Symptoms of
Reactive Attachment Disorder

Symptoms of attachment difficulties may include:

• inordinate desire for control — whether in a defiant or more passive way
• inability to give/receive genuine affection
• avoidance of eye contact on adult terms
• inappropriately demanding or "clingy"
• hostility to parents or loved ones
• superficial charm or manipulation
• indiscriminate friendliness
• poor peer relationships
• poor impulse control
• "crazy" lying or stealing
• lack of cause-and-effect thinking
• lack of conscience or remorse
• mood swings
• intense fear, sadness, or rage
• persistent nonsense questions/chatter
• learning or speech problems
• abnormal eating patterns
• sexual acting out
• destructive or dangerous behavior
• preoccupation with fire, gore, or blood
• cruelty to animals or other children
• inappropriate bathroom habits

Children with these behaviors are extremely challenging to parent, even for experienced and highly capable families. Traditional methods seem ineffective and parents often feel hopeless. Families may labor in love for years to seek the best for their child, only to feel that their child will not accept their love or love them in return.

In addition, since the children may seem charming to outsiders, their families are often misunderstood by their community and can feel very alone in their struggles.