December 31, 2025

What the Dismissive Avoidant Is REALLY DOING When They Go Missing

9 minutes

Unlock clarity, healing, and emotional freedom this Boxing Week with Thais Gibson. Start your FREE 7-day trial to the Personal Development School and get the Healing Family Dynamics Course ($250 Value) FREE for life.

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When a Dismissive Avoidant suddenly pulls away, stops responding, or “goes missing,” it can feel confusing, painful, and deeply personal. But what’s actually happening beneath the surface is far more complex and far less about you than you might think.

In this episode, Thais Gibson breaks down the real emotional and nervous-system processes driving dismissive avoidance, including shame responses, fear of vulnerability, and learned patterns around conflict and emotional expression.

If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of this behavior, or if you recognize these patterns in yourself, this video offers clarity, compassion, and a powerful path forward.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

Why Dismissive Avoidants often withdraw after moments of emotional closeness

How vulnerability activates shame and fear around emotional expression

The role of unresolved family dynamics and emotional modeling

Why conflict feels overwhelming or unworkable for dismissive avoidants

How avoidance becomes a strategy for escaping uncomfortable emotions

Why healing these patterns creates more freedom, safety, and connection in relationships

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – What the Dismissive Avoidant Is REALLY DOING When They Go Missing

00:31 – Dismissive Avoidants and Vulnerability in Relationships

01:29 – Dismissive Avoidants and Conflict in Relationships

02:23 – Dismissive Avoidants Have Core Fears About Their Own Emotions

03:14 – The Shame Response

04:41 – Healing Family Trauma Promo

05:27 – Why Dismissive Avoidants Go Missing

07:07 – Why Dismissive Avoidants Disconnect

08:01 – Why You Should Work On This If You Are A Dismissive Avoidant

Meet the Host

Thais Gibson is the founder of The Personal Development School and a world leader in attachment theory. With a Ph.D. and over a dozen certifications, she’s helped more than 70,000 people reprogram their subconscious and build thriving relationships.

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By Thais Gibson

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