These are triggered when an individual is stressed in any way.

At that point, the Attachment system is activated, and the person is driven by this to modulate how near or far he or she is from whatever is seen as the Attachment Object.

The way that the individual goes about organising themself (and others around them) so that the distance between them and their Attachment Object starts to feel "right" is largely dictated by the style of their Attachment Relationship (Secure, Ambivalent-Enmeshed, Detached-Dismissive, Disorganised). Examples of Attachment Behaviours might therefore be:

• Crying, distress (draws my Attachment Object in to closer proximity to me...)
• Ignoring, walking off (increases the distance, but keeps me in their mind...)
• Angry verbal (or even physical) attacks (Keeps them close to me, but punishes them for making me feel so needy...)

Attachment Behaviours and Mentalizing

Crucially, when Attachment Behaviours are activated the neurological structures that allow Mentalization are de-activated. This "see-saw" between Attachment Behaviours and Mentalizing is a crucial understanding for practitioners to apply in their work.