What is attachment?

Attachment in psychological and therapy terms is simply the bond of one person to another, typically a child to a caregiver.  We often think of attachment as the bond between an infant and a mother; early attachment is very important to the subsequent development of relationships and social development later in life.  However attachment is important at any phase of life, and ruptured attachments can affect how people cope with relationships as teens and adults.  For example attachment problems can arise in teens who experience the death of a parent or caregiver.  Without repair of that attachment injury, the teen may become more reluctant or avoidant of forming close relationships as a defense mechanism against further disruptions.  Attachment problems can be treated in mental health counseling through attachment based treatments.