An avoidant attachment style may lead you to have difficulty forming intimate relationships. You might avoid relationships altogether, or you may notice that you tend to emotionally distance yourself from your significant other. If you think you may have this attachment style, take our Avoidant Attachment Style Quiz to determine if this is the case.
1. How comfortable do you feel opening up and talking about personal matters in your relationship?
A. I have no problem discussing these things
B. I avoid personal discussions. They make me uncomfortable
C. I have to be in the mood to have personal discussions
2. To what extent do you agree that you’d rather have your freedom and independence than be in a relationship?
A. This sounds just like me
B. I don’t totally agree with this
C. I see the value of relationships over being independent
3. When you’re in a relationship, what do you do when you’re stressed about something?
A. Lean on my partner for support
B. I might ask my partner for help if something was really bothering me
C. I’d keep my stress to myself. I can handle it on my own
4. Has anyone ever told you that you have trouble showing your emotions?
A. I am really just pretty shy. Once I open up to people, I can show my emotions
B. I hear this all the time, and it leads to pretty serious problems in my relationships
C. No. I am pretty much an open book when it comes to emotions
5. Do you ever feel that your significant other is too clingy?
A. Yes, I feel like this all the time when I’m in a relationship
B. No, I haven’t really felt this in my relationships
C. Sometimes I feel this way
6. How do you feel when your partner comes to you for emotional support?
A. I’m happy to help. That’s just part of being in a relationship
B. Sometimes I don’t know how to best help them, but I try to be understanding
C. It generally makes me feel annoyed
7. What is your reaction when your partner shows physical affection, such as trying to hold your hand or put their arm around you in public?
A. I’m happy when my partner shows public affection
B. It makes me incredibly comfortable
C. I might feel a little embarrassed
8. What is your reaction when your partner shows physical affection, such as trying to hold your hand or put their arm around you in public?
A. If I truly need something, I will reach out
B. I ask for help all the time
C. I don’t feel comfortable asking for help
9. If you were grieving the loss of a loved one, such as a parent or sibling, how would you most likely react?
A. I can be a private person, so I might keep some of my grief to myself
B. I would lean on the people closest to me for support
C. I would withdraw and keep my emotions to myself
10. Which of the following best describes your views on intimate relationships, like marriage?
A. I look forward to sharing my life with someone in marriage someday, or I am already happily married or partnered
B. I tend to avoid getting too close to people, so I sometimes doubt that I will ever get married
C. Sometimes I don’t have the best of luck with relationships, but I’d like to settle down with someone, just like everyone else
