#244: I Healed My Anxious Attachment… So Why Don’t I Want a Relationship Anymore? (Ask Steph)

#244: I Healed My Anxious Attachment… So Why Don’t I Want a Relationship Anymore? (Ask Steph)

From On Attachment by Stephanie Rigg

March 26, 2026 · 7 min · Season 1 · Episode 244

About this episode

Stephanie Rigg discusses the phenomenon of feeling less interested in relationships after healing from anxious attachment patterns.

In this Ask Steph episode, I’m responding to a question I hear more often than you might expect. Someone has done a lot of work on their anxious attachment patterns, they feel more grounded and secure, and now they find themselves with very little interest in dating or relationships. I talk about how this can sometimes be a natural pendulum swing. When you have spent a long time orienting around other people, trying to be chosen, accommodating, and overextending yourself, it makes sense that there would be a period of pulling back. For many people, that space allows for a real sense of peace, self-expression, and reconnection with who they are outside of a relationship. At the same time, I explore how this experience can come from different places. For some, it reflects genuine contentment in their single life. For others, there may still be a protective element underneath it, particularly if being in a relationship has historically meant losing themselves. This episode is about understanding what is actually driving that shift, so you can move forward in a way that is aligned with what you truly want, rather than simply reacting to your past patterns.

People in this episode

Host: Stephanie Rigg

Topics covered

  • anxious attachment
  • relationships
  • self-discovery
  • personal growth
  • single life
  • emotional health

Keywords

  • anxious attachment
  • dating
  • self-expression
  • relationship dynamics
  • personal development
  • emotional well-being

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