Have you ever been in a relationship wherein you feel you are constantly chasing your partner? And no matter how much you try, you always find them running away from you emotionally and physically. Or worse still, are you the one who is always requesting the other person to pay attention to you or talk to you? If your answer is yes, then you may have something that is called an anxious relationship pattern. And as per the law of attraction, there is a high probability that you may be attracted to someone who is the opposite—an avoidant personality type.

Let's first talk about attachment patterns and how are they developed

The first attachment theory was coined by British psychologist John Bowlby. He described attachment as a "lasting psychological connectedness between human beings." He wanted to study the anxiety and distress that children experience when separated from their primary caregivers. Sigmund Freud had already suggested that infants become attached to their primary caregivers or source of pleasure. In their case, it is their mothers. Based on this, Bowlby derived 4 attachment patterns:

Ambivalent Attachment

As a result of poor parental availability, these children cannot depend on their primary caregiver to be there when they need them. Thus, children develop an ambivalent attachment style and become very distressed when a parent leaves.

Avoidant Attachment

This attachment style might be a result of abusive or neglectful caregivers. Children who are punished for relying on a caregiver will learn to avoid seeking help in the future. As a result, these children tend to avoid parents or caregivers, showing no preference between a caregiver and a complete stranger.

Disorganized Attachment

This behaviour pattern is linked to inconsistent caregiver behaviour. Children with a disorganized attachment style display a confusing mix of behaviour, seeming disoriented, dazed, or confused. They may avoid or resist the parent. In such cases, parents may serve as both a source of comfort and fear, leading to disorganized behaviour.

Secure Attachment

Children who can depend on their caregivers show distress when separated and joy when reunited. Although the child may be upset, they feel assured that the caregiver will return. When frightened, securely attached children are comfortable seeking reassurance from caregivers. This is the most common attachment style.

So what happens when these children grow up? Anxious people chase the avoidants

People's adult behaviour is based on the attachment style they developed during their infancy and childhood. If we were to follow Bowlby's theory, people with an anxious attachment type more often than not, end up chasing an emotionally distant (avoidant) partner in romantic relationships. It is because they are looking to reduce or end an anticipated anxiety. Anxious personalities are attracted to the independent and resilient traits of avoidant personality types, hoping it may fix their insecurities and anxieties.

But why do avoidant people like anxious types? As per psychologists, the avoidant personality types are attracted to the pursuit of closeness and dependence by an anxious partner, as they subconsciously crave attention. They might not realise it, but their actions are directed towards seeking a secure base in their anxious partners. So, here's a psychologist-assured tip for those chasing their partners-try moving away for a while and they'll return.

In South Korea, AI companion robots are being given to elderly people who live alone. These robots, called Hyodol, act as a comforting presence and a helpful tool for overworked eldercare staff. For seniors who lives alone in Seoul, the robot becomes like most treasured companion, a "lovely granddaughter" she talks to affectionately.

How Does AI Robots Transform Elderly Care

According to Taylor & Francis Online 2024 study, the Hyodol robot, a plush doll with built-in AI, is designed to keep seniors company in a nation where many older adults are deeply lonely. It Hyodol acts as a companion, offering services like religious chants, quizzes to help with memory, and daily reminders to take medicine. Media reports show that the Guro municipality in Seoul has given out over 400 of these robots, and more than 12,000 are in use across the country.

Eldercare workers say the robots have become their "eyes and ears," helping them monitor clients between visits. While the robots add to their workload with maintenance, workers feel it's worth it because of the comfort they bring. The bots provide a constant presence and someone to talk to, which can help ease feelings of loneliness and depression.

How Do Humans Bond With Bots?

Older adults often form strong connections with their Hyodols. They care for the dolls as if they were real grandchildren, feeding them pretend meals and dressing them in special outfits. Some people have even asked to be buried with their robots. Based on research at welfare centers and in seniors' homes, it shows that the robots create a "robotic multi-care network." This network includes the robots themselves, their monitoring system, elderly users, caregivers, company staff, and family members.

Instead of replacing human caregivers, the robots change how care work is done. They shift and share tasks, creating different kinds of care practices—some are hands-on, some are digital, some are close by, and some are done from a distance.

There are also ethical issues. Some seniors may become more isolated, staying home because they have a companion greeting them at the door. For those with dementia, the robots' words can be taken too literally. For example, after her Hyodol mentioned a stream, one elderly woman with dementia walked to a creek alone with her robot. The company has since removed phrases that could be misinterpreted.

Will AI Become New Age Care For Elderly?

Within this network, elderly users have found different ways to connect with the robot. Some see Hyodol as a "grandchild" and treat it with affection, while others view it as a way to stay in touch with their caregivers. The 2024 study shows that while the robots don't replace human caregivers, they do change and redistribute the work, proving to be a valuable addition to the eldercare system.

South Korea is facing a shortage of care workers, and the Hyodol program is a way to fill this gap. The robots are a much cheaper alternative to hiring more staff. While they can't replace human care, they act as a "central node" that connects people. The robots handle the first layer of oversight, alerting social workers when there's an issue.

The program has led to heartwarming moments, like a fashion show where seniors and their robots wore matching outfits. For many, the robot is not just a device, but a cherished friend. As one elderly woman said, after receiving her Hyodol, she no longer wanted to die.

When the music begins, Lidia Beltran, a Parkinson's disease patient, let's go of her physical struggles. Holding onto her therapist, she moves with grace and precision. This is part of a special program in Buenos Aires that uses tango to help people with Parkinson's. For over 15 years, around 200 patients have participated in these workshops to see how dancing affects their symptoms.

Parkinson’s is an age-related degenerative brain condition that causes parts of your braint to deteriorate. It weakens the nerve cells in some parts of your brain and causes it to become damaged. Which means things like maintaining your posture, cramped or small handwriting etc.

How Tango Can Help Parkinson’s Diseases

Media reports explain a neurologist Nelida Garretto says that a big problem for people with Parkinson's is trouble walking. She explains that since tango is a walking dance, it helps patients practice important movements like starting and stopping.

Other experts note that the results have been very good. Many patients find ways to manage their symptoms, like the sudden "freezing" that makes their feet feel stuck. One patient found that doing a "figure eight" with her feet could help her get out of a freeze. According to Arakaki, dancing creates a "sensory pathway" in the brain that helps with walking

While medication is a necessary part of Parkinson's treatment, tango acts as a form of physical therapy. Arakaki believes that music and dance help people move past difficult physical moments.

Lidia Beltran, 66, was diagnosed with Parkinson's two years ago and had never danced tango before. She joined the program on her doctor's advice, hoping it would slow the disease's progression. Beyond the physical improvements, the dance workshop also helps with the social isolation and sadness that often come with the disease. Beltran says that dancing boosts her stability and her mood. She feels that after dancing, she will have a better day.

How Does Dance Help With Parkinson’s

According to a 2024 study published in the Scientific Reports, while medications for Parkinson's disease (PD) can help with many movement issues, they don't always address other symptoms, like thinking problems or balance issues. Because of this, doctors are looking for other treatments to use alongside medication.

In a new study, researchers looked at two different types of activities to see if they could help with Parkinson's symptoms: Argentine tango and physical therapy.

Specialists say tango is effective because it is more than just a dance; it requires the brain to do many things at once. Dancers must:

• Walk in a specific way.
• Keep up with the music's rhythm.
• Respond to their partner's movements.

The 2024 study followed 24 patients with Parkinson's over four months. Half of them took part in tango classes twice a week, and the other half had group physical therapy twice a week. Both groups were tested before and after to see how their symptoms had changed.

Improved Balance and Motor Skills

Both groups saw similar improvements in their motor skills, especially with balance, both when standing still and when moving. The physical activities helped stabilize their overall abilities and slow down the disease's progression.

Better Thinking Skills

Both groups also improved on a test that measures "action naming," which is a type of cognitive skill.

Tango's Unique Benefit

The most interesting finding was that only the tango group showed a significant improvement in recognizing emotions on people's faces. This suggests that tango might help with certain social and emotional skills in a way that regular physical therapy does not.

As children we have all imagined just how fun it would be if we lived around mythical creatures like dragons, elves and werewolves. However, these are all impossible and magical beings remain a part of the fantasy world. But that was not the case for this woman, for whom dragons actually become her reality. Although she wasn’t living among actual dragons, it started looking to her like that when suddenly the people around her transformed into these mythical creatures.

In July 2011, a 52-year-old woman sought help at a psychiatric clinic in The Hague for a condition she'd had her whole life: seeing people's faces turn into dragon-like faces. This happened many times a day, and she also saw similar faces floating toward her from walls and screens. At night, she saw many of them in the dark.

But why was this happening? And what caused her to see these hallucinations, here is what the 2014 reports published in the Lancet explained.

How Did She View People?

Although she could see and recognize a person's real face, after a few minutes, it would turn black, grow pointy ears and a snout, and show scaly skin with huge, bright yellow, green, blue, or red eyes. As a child, this didn't bother her, but in her teenage years, she realized this wasn't how others saw faces. She felt alone and became depressed, leading her to abuse alcohol for many years. Despite these challenges, she was able to finish school, get married, have a daughter, and work as a school administrator. However, her difficulty with faces caused problems in her relationships and at work, forcing her to change jobs often.

After her symptoms got worse, she tried to get help. A local psychiatrist gave her medication that didn't work. Desperate, she reached out to Professor Oliver Sacks, a famous neurologist, who directed her to a team in The Netherlands.

The patient had a history of other visual symptoms, like seeing things move out of the corner of her eye or seeing large ants crawling on her hands. She knew her visions weren't real and described them as a "brain disorder."

What Was Her Diagnosis?

Doctors performed tests, including a brain MRI, which showed some small white spots but nothing that would fully explain her condition. The doctors believed her symptoms, known as prosopometamorphopsia (PMO), were likely caused by abnormal electrical activity in the parts of her brain that process faces and colors. PMO is a very rare condition that was first described in 1947.

What Is The Disease That Mentally Distorts People’s Face?

According to Prosopagnosia Research Center, Prosopometamorphopsia (PMO) is a rare condition that makes people see faces as distorted. The name comes from Greek words meaning "face" (prosopo) and "perceptual distortion" (metamorphopsia).

The brain has a complex network of regions for processing faces. When there's a problem in this network, it can cause various issues, including PMO.

Unsurprisingly, living with PMO can be very upsetting for people. Most cases only last for a few days or weeks, but some people experience these distortions for years. Because only about 75 cases have been reported, we believe the condition is quite rare.

How Can You Treat People Who See Distorted Faces?

After a thorough evaluation, the doctors stopped her previous medications and started her on a new one called valproic acid. For the first time in her life, she had days with no symptoms. However, she started hearing loud bangs after falling asleep, so the doctors switched her medication to rivastigmine. This new drug controlled both her visual and new auditory symptoms well enough for her to function normally.

Thanks to the new treatment, her symptoms are under control. She has kept the same job for three years and her relationships with her colleagues have greatly improved.