PREVIOUS :  Spirituality (#2)

CONNECTEDNESS : Psychologists & religious leaders trace many personal problems to a lack of adequate parent-child attachment, pointing to broken connectedness & historical dislocation as sources of psychopathology.

Problems in relating to others can & will occur. Disconnections are part of any relationship that is not mutually empowering or mutually empathic. But Humans were not designed to be Disconnected. Yet our scientifically-oriented culture has deliberately cut us off from staying attached to our Creator God, & therefore from our innermost needs, & from each other. Society is ill with fear, confusion & rage inside, while on the outside we  still hold on to the fiction that “we are in control’

Christian psychologist Larry Crabb‘s book about Connecting (audio) suggested that it could be formed by empowering the good in each other – that which is of / in line with God’s beneficial rules for living. Crabb realized that it is a more effective counseling approach than many traditional psychotherapeutic styles.

Jean Baker Miller (Wellesley) names some bad things about Disconnection:
☀︎ Disempowerment, causing diminished
☀︎ Diminished sense of self-worth
☀︎ Isolation & relationship avoidance
☀︎ Mental Confusion

Some good things about having Connections :
♥︎ Increases sense of worth – by being seen & heard by others with empathy
♥︎ Desire for more suitable connections, & the joy that adds to our life
♥︎ Increased knowledge & clarity about our own & other’s thoughts & feelings
♥︎ Empowered to act for ourself – on our own – with increased energy & productivity

ATTENDING ‘Church’ & Family Relationships
From :  MAPING AMERICA : A survey made in 2003, consisting of parents of 102,353 children & teens in all 50 states and D.C. Data was taken from the National Survey of Children’s Health.
PPR-= Positive Parental Relationship (scale)

The survey noted that the stresses of marital conflict or separation + the strains of maintaining a household + rearing children as a single parent —> often interfered with interacting with children in a calm, positive, yet firm way.

On the other hand, when parents & children were involved in a religious community, other families in that environment provided emotional support & practical assistance to the stressed ones, making it easier for parents to raise their children well. Being a members of a religious community also helped reinforce the moral & spiritual lessons that parents wanted their children to absorb.

a. Family Structure: Children who lived with both biological parents or two adoptive parents scored higher on the PPR scale than children who lived in a different grouping, such as with their father alone, with grandparents or foster parents.
➤ In between were those who lived with one biological parent, a stepparent or with a single mother

b. Religious Practice: Children who attended religious services at least weekly scored higher on the PPR scale than those who never attended 
➤ In between were children who worshipped 1-3x a month, & those who attended less than once a month

c. Combined – Family Structure & Religious Practice : Children who worshipped frequently & lived with both biological parents or with two adoptive parents had a higher score than those who worshipped less than monthly & lived in single-parent or a reconstituted family
➤ In between were those who lived in intact families but worshipped less than monthly, & those who lived in non-intact families who worshipped at least monthly

OTHER Studies corroborated these findings.
º Single parents “are more likely to yell” at their children, while conservative Protestant parents were less likely to do so
º Fathers in intact families devoted more time to their children & most of their social time consisted of religious activities

CONCLUSION : Combining Religious attendance, Spiritual interest & Intact families are the building blocks of healthy parent-child relationships.

♦️ 2023 UPDATE : Christian Identity & religious affiliation has markedly changes in the last 30 years.  While the positive influence of religious participation on the family is still valid ⬆️ , the practice has greatly diminished. The PEW Research Center looked at these changes, (2022), asking “What is your present religion, if any?”.

Theories about why the dis-affiliation has sped up since the ’90s :
— as societal conditions improve & scientific advances allow people to live longer with fewer worries about meeting basic needs, they have less need for religion to cope with insecurity
— the US’s association of Christianity with conservative politics has driven many liberals away from the faith
— declining trust in religious institutions, clergy scandals, rising rates of religious intermarriage, smaller families….
⬇️ Stats are for 1973 to 2017. (MORE….)
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NEXT : SPIRITUALITY (#4)

PREVIOUS :  Spirituality (#1)

BOOKs :
“ATTACHED to GOD” ∼ Krispin Mayfield, with review
▸ :”GOD ATTACHMENT “∼ Dr.Tim Clinton &  Joshua Straub

A CHRISTIAN Perspective
“Attachment Theory & Your Relationship with God”, by
Dr. Bonnie Poon Zahl , a UK psychologist studying people’s religious & spiritual experiences in terms of natural psychological processes – the thoughts, emotions & behaviors that form the warp & weft of human life.

To do this she uses an important & well-respected concept about human relationships : Attachment Theory, which explains how people experience & respond to separation & distress within —–> the context of core, close relationships from very early in their life.

Attachment is part of what it means to be human – beings who are created by God to be part of His eternal family. So how attachment styles affect human connections can also describe our relationship with God & the ways we talk about our faith.

RECAP : Our most intense emotions are triggered during the “formation, maintenance, disruption & renewal” of attachments. Separation brings up feelings of loss, sadness & grief, and sometimes anger — while reunion causes joy & closeness for some, but more mixed emotions for others.

Since Baby is born without the ability to regulate emotions, Mom needs to bond with infant, & then she can regulate the ++ & — emotions of them both, by face-to-face communication, looking into baby’s eyes, & smiling.
These early experiences play a crucial role in our sense of Self = in relation to those people who matter the most.

re. RELIGION
Bonnie explains : ‘As a Christian & a psychologist, I’m struck by the clear parallels between the attachment theory of separation & reunion and the Christian narrative of alienation from God because of sin, the suffering it causes, & reunion by God’s grace through Jesus’ death & resurrection.”

Attachment patterns developed in childhood provide one lens that helps us see how people relate to God when things go wrong in our life. Research confirms the tendency to consider God as an attachment figure, so we experience Him in different ways :

🔆 securely, the connection with God is stable & integrated throughout the ups & downs of life
〽️ anxiety about abandonment (FoA) – always worried about losing God’s loved, & trying to be perfect to avoid His anger
〽️ avoidance of intimacy (FoC) – don’t feel His presence or love, so don’t want to depend too much on God, even when distressed.

Many Christians do turn to God to restore a lost sense of security.  But when some Christians experience Him as distant, unresponsive or absent, they feel depressed or bitter. Anger at God is a common reaction to unanswered prayer, especially if there’s a strong need & they’re very disappointed when God doesn’t respond the way they hoped.

For the Insecurely attached, long-term anger at God can turn into doubting their relationship with Him.
Not getting what they asked for, many of this type misunderstand & misinterpret the reasons (EXP : God is mad at me….), or go as far as doubting God’s goodness, even losing faith altogether. (EXP: Mother Teresa : 50 yrs of feeling abandoned by God – scroll  to “The Onset)

In any case, God meets us as we are, whatever the attachment style.
🔻 On the human side, the Incarnation proved that God himself fully understands us because He took on the same kind of body & mind as us, & had the same kind of relationships with family many of us have had.

EXP: Jesus’ siblings didn’t believe in Him (until after His resurrection). And once, when Jesus was mobbed in a house where He was teaching & healing people —-> his mother & brothers came to get Him, convinced He was crazy! (Mark 3:20)

🔺 On the spiritual side, the Bible presents God as the perfect Father & caregiver, but how we take that in will at least partly depend on how we were raised. Wise Christians turn to God to restore a lost sense of security. 

The Psalmist describes God as “our refuge & strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps 46:1).
St. Paul wrote that “neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation —> will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rm 8:38).
Truly amazing – & a wonderful promise!

NEXT: SPIRITUALITY (#3)

PREVIOUS :  Attachment & Animals

SITE : “How To Trust God In Hard Times + 7 Bible Verses To Pray”

John Bradshaw, ACA therapist, TV lecturer, (in the 1990s) & author of many important books…. reminded us that “Up to the age of 7 children deify their Parents. After that they parentalize their Deity”. 

Unfortunately, for many people who grew up in a narcissistic &/or alcoholic family – their only reference for a Higher Power – are abusive, drunk & neglectful parent(s). In ACoAs 12step meetings, we are minded that “God is not an alcoholic parent!”.  Instead, we read in God’s own Words that He is attached to us!
♥︎ “I have loved you with an everlasting love” Jeremiah 31:3
♥︎ ” ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’ “(Hebrews 13:6),
♥︎ “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted & saves the crushed in spirit.” (Psalms 34:18).

As ACoAs, few of us had many positive attachment choices growing up – perhaps an attentive relative or older sibling, a friend’s kind mother, a sensitive babysitter or teacher….. but for most – there was no beneficial influence in our early years.
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We didn’t have a choice then  but now we do. NOW, as part of our life-long Recovery, we can allow ourself to form attachments to safe people around us. Along with that we can develop an attachment to Yahweh, the loving Creator, learning that we can trust in His love, care & provision.

Without that – given our background – the world is a scary place, just like our original home, & we’ll find unhealthy PPT (people places, things) to fill the ‘hole-in-the-soul”, such as food, sex, drugs, control, rescuing….

Re, HOPE
Children from a severely dysfunctional home end up with a deeply rooted sense of hopelessness : “nothing ever changes, nothing good will ever happen, & nothing good is available for me.” When a secure attachment base is lacking, people lose confidence in the possibility of achieving what’s important to them. They shy away from others & from problems in relationships. 

Developing HOPE is an essential part of Recovery.
DEF:  a way of thinking, composed of having :
(1) meaningful goals for the future
(2) the ability to identify procedures to make those goals work
(3) the motivation & energy to implement those procedures 
High levels of hope is related to much better performance & achievement in all areas of life, at any age.

Research shows that parents instill hope in their children when they are a “secure base” that allow children to :
— confidently explore their environments
AND who provide safe havens so children can
— retreat to be consoled when frightened by stressful events.

Just as secure attachment to parents instills hope in children ——> secure attachment to God & healthy groups can foster hope in adults – especially when life seems dark. It minimizes loneliness, encourages positive emotions & higher levels of optimism. 

Developing trust in a loving all-powerful God  – exactly because He is not like our original family – provides a sense of safety, predictability & reassurance throughout life. These blessings might explain why researchers have found that a secure attachment to God yields positive mental health benefits, It allows us to think, feel & act in ways that makes life better & easier.
(Modified from – Hal Shorey Ph.D., The Freedom to Change)

A REVIEW of 17 studies by the Psychiatry Dept. at U. of Saskatchewan, Canada (2013) looked at “The Relationship between Attachment style & Spiritual Beliefs”

In this context, God is considered a Heavenly parent, & religious beliefs fostering hope as past of psychiatric treatment. Higher levels of spiritual awareness & practice were independently associated with better psychological well-being, providing emotional comfort, self-regulation, & meaning.

The attachment-religion link comes from 2 hypotheses:
— Correspondent : attachment will be stable across different relationships (secure in one predicts secure in others)
— Compensation : a relationship with God makes up for deficient caregiving bonds, by substitution.
Some FINDINGS:
☆ The mental picture of how survey respondents  connected to Mother was similar to the ‘see’ their connection to God
☆ People with Secure, sensitive parents – had strong religious beliefs
☆ Those with insensitive parents used religion to compensate
☆ Disorganizeds tended to have a sudden religious conversion, or a pull toward New Age ‘Spirituality’.

Unwritten Assumption :  God was more often used as crutch &/or tranquilizer, rather than having a genuine inter-relationship with Him as our Creator & Savior.

NEXT : Spirituality (#2)

PREVIOUS :
Pets & Eating Disorders

SITE : “Types of Pets, Pros and Cons” w/ pics

• TYPES of PETS (lg variety)

REVIEW : People with secure attachment have that deep-down confidence that ‘the other person’ loves them & can be depended on. The anxious-style people experience separation anxiety when their partner is not with them. Avoidant people prefer being independent, having learned that their parent or mate will not be there for them, so avoidance has become a protection against feeling abandonment pain.

But — CAN WE BE TOO attached?
Being emotionally attached to your pet is completely natural. It’s easy to feel affection for our pets because they give us unconditional love & companionship, making us feel secure – & we rely on them for that. We want to be close to them, especially when going through tough times.
Song E. (2016) says : “Sometimes I even feel like my dog can sense when I’m not feeling well, & he comes over to comfort me. It’s amazing how strong a bond we can create with our pets.”

However, our attachment to pets is unreasonable & unhealthy when we expect our pets to take the place of another person, because of our own inability or unwillingness to form functional relationships with other human beings. To evaluate how healthy and reasonable, one’s bond with a pet(s) is,
ASK:
😽 How much do you let the pet interfere with your life ?
– Has your relationship with the pet negatively affected your relationship with a spouse, other close friends or relatives?
– Do you turn down invitations if the pet is not included?
– Do you relate to the pet instead of with family & friends?
– Does the pet occupy your thoughts more than most other matters?
– Do you feel like you can’t live without this animal ?

It can also have a negative effect on us as owners & caregivers if we have trouble differentiate ourself from our pets – becoming symbiotic.  Preventing or correcting this requires owners to have a level of mental health which includes implementing appropriate boundaries for both human & pet. 

For many people, the intensity of our attachment to pets comes from a strong tendency to anthropomorphize beloved animals**,which is when Insecure-style owners unrealistically apply human characteristics to their pets.
**Anthropomorphize = oversimplify or overvalue (give too much credit to) any non-human being, & in this case – assume animals have the same mental motives & physical capacities as people.
EXP : Saying that dogs are “people pleasers”, implying their behavior is psychologically unhealthy. Such assumptions are widespread in adults of all cultures that have been investigated.

We know they rely on us too, not just for food & shelter but also affection, attention & protection. (⬅️ Rescued !) However, if we allow them to become “too attached” to us it can have a negative impacts on their well-being, based on unrealistic expectations about their needs.

Can your dog be hyper-attached?
Does your dog constantly follow you around the house? Get very agitated when you leave, asks for a lot of attention, or even jump on you to express fear? And when you come back, does it over-greet you & have trouble calming down? You may wonder ‘Is my dog too attached to me’?

Some studies suggest that the owner’s avoidance attachment style may play a role in separation-anxiety in their dog. Based on human studies, one may extrapolate that since these owners don’t provide a consistent secure base for the animal which is needed, it learns the owner is not a source of comfort & safety.
These dogs are less able to cope on their own & show different behaviors when left alone. So an over-excited & over-attention-seeking pet may be showing abandonment fear, rather than hyper-attachment.

On the other hand — another study showed that following owners around the house was a very common behavior in all dogs, including ones without separation anxiety. And lots of excitement & activity before the owner was about to leave the home – or when returning – did not indicate worry, just normal dog behavior. This is more easily understood if the owner themself is secure. 

NEXT : Attachment, & Spirituality, #1

PREVIOUS : Attachment & CATS

SITE : “Best Service Dog Breeds for Anxiety”

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is a goal-directed addition of an animal as an integral part of the clinical treatment process.  It’s guided by a professional health or human service provider with the skill & expertise about the health applications of human-animal interactions.

EXP : Studies show that having a canine companion is linked to lower blood pressure, reduced cholesterol, & decreased triglyceride levels, which contribute to better overall cardio-vascular health & fewer heart attacks. Also, dog owners who do have heart attacks have better post-op survival rates.

Emotional Support & Psychiatric Service Dogs –  both types prescribe by a licensed mental health professional or doctor as part of their treatment plan. However, only PSDs are recognized as official ‘service animals’ under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
➡️
ESA : Assigned to a specific person by a mental health practitioner to comfort an anxious person by its presence, but not for specific tasks, & which do not receive special training
PSA : a dog especially trained to perform many tasks directly related to their owner’s disability
T: a dog or other animal trained to provide comfort to the public in settings such as schools, ­libraries, nursing homes, & hospitals. Strict guidelines are followed by the handlers to ensure that the pet’s temperament & constitution are appropriate in the location.
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GROWTH : Attachment styles aren’t set in stone, so people can develop a secure attachment at any point in life – with various help, using therapy. For those who never had a safe attachment figure, opening up to another human, even a therapist, may feel dangerous. Ruth Lanius, PhD, recommends that Avoidant clients can be helped toward the goal of feeling safer internally & in the world – by interacting with an animal.

If the client has a pet, she suggests they spend time with them, focusing on the sensation of its fur, petting, cuddling, or just absorbing peaceful animal-energy from being near them. Forming a gentle, mindful connection with their animal can create positive feelings that starts to overwrite some of the fears about being close to humans.

And if the client doesn’t have a pet, Ruth suggests that even pictures or videos of a favorite animal – how they get along with each other & nurture their young – may widen the person’s window of tolerance for connections with other people.

Pet Therapy in Eating Disorder Treatment
Because animals offer variety of benefits to an ED patient’s recovery, many providers & facilities are incorporating them into their treatment plans. Whether it’s the more formalized animal-assisted therapy or having companion animals present, the values of pet therapy as a source of healing from EDs are considered important.

While conventional wisdom has long supported promoting human wellbeing from animal companionship, only recently has science investigated the restorative effect pets have in healing mental & medical problems.

While the effect of pets in ED treatment has not been studied widely, one can see where benefits would make sense. The most widely researched animals are cats, dogs, horses, & aquatics (dolphins), as well as a few studies on the benefits of birds & rabbits on human health & well-being.

Of the animals researched, dogs seem to have the greatest impact on humans. In one study, women in ED treatment found horses as well as dogs supportive in recovery – for experiencing the effects of their disorder, for emotional & relational connection, identity reformation, & thought management.

The women gained some sense of comfort, safety & protection – as they felt the animals could recognize their needs, provide unconditional & non-judgmental support & seemed to offer (perceived) protection (therapy animal benefits in ED recovery)

Review of 10 studies
Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) has been added to EDs treatment, with horses used in many residential facilities. AAT shows promise in randomized control trials (RCTs), showing significant decreases in depression, anxiety, & painful emotions.
The PRISMA methodology was used.  Therapy animals included 8 horses, 1 dog & 1 dolphin. Participants included patients, ages 11 to 64, & AAT with ED therapists.

RESULTS : Case & qualitative studies reported improvement in cognitive flexibility, ability to relinquish control, & confidence. Post-treatment quantitative studies showed an inverse relationship between AAT use and ED symptoms (more animal interaction = less disordered eating)

NEXT : Attachment & ANIMALS – Too Attached? (#6)

PREVIOUS : Attachment & Animals, #3

ATTACHMENT is a biological imperative. About 68-75% of the human population has the same attachment style developed in childhood, although it can change over time, because of  a catastrophic event, thru healthy experiences, with therapy,…. About 40% are Secure & 60% have developed various flavors of Insecure attachment.

Cats have been a part of our lives for most of human history, playing an important role in various cultures (China, India, Europe…). The Near Eastern Wildcat was bred by Mesopotamian farmers 3,000 BC, & cats were first domesticated in Egypt around 4.000 years ago. There they were revered as the goddess Bastet, mummified as accompaniment in human graves. When a pet cat died, the owner shaved their eyebrows for a month, & killing a cat was potentially punishable by death.
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Research indicate that cats have a greater flexibility & depth of social relationships than was previously believed. A study from Oregon State U. showed that domestic cat have the same ability to form attachment bonds with human caretakers as babies & dogs.  House pets have attachment styles with others of their own species, as well as with other species, including people!

Two studies published in Current Biology by Kristyn Vitale looked at cat attachment styles & found evidence that says a lot about their relationship to their human caregivers. As with people, cats also form strong connections in infancy. Because they’re usually separated from their mothers at just a few weeks old, they become attached to the humans who raise them.

Kittens with a secure style greeted their owners warmly, rubbed against the person or allowed physical contact, before going to explore the room or play with a toy. They walked back & forth toward their human without a sense of urgency – relaxed, acting ‘cat-normal”without avoid their caretaker, just being “in the moment” .

The 1 yr old cats were exposed to various stressful events, then examples of common cat behavior, were measured, namely – their vocal reactions. The secure cats vocalized just as much as the ambivalent ones had from the insecure group! The frequency of meows was not exactly the same, but both types “talked”, while the avoidant & disorganized cats did not..

Insecure-ambivalent attachment style sat in their owner’s lap & demanded constant attention, while those that were insecure-avoidant hid or ran away from physical contact for several minutes before coming out to approach their human friend.«

Insecurely attached kittens were divided into groups, with 84%  Anxious-Ambivalent, 12% Avoidant, & 4% displayed disorganized attachment (fearful). A portion were enrolled in a 6-week training & socialization course with their caretakers, to see if that would affected their attachment behaviors. Researchers found that 81% of the kittens who participated had the same attachment style as they did before the course.

CAT ANXIETY
Cats can develop Separation Anxiety Syndrome, with many of the same signs as dogs, a distressing condition that can be a result of excessive attachment. SIGNS of anxiety :
⛔︎ Destroying things, more common in males
⛔︎ Excessive grooming,  more common in females
⛔︎ Excessive vocalization. Some also carry a favorite toy in their mouths while yowling or crying  

⛔︎ Defecating or Urinating outside the litter box.  In one study, 3/4 of those cats did so exclusively on the pet parent’s bed
⛔︎ Hyper-attachment to their caregiver, seeking constant contact when they are together (MORE ….causes & solutions)

HELP : Treatments for animal anxiety disorders
❥ Behavior Modification, Counter-conditioning, Rewards
❥ Create and Maintain a Consistent Routine
❥ Ignore Attention-Seeking Behaviors
❥ Manage the Environment, w/ Enrichment Activities
❥ Pharmaceuticals, EXP: pheromone products,

The best way to promote attachment security in cats is to encourage gentle, appropriate human-animal interaction from an early age, such as physical touch, & a predictable routine.

NOTE : Women are Emotionally Attached to Their Feline Pets.
Brain scans show that when we look at cats, the amygdala lights up, the part that processes emotionally important information. A study showed the most activity in seen in amygdala’s neurons, as a strong-positive response to pictures of cats more than when looking at buildings or people.”

SO — cats, naturally play with our emotions! Although they have individual temperance & attachment styles – like us – they provide amusement, attention & warmth. Once we’ve formed that bond, it feels heavenly, & nothing can take that away.
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NEXT :

PREVIOUS :  Attachment & Animals, #2

SITE : 4 Attachment Styles, & how they Sabotage Your Work-Life Balance

Bowlby also defined attachment as a “safety regulation system via behavior targeted at specific individuals…. it is not only related to our behavioral-control system for avoiding the danger of predation, but is also closely related to the feedback system of the neuro-endocrinological system” (<—- interactions between hormones & the brain, mainly how hormones affect behavior).

Infants separated from a parent tend to make characteristic distress noises (crying), to bring the parents back & feel safe again. Dogs do that too, such as the 7-week old puppy heard crying loudly in the woods who had wandered an away from its mother. 

Dogs have been our companions for at least the last 30,000 years, considered ‘Man’s Best Friend’ & have been shaped into hundreds of breeds for many purposes, from the lion-hunting Rhodesian Ridgebacks to the Chinese Crested on the lap of an emperor. 

A Swedish study of 51 female Golden retriever owners investigated if an owner’s adult attachment style (AAS) influences how their dog interacts & gets support from them during challenging events.  NOTE :
a. STRESSOR used to test dogs’ reactions, in relation to type of owner :
🎤 Auditory  (AUD)  //  👁️ Visual  (VIS)
💀 Ghost (G) – one person with a white sheet over them
🚶🏽‍♀️Approaching Person (AP) 

b. Dog POSITION relative to owner – when faced with various stressors :
🚹 Stand next to /  Stand behind
🛜 Lip licking // Reaction to a harsh sound
👁️‍🗨️ Look at owner / Look at threat / Look back & forth

1. More secure people find it easy to trust, to get along with others, & don’t mind depending on others or having others depend on them. 

Dogs belonging to more secure owners —-> during the approach of a potentially threatening person (‘ghost’)
— were less likely to stand behind the owner
— were more oriented to the auditory & visual stressors
— & less oriented to the owner
— looked more at the stressor rather than back & forth between the stressor and the owner ….. which may also reflect those dogs did not need to refer to their owners (for help) when socially challenged

— > Interestingly, this seems to be the opposite in human psychology, which suggests that secure children with a secure parent are better able to shift their attention back-&-forth between threat & safe haven (the attachment figure) than insecure children, to get guidance & protection.

2. People scoring high on the anxiety attachment sub-scale tend to believe it’s important that others like them, worry they won’t measure up to others’ standards, & about the risk of being abandoned. 

Dogs’ attention to humans is affected both by familiarity & by the relationship quality. In this test these dogs of more anxious owners :
— had less lip licking (possibly indicating lower stress) during separation from the owner, & released higher levels of cortisol than dogs of more secure owners.
However, behaviorally it was found that the more active-excitable the dog was the lower the cortisol release.
— were oriented longer toward their owner during the approach of a strange looking person
This is somewhat in line with findings in human psychology.  Insecure / ambivalent children, in a stressful situation, will tend to focus mostly on the safe haven (parent) for protection, comfort, & information about the ambiguous or frightening stimuli. 

PREVIOUS :  Attachment & ANIMALS, #1

Animal Assisted Therapy (ATT) : “To provide long-term individual & group healing for trauma survivors, along with cognitive behavior, empowerment & exposure therapies.”

For thousands of years humans have benefited from the unconditional love & loyalty of domesticated animals.
☆ATT was a treatment tool in ancient Greece. They were the first to use animals (horses) to “lift the spirits of the severely ill.”
☆ In the 1600s physicians also used horses to improve the physical & mental health of their patients.

☆ In the 1940s the American Red Cross worked with veterans staying on a farm who were suffering from injury or illness, taking care of the animals to further their recovery, by focusing on something other than the traumas of war.
☆ In the 1700’s the York Retreat also used farm animals (rabbits, chickens….) to “enhance the humanity of the emotionally ill” (More EXP….)

☆ Current studies have continued to investigate the relationship of human emotional attachment to pets, which are beneficial at any age. In a 2023 Healthy Minds Monthly Poll from the American Psychiatric Association (APA) with 2,200 adults, a majority (86%) of pet owners said their animals have a mostly positive impact on their mental health.
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Cat owners were more likely than dog owners to say their pets offer companionship (69%), provide a calming presence (66%). & help reduce stress & anxiety (69%).
Dog owners were twice as likely to say their pet encouraged them to be physically active.

When all were asked how much they worried about various stressors related to pets, owners were most worried about their animal’s health (66%), aging or passing away (71%),  as well as arrangements while traveling (56%) & medical expenses (58%). About 11% were mourning** a deceased pet.

** Mourning : If a person experiences too much separation-pain when their companion animal dies, they can become so lost & depressed that they may not be able to function in daily life, becoming a mental health threat. Maladaptive Cognitive-Emotion Regulation Strategies (CERS) that stifle healing include self-blame, criticizing others, rumination & catastrophizing.

However, one large study found that more secure people who lost a beloved pet do recover from this pain after 6 months, even with feelings of anger, guilt & longing. In fact, the stronger the attachment, the greater the growth, so adapting adaptive CERS attitudes (acceptance of death, broadening perspectives & positive re-evaluation) increases post-trauma healing & returns meaning to their life. (“Coping with Losing a Pet”)

HEALING : Doctors at the APA commented that “Americans clearly recognize that a relationship with our pets can have noticeable benefits for our overall mental health.” Another survey reported that 97% of family doctors believe there are benefits from owning pets, & 69% said they had recommended it to patients.

One reason people bond emotionally to their pets is that the attachment serves as a compensatory strategy for anyone deprived of secure relationships in childhood. Children are often credited with instigating pet acquisition, & in many countries, households with children are more likely to have companion animals than those without.
A study with a sample of 160 children who had experienced abuse, neglect or traumatic loss showed they were 4x more likely to have more of a secure attachment to a pet than to their human caregivers.reason people are

EXP : Children with an insecure-avoidant or disorganized attachment style who love with  social stress benefit more from the presence of a therapy-dog or therapy-pony ➡️ than just from the presence of a friendly human.

Adults who experienced early trauma & neglect often have a stronger emotional attachment to pets than to their parents /family, the animals felt to be more reliable & less threatening. The same has been reported by female college students with self-reported childhood neglect – having a stronger attachment to a pet than their more secure peer.

Animal HOARDING
It has been defined as a pathological human behavior that involves a compulsive need to obtain & control animals, coupled with a failure to provide minimal standards of care for animals AND denial of the consequences of that failure. 

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It is associated with certain personality traits such as perfectionism, indecision, procrastination, low-level self-control & poor problem solving skills.
It may be a symptom of a mental illness, disorders such as delusional, major depressive, obsessive-compulsive, generalized or social anxiety .
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NEXT : Attachment & Animals- #2b

PREVIOUS : Sex & EDs

⬅️ “Average pet owner” ARTIST : Opinion Cartoonist.    sarafang@umich.edu.

PET LOVERS
Many Americans & other people around the world would find it hard to imagine a life without pets. And although the numbers & types vary across countries & cultures, dogs & cats are definitely the most popular. In the USA alone = DOGS – about 90 million, CATs – 94 million.

The question of whether animals can become attachment figures for their owners has been raised in multiple studies addressing different categories of age, from children to senior owners. Literature indicates that animals are often a source of emotional support or loyal companions, while the loss of a pet causes grief reactions similar to the pain of losing a loved person

Human attachment to pets is helped by our :
— parenting behavior (caretaking skills & willingness)
— a general level of empathy toward animals  (empathy = the ability to perceive, identify & share in another being’s emotional state)
— matching owner & pet personality & needs

Several pet characteristics are a strong reason for our attachment bond to them, such as —> direct physical contact with our body, their responsiveness, involvement & affection. Even picturing a pet can function as a source of comfort & support for the owner, alleviating some distress.
Ironically, pet-keeping is considered a paradox in terms of the costs of caring for animals vs. the fitness-related benefits to humans such as for survival & reproduction.

Human attachment style is related to our mental health, with a secure attachment providing the best version. Interestingly, studies are clear that humans with an Insecure style form a particularly strong emotional bond with companion animals, considered part of a mental health burden** in :
— Anxiety / dependence = a greater fear of being rejected & unloved, OR
— Avoidance = lower comfort with depending on or trusting in others
** burden — having pronounced symptoms of mental disorders & distress

Extensive studies indicate that pet preference, as well as attachment style, seem to partly be influenced by the amount of  “theory of mind”** people attribute to animals – & more to dogs than cats.

** theory of mind  = Mentalizing, Mind-reading.  Having a functional theory of mind is considered crucial for success in everyday social interactions. IT IS :
— the capacity to mentally represent thoughts, beliefs, & desires, regardless of circumstances 
— the ability to explain, predict & interpret behavior by attributing beliefs, desires, intentions, & emotions to oneself and to other people, AND that those may be different from one’s own 
— is used when analyzing, judging, & inferring others‘ behaviors.

REVIEW
Bowlby’s (1982) defined attachment as a lasting psychological connectedness between two living beings, and that —
— the function of the attachment figure is that of a “safe haven” – to reduce distress & increase emotional comfort & balance, &
—  the role of the attachment figure is that of a “secure base” – to foster personal development, exploration, risk taking for growth, & goal achievement 

Attachments characteristics:
1. proximity-seeking in times of perceived distress, to cope & self-regulate
2. the availability & responsiveness of partners, with beneficial effects on our emotional state, self-image, behavior in close relationships
3. the temporary or permanent lack of availability, as well as the loss of the attachment figure which generates intense distress.

1. Attachment security is an internalized mental picture of attachment figures as responsive, available in hard times, fostered resilience  & good mental health, high-quality relationships, proper emotional self-regulation, & social adjustment in adolescence & adulthood.

2. Attachment insecurity comes from a history of family abuse, neglect & rejection, resulting in vulnerability to mental / emotional disorders. It’s expressed as a lack of trust in the availability & constancy of relationships. Often, such people feel safer with animals than with their insecurely attached human.

a. Anxiety in human-animal attachment has been connected to higher emotional distress — poorer mental health, ambivalence, pervasive worry for the integrity”** of the animal, doubt regarding owner’s worth for ownership & a higher tendency for pathological grief  (**Integrity – not genetically modified)

b. Avoidance in human-animal attachment has been connected with lower emotional distress, a relative indifference toward the animal’s integrity and needs, a lower level of trust & negative expectations in the animal, & a tendency to distance oneself from it.

NEXT :Attachment & Animals, #2

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Sexuality & PORN

SITE : “Why Your Brain Thinks Food and Sex Are the Same”

As indicated in the previous post (re. Porn) the ways that sexual interactions are conducted (or not) are a marker of a person’s capacity to “embody their body”- to stay connected & tuned in physically –  in order to experience pleasurable sensations in the body.
Healthy sexuality is a way to enjoy “living in & through” the body with ‘the Other’, providing a sense of ownership and agency (in charge) during foreplay & intercourse.

However – the body is also a battleground for eating disorders (EDs). A study by Cassioli et al. documented well-known sexual dysfunctions often detected in patients with EDs & their connection to core psycho-pathology. It showed that disorders of embodiment explained the interaction between unhealthy eating behaviors & low sexual desire.

“Body image distortion” is a negative attitude about their weight or shape. Uneasiness towards one’s body has been identified on a continuum in the general population, & found to be associated not only with dysfunctional eating habits, which can include obesity & body dysmorphic disorder, but also social anxiety, schizophrenia, manic-depressive disorders.

An international study of women with ED found that their sexual dysfunction  was higher than in the general population. Women with restricting Anorexia Nervosa (AN) – are less likely to have a romantic partner or have engaged in sexual intercourse – than women with Bulimia. However, both EDs are related to :
— lower lifetime body mass index (BMI)
— higher intero-ceptive awareness & trait anxiety
— earlier age of onset of ED, & loss of libido
— decreased sexual desire & increased sexual anxiety
— higher harm avoidance & personal ineffectiveness (powerlessness).

BODY : Aside from genetic, illness & environmental factors, sexual satisfaction in AN sufferers is inversely related to the amount of their caloric restriction, ie. the greater the weight loss, the greater the loss of sexual enjoyment. Along with psychological problems, low libido can also be caused by the physical consequences of hypo-gonadism (either testes or ovaries) of emaciation, proven by an increase in sexual drive with weight restoration.

MIND : Evidence of the mind-body connection comes from clinical observations of sexual attitudes & behavior in patients with EDs, with their sexual activity not being “lived from within” but from a third-person perspective.
In these people, Insecure Attachment styles are responsible for being overly self-conscious of their body, which in turn reduces the ability to feel & decipher bodily “signals” such as hunger, dehydration, satiety, fatigue or pain, as well as emotional detachment. (BDD)

During sexual activity, any person may temporarily consider themself an object to be looked at, inspected & desired. This is not usually a problem if they are Securely Attached, but becomes so when an Insecure is plagued by physical dissatisfaction, emotional avoidance & detachment or compulsive control of one’s own body, including “estrangement feelings” toward it & worries about particular body parts, shapes or functions.

A severe lack of sexual self-esteem can cause a sort of dissociation called “Spectatoring“, a person’s mental fixation on their body &/or performance, while also experiencing themself from a third-person perspective during sexual encounters, disconnected from actual physical

Highly insecure people have a “body-for-the-other” perspective, only as a collection of parts meant to be consumed by others (starting with their parents!). In sexual medicine, self-objectification & women’s tendency toward compulsive self-surveillance (← scroll down) during sexual activity, result in dissociation from the immediate moment,  an intense detraction from the sexual experience.  (“Bodily alienation & the Gaze”  —  Scroll to page 69 )

Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA) & ED
CSA is related to borderline personality traits, severe depression, inter-personal distrust, increased weight gain, impaired sexual functioning & body image distortion, panic attacks, suicidality & somatisation.
(BRAIN Effects of CSA)
CSA is a common risk factor for Bulimia & binge eating – more so than  for Anorexia – especially when there are also mental health problems, without indicating the severity of each type.

Studies noted that around 30% of ED patients have been sexually abused in childhood (CSA), & that Bodily Dissatisfaction links them – a revulsion toward the body, with worry about one’s shape, size & weight. People who reported childhood molestation scored higher than those molested at any age after adolescence – on tests for negative body-attitudes, such as on the EAT (eating), the BAT (body), & the BIT (Bulimic Investigatory) of Edinburgh.

NEXT : Attachment & ANIMALS, #1