Acute Stress and Attachment

            Attachment begins in infancy when a child learns to depend on their caregiver.  The attachment bond carries on throughout life by shaping future relationships, strengthening or damaging our abilities to focus, be conscious of our feelings, and calm ourselves.  It also gives us an ability to bounce back from various situations we face in our lives.  Having a secure attachment bond gives us the ability to feel safe, develop meaningful connections with others, explore our world, deal with stress, balance emotions, experience comfort and security, make sense of our lives, and create positive memories and expectations of relationships.  Insecure attachment bonds may lead to tuning others out or off, remaining insecure, being disorganized, aggressive, and angry, and developing through life slowly (Freeman, 2005).

            Acute stress is a disorder that is brought on by a traumatic event which is outside of the person’s ability to cope.  Persons affected by acute stress may sense a feeling of being detached from themselves, experiencing the world around them as if in a dreamlike state, and they may have difficulty in recalling the event.  Factors such as the magnitude of the stressor, preparation for the event, immediate and short-term response to the event, and post trauma responses, can greatly impact the individual’s ability to recover (van der Kolk, McFarlane, & Weisaeth, 2007).  When we are affected by acute stress, individuals react according to their coping ability and their level of attachment with others.  Healthy attachments can cause a person to seek support from friends and close family members to help them find meaning and purpose.  Insecure attachments, when affected by acute stress, may cause the individual to isolate, lash out, and detach themselves from others because of feelings of mistrust created from earlier experiences.

            Helping those suffering from acute stress can start with simply being present and reassuring the person that you are available.  Providing a drink of water, an article of clothing, or just listening can create a seed of trust.  It’s important that the person is able to feel safe and secure and ensure their immediate needs are met.  When the person is ready, encourage them to talk and be available to listen.  God will present an opportunity for His message to be shared, and it is our responsibility to not force the issue.  Just as Peter did with the beggar in Acts 3, we should give individuals a sense of worth, a reason to hope, and real help through being involved, practical, authentic, offering a sense of belonging, and introducing them to Jesus to provide an opportunity to witness.

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References

Freeman, S. J. (2005). Grief and loss: Understanding the journey. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Brooks/Cole.

Van der Kolk, B. A., McFarlane, A. C., & Weisæth, L. (2007). Traumatic stress: The effects of overwhelming experience on mind, body, and society. New York, NY: Guilford Press.