FOLLOW-UP
A one-year follow up showed the Ms. Jacobs and Mr. Brown co-habitating in domestic bliss, with the bouts of commitment-phobic anxiety having all but disappeared. Further DSI investigation revealed that Mr. Brown had purchased a “near-perfect” engagement ring several months earlier, but had yet to propose.

Is commitment phobia undermining your relationship? Are either, or both of you any of the following?

1) Being overly critical of the other partner regarding their suitability as a mate and/or of the relationship as a whole
2) Deliberately offending or creating contention, thus sabotaging the relationship, even if seems to be working well. An example of this might be consistently showing up late for dates, being passive during situations that call for emotional action, or bringing up subjects in which there is known disagreement or discord
3) Assuming a deer-in-the-headlights look of terror if one of you mentions “how great things are going” or “how perfect you are for each other”
4) Fearing of loss of freedom or autonomy, and a sense of losing a separate identity distinct from the relationship
5) Experiencing inability to calmly discuss the possibility of living together or getting married after several months of monogamous dating
6) Falling for partner who are unavailable, married, live a long distance away, or have similar reservations about commitment
7) Manifesting other forms of commitment-phobia, such as an ongoing inability to remain at jobs or at the same residence or even maintain long-term friendships (sometimes described as rootlessness).