neurofeedback. Neurofeedback is a type of biofeedback therapy that works to retrain your brain.
Throughout the treatment, patients learn how to address imbalances in their brain and better manage their emotions. Why is this so effective? The root cause of attachment disorders can often be traced back to an inability to self-regulate. And neurofeedback works to improve your self-regulation through non-invasive treatment. To top it all off, neurofeedback can help reduce, or even eliminate, the need for RAD drugs as the brain begins to rebalance and stabilize.
Learn more about neurofeedback for attachment disorders
If you or your child is struggling with attachment disorder, reach out to us at Braincode Centers. We offer neurofeedback to address the imbalances in the brain so our patients can live their happiest and healthiest life.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and to learn more about our in-office and remote neurofeedback options.
