Attachment & Renunciation

Attachment and renunciation are subjects interwoven with most spiritual paths.  However, they can also be used as an excuse for bad (non-spiritual) behavior.  I was asked to address the following question: “Oftentimes I see the “spiritual” idea of detachment used as an excuse to run away from responsibilities, abandon relationships (all types), or to emotionally disengage in negative and often disastrous ways. I’ve seen a lot of harm done in the name of “detachment”.  So what is real detachment as spoken of in the Bhagavad Gita and Vedic scriptures? And how is it correctly utilized in a healthy spiritual life?”