#and that freeze and fawn trauma responses change how we show distress and sometimes makes us not show it appropriately

[pears-trinkets]

.

[myfandomrambles]

She-Ra Attachment Styles

Something I find interesting is that it’s pretty clear that both Adora and Catra struggle with Disorganized Attachment, but it presents pretty differently. 

Let's look at them based on the list of characteristics of DA from this article

Aggressive tendencies will sometimes occur: 

Catra shows more violence towards others I think this comes from her physical abuse being more profound seeing violence as being done to her so she turns this and acts out her abuse on others. 

For Adora violence tends to be more of a protective mechanism. Both for her emotional pain and as a literal defence against real or perceived threats. 

Altered pain tolerance:

This is a bit harder to say for sure, but they are willing to fight and don’t tend to stop even when they can. Taking and giving hits that show the most injuries in the story. 

Adora/She-Ra comes back from having her back slashed pretty easily.

Catra views the physical abuse Hordak puts on her as kind of a sick joke. 

Difficulties in their familial relationships outside of the family of origin: 

Catra shows this in a much stronger way not being able to form any stable relationship after Adora, even when Scorpia reaches out to her.

 Adora doesn’t show this as much befriending Glimmer and Bow pretty easily. However, we can see that she feels separated from her friends like when they try and make plans. 

Have an unstable self-identity: 

Adora bases her identity pretty heavily on having to be perfect and on being a hero, she struggles to be her own person. Adora feels like she isn’t her own separate from her history as being She-Ra.  This is understandable as she is treated as a possession by Shadow Weaver and has to be something other than just a person to the Rebellion. 

Catra often cycles between feeling like she is the most powerful, to feeling worthless, and basing who she is on how much power she has and in comparison to Shadow Weaver and Adora. 

Have hyperactive fawn and freeze responses:

We see a freeze response in catra even though she seems to act out we see this response in her dealing with Shadow Weaver and Hordak. 

Adora has a freeze response when overwhelmed with fighting Catra and with Light Hope when overwhelmed. 

Both show a fawn response to Shadow Weaver early on for Adora and into season two with Catra. An example is how quickly Catra falls back under her control. 

Lacks coping skills to deal with distress: 

Neither really talk through their distress or are able to self regulate. 

Adora shows she struggles with this, often bolting and running away from problems or trying to handle emotional stress as a strategic problem to use warfighting methods. Adora often has to be coxed into calming down. 

Catra tends to shut people out completely and even shut down internally. She acts out against others and even struggles when Scorpia tries to co-regulate with her.

Often suffer from mental health issues related to trauma (C-PTSD/PTSD) :

 Adora: 

Anxiety

Disrupted systems of meaning 

Flashbacks

Guilt

Hyperarousal

Identity issues

Idolization/devaluation of abusers

Panic attacks

Obsessive thoughts

Sleep Issues

Struggles to express and understand her emotions

Struggles with relationships

Catra: 

Abusers

Depression

Destructive behaviour 

Dissociation

Extreme emotional highs and lows

Flashbacks

Hyperarousal 

Irritability and restlessness

Isolation 

Panic attacks

Preoccupation with abusers

Preoccupation with revenge

Splitting 

Struggles with relationships

Suicide attempts

Trust Issues 

Poor self-esteem:

 We can see this pretty easily in reference to their identity issues.

Adora can’t even see herself as not guilty for all the worlds wrong till the end of season 3. How this declaration of not being at fault for Catra’s mistakes will apply to other events like with Mara and Angela’s death is yet to be seen. 

Catra pretty much explains herself as not good enough after Hordak throws her out. She is more willing to die and burn the world around her then to believe she can heal and be better. 

Severe hypervigilance: 

This can be seen in neither of them being able to calm down and seeing most everything as threats. 

Both literally jump at shadows and seem to be more on edge in comparison to friends being able to periodically sense danger others miss, a useful part of hypervigilance.

They both also have a heightened startle response to a big example of hypervigilance. 

Struggles with education and employment:

This is stronger with Catra but some signs are seen in both. 

Due to basing her worth on succeeding as much as possible Adora is hyperinvolved in her work which is a form of struggling even if it often allows her to due what is needed.

Catra is generally okay at her work when it comes to strategy. But anything that takes her having to concentrate and work in bounds like paperwork she freaks out. She also isn't good with playing politics in her looking for approval from Hordak or complete viewing it as bullshit. Her ned to rebel and force people away also gets in the way.

Unstable relationships:

With each other, they both have an obsessive mindset either getting each other back or pushing away as hard as they can. 

With catra this can also be seen with Scorpia and Entrapta in her switching back forth in rather she lets them in. 

Will deal with dissociative tendencies and/or dissociative disorders (DID/OSDD): 

We can see dissociation in Catra when she hears Adora mention shadow weaver changing side auditory and visual stimulation goes wonky and she seems to be in her own world. 

When Adora is scared and bolts you can see her world shrink around her and sometimes similar sound changes can be seen. There might be dissociative aspects in with panic attacks. 

Will often have had multiple traumatic experiences: 

They both continue to put themselves in dangerous situations.

Adora involves herself in war and violence immediately. 

Catra ends up under abusers’ thumbs chronically being hurt in similar ways to before.