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What does a report reveal about the anxious / avoidant dance?

The closer I get, the further they pull away

Reconstructed case for educational purposes100% fictional data, real clinical patterns. No real conversation.
The report's verdict

Two sincere needs for love that end up sabotaging each other: Nora asks for reassurance, Sami experiences it as pressure and withdraws, which in turn heightens Nora's anxiety.

49/100
Mind reading — higher than 72% of the couples analyzed
3.7:1
Positive/negative ratio — healthy threshold at 5:1
63%
of the re-engagement bids come from Nora
What this report reveals
  • Each partner's true attachment profile: why Nora moves closer when Sami pulls away.
  • The precise mechanism that damages the exchanges: mind reading.
  • Who carries the relationship — and at what cost (initiation imbalance 63%).

Conversation statistics

💬
579
Messages
📝
9,746
Words exchanged
📅
89
Days
📈
6.5
Messages / day
03 May 2026
First message
Nora
24 Sept 2026
Last message
Sami
31 j
Longest streak
without a break
2.3 min
Average response time
Nora

Message distribution

Nora320 msgs (55%)
16.8 words/msg90 emojis53 questions
Sami259 msgs (45%)
16.9 words/msg31 emojis48 questions

Evolution over time

Activity by hour

Activity by day

Heat map

Activity by day and hour

0h
4h
8h
12h
16h
20h
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
Less
More

Expressions from Nora

Most frequent bigrams and trigrams

1.
"can we talk?"x29
2.
"I've been thinking"x23
3.
"where are you?"x19
4.
"how are you?"x14

Expressions from Sami

Most frequent bigrams and trigrams

1.
"can we talk?"x9
2.
"where are you?"x9
3.
"I've been thinking"x9
4.
"how are you?"x8

Most used words by Nora

1.
talk53
2.
try44
3.
tomorrow40
4.
us39
5.
you38
6.
time35
7.
maybe30
8.
listen30
9.
need28
10.
understood21

Most used words by Sami

1.
talk51
2.
maybe50
3.
try47
4.
tomorrow46
5.
need41
6.
time28
7.
you23
8.
understood21
9.
listen20
10.
us14

Favourite emojis of Nora

😍
x97
😊
x79
😘
x65
❤️
x63
🥰
x40

Favourite emojis of Sami

❤️
x109
😴
x88
🙂
x87
😅
x68
🤔
x33

The relationship analysis

52
Overall relationship score · Nora & Sami
Needs rebalancing

Two sincere needs for love that end up sabotaging each other: Nora asks for reassurance, Sami experiences it as pressure and withdraws, which in turn heightens Nora's anxiety. This isn't a problem of love, it's a problem of pace and security.

What the messages reveal

Reconstructed excerpts — the report reads each exchange and highlights the underlying pattern.

Nora
You've been pretty quiet lately… is everything okay between us?
Anxious pursuitA bid for reassurance typical of anxious attachment (Nora, 72/100): Nora seeks to restore closeness as soon as a doubt appears.
Sami
Yeah, I'm fine, just a lot of work right now.
Avoidant withdrawalA short reply that defuses without opening up: avoidance (Sami, 63/100). It is not (necessarily) a rejection — it is a way of regulating a closeness that feels unsafe.
Nora
If he doesn't reply, it means he wants to leave me
Mind readingMind reading (49/100) — higher than 72% of the couples analyzed. An ambiguous signal is turned into proof, without verification.
Nora
His silence has to be directed at me
PersonalizationPersonalization (43/100). This filter sustains doubt even though the facts themselves are ambiguous.

Relational dimensions

Commitment at 55 (both are holding on) but Balance at 42: love isn't the issue, pace is.

Attachment profile

The picture is clear: Nora anxious (72), Sami avoidant (63). It's the classic dance -- one partner's bid for closeness triggers the other's withdrawal, on a loop. The report shows that both suffer from the same cycle.

Gottman’s 4 Horsemen

The lower the score, the better. Above 50 = warning signal.

Positive/negative ratio: 3.7:1(healthy threshold = 5:1)

Cognitive distortions

Thinking biases detected in the conversation

Cognitive distortions (Aaron Beck) are automatic thinking biases that warp our perception of relational reality. A high score indicates a more pronounced presence of this bias.

LowModerateHigh
Mind reading
Moderate49/100

If he doesn't reply, it means he wants to leave me

Personalization
Moderate43/100

His silence has to be directed at me

Pursuer / withdrawer dynamic

Who pursues the exchange vs who withdraws

Nora (pursues)Sami (withdraws)
63%
38%

Balance: Imbalance

Pursuit 70 / withdrawal 42: Nora is chasing a sense of security that Sami's withdrawal makes impossible. Breaking the cycle means slowing the pursuit, not forcing the closeness.

The in-depth analysis

Sternberg’s Triangle

The 3 components of love according to triangular theory.

According to Robert Sternberg, complete love rests on three pillars: intimacy (emotional), passion (physical/romantic) and commitment (decisional). The balance between these three components defines the type of relationship.

Intimacy52/100
Passion40/100
Commitment56/100
Relationship type: Empty love (commitment alone)

The combination of intimacy 52, passion 40 and commitment 56 outlines a "empty love (commitment alone)" profile. One pillar compensates for the others: the relationship holds, but on a single support, which makes it sensitive to shocks.

5 Love Languages

Predominant love languages of each person (Chapman).

Gary Chapman identifies 5 love languages: words of affirmation, acts of service, gifts, quality time and physical touch. Knowing each partner’s dominant language improves mutual understanding.

Words of Affirmation
Nora
52
Sami
66
Acts of Service
Nora
67
Sami
68
Gifts
Nora
51
Sami
36
Quality Time
Nora
54
Sami
45
Physical Touch
Nora
58
Sami
52

Gap: Nora and Sami do not share the same dominant language: one partner's proofs of love sometimes go unnoticed by the other, for want of being expressed through the "right" channel.

Identifying the language actually received (rather than the one we spontaneously give) prevents the feeling of "giving without being loved in return."

Detected breakpoints

Key moments where the dynamic shifted

The emotional timeline pinpoints the key moments where the relational dynamic shifted significantly: conflicts, distancing, reconnections.

21 May 2026Medium

First marked tension: reproaches replace the request, the exchange grows tense.

📉
28 June 2026High

Clear cooling of affection: signs of tenderness become scarce on one side.

Relationship prognosis

Guarded

51/100

Positive factors

  • + A real mutual commitment: neither one wants to break up
  • + No settled contempt
  • + Moments of genuine reconnection

Risk factors

  • - The pursue-withdraw cycle feeds itself
  • - Nora's anxiety (72) fuels Sami's withdrawal (63)
  • - Needs aren't put into words, only acted out

Nonviolent Communication

NVC Score (Rosenberg): use of OFNR format vs judgment/blame.

Nonviolent Communication (Marshall Rosenberg) assesses the ability to express one’s needs and emotions without aggression or judgment. A high score indicates more empathetic communication.

39
Nora
NVC Score /100
46
Sami
NVC Score /100

Examples

✓ NVCNora

« When you let me know you'll be home late, I worry less — thank you. »

Observation + positive impact: reinforces the desired behavior without demanding.

✓ NVCSami

« I would have liked us to talk about it first; I felt presented with a fait accompli. »

Expresses the feeling and the need for consultation without attacking the person.

Both often manage to connect fact, emotion and need — this is what allows tensions to be defused before they escalate.

DISC Profile

Dominant communication style of each person.

The DISC model (W. Marston) classifies behaviors along 4 axes: Dominant (Red — results-oriented), Influential (Yellow — relationship-oriented), Steady (Green — cooperation-oriented) and Conscientious (Blue — precision-oriented). Each has distinct motivations and communication styles.

Dominant (D)
Nora
22
Sami
32
Influential (I)
Nora
49
Sami
27
Steady (S)
Nora
31
Sami
35
Conscientious (C)
Nora
35
Sami
49
D = Dominant
I = Influential
S = Steady
C = Conscientious

Nora and Sami do not share the same communication style (couple's communication: 46/100). Neither good nor bad — the challenge is to translate from one style to the other: a direct profile gains from slowing down, a relational profile from daring to be explicit.

Karpman’s Triangle

Dominant roles in the relational dynamic (Transactional Analysis).

Karpman’s drama triangle identifies three dysfunctional relational roles: Persecutor, Victim and Rescuer. A high score on a role indicates a tendency to adopt it during conflicts.

Persecutor
Nora
13
Sami
17
Victim
Nora
39
Sami
16
Rescuer
Nora
27
Sami
14

For Nora and Sami, the victim/rescuer/persecutor roles stay occasional and faint: the relationship is not organized around the drama triangle.

Johari Window

Zones of self-knowledge and knowledge of the other in the relationship.

The Johari window (Luft & Ingham) maps 4 zones of self-knowledge: open (known to all), blind (seen by the other but not by oneself), hidden (known to oneself but not shared) and unknown.

Nora

34
Open
Shared and known
20
Blind
Seen by the other
36
Hidden
Deliberately hidden
10
Unknown
Unconscious

Sami

37
Open
Shared and known
33
Blind
Seen by the other
20
Hidden
Deliberately hidden
10
Unknown
Unconscious

For Nora as for Sami, enlarging the "open" area — saying what one feels, asking for feedback — mechanically reduces the misunderstandings of the blind and hidden areas.

FIRO by Schutz

Fundamental relationship needs: expressed vs desired.

Schutz’s FIRO model measures three fundamental interpersonal needs: Inclusion (need to belong), Control (need for power) and Affection (need for closeness), each in an expressed and a wanted version.

Nora

Inclusion
Expressed
66
Desired
57
Control
Expressed
14
Desired
38
Affection
Expressed
31
Desired
63

Sami

Inclusion
Expressed
38
Desired
34
Control
Expressed
44
Desired
25
Affection
Expressed
33
Desired
40

For Nora and Sami, the gap between what each one EXPRESSES and what they DESIRE is the real source of frustration: Nora waits for an initiative that he/she never openly asks for, while the other does not perceive the need.

Polyvagal Theory

Dominant autonomic nervous system activation state in exchanges (Porges).

Polyvagal theory (S. Porges) distinguishes three states of the nervous system: ventral (connection and safety), sympathetic (fight/flight) and dorsal (freeze/shutdown). These states deeply influence communication within a couple.

Ventral (connection)
Nora
26
Sami
31
Sympathetic (fight/flight)
Nora
47
Sami
14
Dorsal (freeze)
Nora
27
Sami
55

The shifts into a sympathetic state (alert) or dorsal state (shutdown) explain the exchanges that "go off the rails": under stress, the nervous system takes precedence over intentions.

Young Schemas

Early maladaptive schemas influence your relational behaviours.

Early maladaptive schemas (Jeffrey Young) are deep emotional patterns formed in childhood that influence our adult relationships. A high score indicates a stronger activation of the schema.

51
Abandonment / instability
Nora
38
Subjugation
Nora
37
Emotional inhibition
Sami
SchemaNoraSami
Disconnection & Rejection
Abandonment / instability5112
Mistrust / abuse1124
Emotional deprivation3133
Defectiveness / shame2914
Impaired Autonomy
Impaired Limits
Insufficient self-control48
Other-Directedness
Subjugation3818
Approval-seeking366
Overvigilance
Emotional inhibition1637
0-25 (low)
26-50 (moderate)
51-75 (active)
76-100 (dominant)

Personalised action plan

Therapeutic exercises tailored to your relational profile.

This action plan offers progressive exercises, at your own pace, to reinforce your strengths and work on the areas for improvement that were identified.

1

Understand the cycle

Weeks 1-2
Consult a professional
As soon as possible

An outside perspective helps to name the pattern (pursue-withdraw, unspoken issues) without self-judgment.

Spot the trigger
Daily

Identify the precise moment when the conversation "tips over" — that is where change is played out.

2

Rebalance

Weeks 3-4
Slow down the pursuit
Daily

Nora and Sami: leave room for the other's initiative rather than reaching out into the void.

Frame it in "I"
At each tension

Replace the reproach ("you never…") with the need ("I need…").

3

Rebuild trust

Weeks 5-6
Dated actions
Weekly

Favor concrete, verifiable commitments over general promises.

4

Consolidate or decide

Weeks 7-8
Take stock
Monthly

After two months, assess honestly: has the dynamic shifted, or is it repeating identically?

Strengths

  • A real mutual commitment: neither one wants to break up
  • No settled contempt
  • Moments of genuine reconnection

Points to watch

  • !The pursue-withdraw cycle feeds itself
  • !Nora's anxiety (72) fuels Sami's withdrawal (63)
  • !Needs aren't put into words, only acted out

What the report answers

What does the attachment style reveal in this case?

The picture is clear: Nora anxious (72), Sami avoidant (63). It's the classic dance -- one partner's bid for closeness triggers the other's withdrawal, on a loop. The report shows that both suffer from the same cycle.

What red flags does the report detect?

The pursue-withdraw cycle feeds itself Nora's anxiety (72) fuels Sami's withdrawal (63) Needs aren't put into words, only acted out

What do the score and communication dynamic say?

Pursuit 70 / withdrawal 42: Nora is chasing a sense of security that Sami's withdrawal makes impossible. Breaking the cycle means slowing the pursuit, not forcing the closeness.

Anxious, avoidant: who's running from whom? See the pattern -> Analyze our exchanges

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Anxious / avoidant: the dance your messages reveal - ScanMyLove