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Children and Teens With Separation Anxiety Disorder
Separation anxiety disorder affects children and adolescents who worry overly when they are away from their parents, caregivers or other important people. They might also be worried about the negative consequences of separation, such as getting lost or being injured.
Psychotherapy and medications can be used to treat children suffering from separation anxiety disorder. The child is taught to tackle feared situations slowly, with confidence.
Symptoms
Separation anxiety disorder is more severe than normal anxiety in the event of being separated from family and primary caregivers. People with this condition fear that their family member will be the victim of a tragic incident when they are separated. This could include getting lost or becoming sick. They may also fear other situations that can separate them from their loved ones, like being kidnapped or getting into a car accident.
The first signs of this anxiety disorder usually occurs in the earliest years of life, however adults can be affected at any time. It's not known what causes adult separation anxiety however, it could be caused by major life changes or by previous mental health disorders, like depression or PTSD. People who suffer from this condition may be overly dependent on their children or romantic partners and have trouble establishing boundaries. Others may perceive them as too demanding or clingy.
The signs of this disorder include excessive distress when a person is cut off from their family, significant anxiety when they are away from their home or at work and frequent nightmares of separation. These symptoms can cause people to avoid traveling or engaging in other activities that involve a physical separation from family members, such as returning to school. Children with this condition may have trouble sleeping or may experience a variety of physical issues including stomach pains or headaches, in the event of anxiety about being on their own.
To determine the severity of this disorder, medical professionals will inquire about your or your child's previous and current symptoms. They will ask you about your family, and other relationships, to determine how you've faced separation anxiety in the past.
Treatment for this disorder includes therapy for talk and, in some cases medication. Your therapist will teach you and your children how to cope with the fears. They can assist you and your child understand how to handle separations through a step by step process. The medicines can help calm the mind, relax the body and help ease your child's fears.
Diagnosis
A person suffering from separation anxiety will experience extreme stress when they are away from their family members or close friends. In contrast to the normal anxiety and fear that many people experience, the symptoms of this disorder are persistent, often lasting more than four weeks in children and six months or longer for adults. They create major disruptions to daily activities and performance at school and work. It can also affect the social life of a person and their ability to develop romantic relationships.
A mental health professional will interview and observe the patient's behavior in order to determine the cause of the disorder. The provider will want to know when the symptoms started and what makes them more or less severe. Depending on the person's age the mental health professional might also inquire about recent events that may have caused stress and any history of trauma.
The doctor will also decide whether there is a medical condition that can cause similar symptoms. This may be an illness such as cancer or a neurological disorder such as cerebral palsy or multiple sclerosis. Other possible causes include familial adversities in childhood, such as parental mental illness, substance abuse child abuse, domestic violence and neglect, and exposure to traumatic events like natural disasters, sexual assault, war or the death of a loved one.
Diagnosis of separation anxiety disorder in adults is more difficult, as there are no lab tests for the condition, and it may share a number of symptoms with other phobias. Separation anxiety disorder is more frequent in adults who have experienced a traumatic experience or significant loss. Certain studies suggest that those who have been diagnosed with separation anxiety disorder in their childhood are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety disorders later in life.
Separation anxiety disorder can be treated in a variety of ways. Treatment, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors as well as antidepressants, can assist people to overcome the phobia. People suffering from this disorder typically benefit from parental education and methods to improve the quality of their relationship with their children.
Treatment
Many children go through a phase where they are clingy and fearful of strangers, when this anxiety persists into the elementary years and beyond, is associated with physical symptoms, and interferes with daily functioning, it may be a sign of separation anxiety disorder. According to BetterHelp an online therapy service for children, separation anxiety disorder is a problem that affects as many as 4% of children with a median age of 7 years old.
Your child's healthcare professional will conduct a thorough examination to rule out any physical problems that may be causing their anxiety. If no physical problems are found the healthcare provider of your child will refer them to a mental health professional with expertise in anxiety disorders. This will likely be a child psychiatrist or psychologist.
Psychotherapy (also known as talk therapy) is typically the first option for treating separation anxiety disorder. The therapist will help your child discover healthy ways to manage their feelings, increase self-confidence and independence, as well as build resilience. The therapist will instruct parents on ways they can aid their child suffering from anxiety. The use of medication, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), is often prescribed along with psychotherapy for separation anxiety disorder.
Based on your child's individual requirements, their counselor will determine what treatment options are best for their specific needs. Children who suffer from severe anxiety, like could benefit from a mix of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as well as exposure therapy. This is the process of gradually exposing your child to the situations that cause anxiety over time in small steps until they feel comfortable.
As children get older their symptoms typically decrease. However, some adults may experience symptoms of separation disorder throughout their adult lives. It can be challenging to maintain relationships or pursue certain career goals, such as returning to school or moving to work. Adults with separation anxiety disorder are more likely to suffer from co-occurring conditions like other types of anxiety disorders such as depression and phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder, and a variety of addiction disorders.
Prevention
For many children who are anxious about separation, it is an inevitable part of the development process. But for others, it can become a serious problem that interferes with their lives and prevents them from taking part in activities they like. Consult a mental health professional if your child's fear affects their daily routine.
Children with separation anxiety disorder suffer extreme anxiety when they are separated from their parents or other major family members. They are constantly concerned about being snatched away or lost or that an accident could cause them to lose the people closest to themselves. They might have difficulty falling to sleep at night, or refusing to go to play dates, school, or camp without their parents.
Doctors do not diagnose separation anxiety until the symptoms of a child have lasted at least four weeks. Most often, the healthcare professional will interview the child and their parents in a separate interview to get an entire picture of the situation. disorders anxiety might ask questions about other anxiety disorders or changes in life like family history and life events that may have triggered the separation anxiety.
Treatment for separation anxiety is determined depending on the age of the child and the severity of the symptoms. Children younger than 5 years old usually express their anxiety by expressing specific fears about harm to their loved ones, such as a fear that their parents will get in a car crash or be attacked by an intruder. Separation anxiety in older children is often ignored by them.
Behavioral therapy is a common treatment for children suffering from separation anxiety. It involves teaching relaxation techniques to children, and helping them recognize and control their anxiety. In some cases it is necessary to combine therapies is used, including medication and cognitive therapy.
It's crucial for adults to be consistent in their responses to children's anxiety about separation. Children need to be taught that their requests for parents to not leave aren't valid, and they'll only improve if given clear, firm boundaries and support as they work to overcome their fears.
