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Children and Teens With Separation Anxiety Disorder

Children and adolescents with separation anxiety disorder worry excessively about being apart from their caregivers, parents or other important people in their lives. They may also worry about the possible negative effects of separation, for example, getting lost or being injured.

Psychotherapy and medication can be used to treat children suffering from separation anxiety disorder. Therapy focuses on teaching children to manage fearful situations gradually, with reassurance and support.

Signs and symptoms

While some anxiety over being apart from loved ones is normal, separation anxiety disorder makes people much more intensely anxious than other people when it comes to the separation from family members and primary caregiving figures. People with this condition fear that their family member will suffer a tragic event when they are separated. This could mean that they get lost or becoming sick. They might also be afraid of other scenarios that could separate them from their loved ones like being kidnapped or being involved in an accident.

The onset of this disorder typically occurs in the earliest years of life, however adults can develop it at any age. It isn't known what causes separation anxiety in adults, but it can be triggered by major life changes or prior mental health issues such as depression or PTSD. People suffering from this disorder may feel overly dependent on their children or their romantic partners, and lack boundaries. Others can view them as excessively demanding and clingy.

Symptoms of this condition include extreme stress when a person is cut off from their family, severe distress when they're away from their home or at work and frequent nightmares of separation. These symptoms can cause people to avoid traveling or other activities that require a physical separation from their families, for example, going to school. Children suffering from this condition could suffer physical issues like stomach pains if they worry about being on their own.

A healthcare professional will ask you about your current and past symptoms, or the symptoms of your child to diagnose separation anxiety. They will inquire about your family, and other relationships, to determine how you've dealt with separation anxiety before.

Talk therapy and, in certain instances, medication are utilized to treat this condition. Your therapist can show you and your child how to manage their fears. They can help you and your child understand how to handle separations through a step by steps. Medications can help to calm the brain and relax the body which can ease the anxiety of your child.

Diagnosis

Separation anxiety disorder causes individuals to feel intense distress if they are away from their home or other close attachment figures. Contrary to the normal fears and anxieties that most people suffer from the symptoms of this disorder can be persistent, typically lasting longer than four weeks for children and more than six months for adults. iampsychiatry.com can cause significant disruption to the daily routine and functioning at work and school. The condition can also interfere with the ability of a person to create romantic relationships and socialize.

A mental health professional will interview and observe the patient's behavior in order to determine the cause of the disorder. The healthcare provider will want be aware of the time when symptoms began and what triggers them to be more or less severe. A mental health professional will ask about recent events and the history of trauma, depending on the age of the person.

The doctor will also try to determine whether the fear is due to another medical condition that may cause similar symptoms, such as an illness, such as cancer or a neurological issue such as multiple sclerosis or cerebral palsy. Other possible causes are family-related adversities that affect children such as mental illness, substance abuse or child abuse, domestic violence and neglect, as well as exposure to traumatic events like natural catastrophes or war, sexual assault or the loss of a loved one.

It is difficult to diagnose separation anxiety disorder among adults because there are no tests for it and the symptoms can be similar to those of other fears. Separation anxiety disorder is more prevalent for adults who have had a traumatic experience or significant loss. Some studies suggest that people who were diagnosed with separation anxiety disorder in their childhood are more likely to be suffering from anxiety and depression in adulthood.

Separation anxiety disorder can be treated in many ways. Therapy like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as well as medication, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors as well as antidepressants, can help people overcome the phobia. Parents suffering from this disorder can benefit from methods and education to strengthen their relationship with their child.

Treatment

While many children experience a period that makes them terrified of strangers and clingy, when this anxiety persists into elementary school and beyond and is manifested as physical symptoms and interferes with daily functioning it could be an indication of separation anxiety disorder. According to BetterHelp, an online therapy service for children, separation anxiety disorder can affect up to 4% of children, with an average age of 7 years.

Your child's doctor will perform an exhaustive exam to rule out physical ailments that could be causing anxiety. If no physical ailments are found then the healthcare provider for your child will refer them to an expert in anxiety disorders. For children, this will most likely be a child psychologist or psychiatrist.





Psychotherapy (also known as talk therapy) is usually the first treatment for separation anxiety disorder. The therapist will work with your child to help them develop healthy ways of managing their emotions, building confidence and independence, as well as building resilience. The therapist will also instruct parents on how they can assist their child and assist them cope with their anxiety. The use of medication, like selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), is often used in conjunction with psychotherapy for separation anxiety disorder.

Depending on your child's specific requirements, their therapist will determine which treatment options are best for their specific needs. Children with severe anxiety, like could benefit from a mix of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy. This is the process of gradually expose your child to situations that cause anxiety over time in a series of small steps until they become comfortable.

Most often, children suffering from separation anxiety disorder will improve as they grow older, and their symptoms will decrease. There are some adults who suffer from symptoms of separation disorder throughout their adult lives. It can be challenging to keep relationships going or to achieve certain career goals like returning to school or moving to work. Adults who suffer from separation anxiety have a high percentage of co-occurring conditions like other types of anxiety disorders, depression and phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder, and a range of substance use disorders.

Prevention

Separation anxiety is common in many children. For others, it can become an issue that is serious and can interfere with their lives and prevents them from engaging in activities they like. If your child's anxiety is disrupting their daily routine, talk to a mental health professional.

Children suffering from separation anxiety suffer extreme stress when they are separated from their parents or other major relationships. They are constantly worried about being snatched away, missing, or experiencing an accident that could result in the loss of those closest to them. They may have trouble falling asleep at night or refusing to go to school, play dates, or camp without their parents.

Doctors will not diagnose separation anxiety until the signs of a child are present for at least four weeks. The healthcare professional may interview both the child as well as the parents separately to gather the complete picture. They might ask questions about other anxiety disorders or changes in the life like family history or life events that could cause separation anxiety.

Treatment for separation anxiety differs based on the age of the child and the severity of the symptoms. Children express their anxiety through worrying about their attachment figures. For instance they might be worried that their parents are involved in a car accident or be attacked by a burglar. However older children with separation anxiety usually deny that they are worried about leaving their home.

Behavioral therapy is a popular treatment for children suffering from separation anxiety. It involves teaching relaxation techniques to children, and helping them identify and manage their anxiety. In some instances the combination of treatments is employed, including cognitive therapy and medication.

It's crucial for adults to be consistent in their responses to children's separation anxiety. Children need to be taught that their requests for parents to not leave are not valid and they will only improve if given clear, firm boundaries and a lot of support while they work to overcome their fears.