@BellaB I believe that until one has acquired confidence in their ability survive without total dependence on other individuals, instinct will generate a state of fear that can overwhelm rationality. However, fear is not the only emotion involved with an attachment to another. Relationships provide the opportunities for the satisfaction of many psychological and physiological needs, such as companionship and asexual intimacy. The more friendships a person has, the easier it will be to work through the stages of grief.