Fearful-Avoidant Attachment:

Fearful-avoidant attachment — one of four adult attachment styles, described in attachment theory—is a desire for intimacy, coupled with a strong fear of rejection and abandonment, leading to a pattern of avoiding closeness and relationships. Individuals with this attachment style often have a history of inconsistent or unreliable caregiving, leading them to believe they are unlovable and that others are untrustworthy. While both fearful-avoidant and dismissive-avoidant attachment stylesinvolve avoidance, they differ significantly in their core beliefs about relationships and self-worth. Fearful-avoidants crave connection but fear getting hurt, rejected, or abandoned. (Dismissive-avoidants value independence and see relationships as unnecessary.) This attachment style often develops in childhood due to experiences with inconsistent or neglectful caregivers who may have been unavailable, dismissive, or even abusive. Also see Attachment Styles. Core characteristics:

• Fear of intimacy while craving closeness, leading to a pattern of pushing people away or withdrawing from relationships (relationship sabotage, cycle of rejection and withdrawal).
• Low self-esteem, believing they are unworthy of love and acceptance.
• Difficulty with trust and wary of forming close bonds, fearing they will be hurt.
• Inconsistent behavior, acting both clingy and distant, depending on their state of anxiety.