Fear of commitment

Fear of commitment, also known as gamophobia, is the irrational fear or avoidance of long-term partnership or marriage. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with commitment phobia, which describes a generalized fear or avoidance of commitments more broadly.

In essence, despite deriving satisfaction from companionship in a relationship, people may choose to distance themselves and withdraw if the relationship progresses to a serious level of commitment.

Psychological explanations

Fear of commitment represents a multifaceted psychological phenomenon, susceptible to influence by numerous factors, with psychological elements playing a significant role as primary contributors. Below are a few potential causes of the fear of commitment in long term relationships:

Attachment insecurity

Attachment insecurity is defined by inadequate and ambivalent caregiving during infancy. Such experiences are highly likely to result in the development of insecure attachment styles, which encompass the ways individuals engage with others in intimate relationships. The concept of attachment styles originates from Bowlby's Attachment Theory, positing that individuals have an evolutionary need to establish close emotional bonds with significant others. The internal working model, shaped by early attachment experiences, establishes a stable blueprint where the relationships formed with caregivers in infancy serve as a basis for predicting future adult relationships. This asserts an ongoing influence on an individual's subsequent emotional stability and development, illustrated by the continuity hypothesis.

In the upbringing of individuals with an anxious-avoidant attachment style during childhood, parents often fail to express approval of intimate emotions from the child, leading to a gradual development of increased emotional distance and dismissiveness.