Sometimes clinginess comes down to personal preferences. Different people are OK with varying levels of closeness based on their attachment styles and upbringing. Every person, culture, and situation has a different way of defining what “clingy” is and what is not. To find out if you are clingy, directly ask for people’s opinions in your life.
Clinginess is usually a result of your own need for certainty or validation. Unfortunately, insecure clinginess can result in a toxic cycle of neediness. You may feel afraid of judgment, so you reach out for more support and validation from your friends. This could make them pull away from you, leading you into a downward spiral.
Attachment styles describe how people behave and interact with others based on their upbringing and relationships with their childhood caregivers. Basically, their theory can help you better understand why you may act certain ways in your adult relationships with other people.
Attachment and clinginess can make people feel trapped or suffocated by your presence. If you care about someone, it is essential to let them know by spending quality time with them and expressing gratitude. However, monopolizing someone’s time or maintaining constant communication could make them feel cornered or smothered.