One of the primary reasons some people are attracted to toxicity starts in childhood. Our upbringings can build a solid base of healthy attachment or wreak havoc—or land us somewhere in between. For adults whose earliest years were marked by neglect and/or abuse, specific patterns emerge that may draw them to toxicity: chaos starts to feel normal; people whose affection is unpredictable can seem both exciting and familiar; and the ability to recognize who you can trust—and who you can’t—becomes eroded. Unresolved childhood trauma often leads to adults who are mired in unhealthy relationships.