When the Quiet One in the Relationship Starts to Bite Back
Psychology Today | 02.10.2026 03:23
In my work as a couples therapist, I often see a distinct pattern in couples who have been together for a while. After years of engaging in a pursue/withdraw pattern (aka the anxious/avoidant attachment dance), sometimes the withdrawer starts to get sick and tired of feeling steamrolled or like they are always the problem. They start to bite back. This is how the attack-attack pattern happens in relationships.
