Situation · Yourself
“I can't be alone”
What could be going on
Can't be alone: Distress when alone fits; check what thoughts come in the quiet.
Abandonment/instability schema: Expecting people to leave fits; check whether being alone feels like being abandoned.
Anxious-preoccupied attachment: Strong need for closeness with doubt it lasts fits; check how you handle partners being away.
Dependent personality: Fits if you need others to make decisions and fear coping alone.
Experiential avoidance: Company may keep painful feelings out; check what surfaces alone.
Extraversion: Could be an ordinary social temperament that recharges with people.
Questions to carry
- The last time I found myself alone, how long until I reached for someone, and who?
- What feeling comes first when I am alone, and what does it remind me of?
Also said as
- I hate being on my own
- I jump from one relationship to the next
- my friend can't spend a night by herself
- being alone makes me panic
- I always need someone around
- I hate being by myself