Overcome the fear of abandonment and have a healthy relationship

Do identify the past experiences that resulted in your fear of abandonment

In order to move forward, it’s important to visit the past–not to dwell or ruminate, but to bring awareness to what is driving your current behavior. It is important to recognize that you are reacting to past experiences that were largely out of your control.

Do identify your patterns of behavior that are pushing people away rather than bringing them closer

Usually these behaviors are so automatic that we don’t even think about them. Take the time to stop and think about how you react when you fear someone is pulling away. Then you can take recognize your impulse to engage in the behavior before you act on it.

Do identify situations that trigger your fear of abandonment

Again, bring awareness to what is happening in your interactions with others. Do you panic when you don’t receive an immediate response to a text, email or voicemail, fearing that you are being left or rejected?

Do identify types of people that you are drawn to who may be toxic for you

If you have a fear of abandonment there are types of people who will be toxic for you like–the abandoner, the abuser, the depriver, the devastator, and the critic. These people are not healthy relationship material for you.

Do be mindful in your interactions with others

It’s important that you stay in the moment when you are interacting with others. When your fear of abandonment gets triggered, it’s easy to get transported back to the past and engage in behaviors that are unhelpful.

Do not beat yourself up when you make a mistake

Treat yourself with compassion. You deserve it. When you make a mistake–and you will–acknowledge the mistake without judgment, accept the pain without struggle, care about yourself, and comfort yourself.

Do not keep your stories about abandonment alive

Stay in the moment with your experience rather than using it to keep your stories (which are real and painful) alive or to fuel your catastrophic stories about the future (e.g.“no one will ever love me”).

Do not deny parts of yourself and your past

Accepting yourself as you are is important. You must accept that you had painful experiences in your childhood and adolescence, accept that you might have more relationship challenges because of your fear of abandonment, and accept that there is an alternative to blaming yourself or others.

Do not hide yourself from others

You have probably spent most of your adult life hiding your vulnerabilities from others. Just the thought of revealing them might trigger feeling of fear or shame. Effective self-disclosure is an important part of developing healthy and lasting relationships.

Do not stay stuck in the past

When we are in pain, it is difficult to let go of the sources of our pain. If you are attached to the experiences that caused you pain, it will keep you from engaging in new patterns of behavior that will bring you closer to the healthy and lasting relationships that you deserve.