Children and Teens With Separation Anxiety Disorder
Children and adolescents suffering from separation anxiety disorder worry excessively about being separated from their caregivers, parents or other significant people in their lives. They might also be worried about a possible negative outcome of separation, such as getting lost or being injured.
Children with separation anxiety disorder can get treatment through psychotherapy and medications. Therapy involves teaching the child to deal with fearful situations slowly by providing reassurance and encouragement.
Signs and symptoms
While some anxiety over being away from loved ones is normal separation anxiety disorder causes people more anxious than others when it comes to the separation from family members and primary caregiver figures. People suffering from this disorder are worried that their family member could suffer a tragic event when they are separated. This could include getting lost or becoming sick. They might also be afraid of other situations that can separate them from their loved ones, such as being abducted or being involved in a car accident.
The onset of this disorder typically begins in childhood, though adults can be affected at any age. Adult separation anxiety is not thought to be caused by anything specific however it could be triggered by life changes or depression. It can also be caused by PTSD. People suffering from this disorder may be overly dependent on their children or their romantic partners, and may lack boundaries. Others may view them as too clingy or demanding.
This condition is characterized by excessive anxiety when a person is separated from their family, a significant amount of distress while away from home or at work, and recurrent dreams of separation. These symptoms can cause people avoid traveling or engaging in other activities that involve a physical separation from family members, like going back to school. Children with this condition may have difficulty sleeping or suffer from a range of physical problems including headaches or stomachaches, when they are worried about being alone.
To diagnose this disorder a healthcare provider will ask about your your child's past and present symptoms. They will also ask you about your family and other relationships to find out how you have faced separation anxiety in the past.
Talk therapy and, in some instances, medications are used to treat this disorder. Your therapist will instruct you and your children how to cope with the fear. They can help you and your child understand how to handle separations through a step by step process. The medications can calm the brain, relax the body and help ease your child's fears.
Diagnosis
Separation anxiety disorder can cause people to experience extreme anxiety when they are away from their home or close family members. Contrary to the normal fears and anxieties that people generally feel, the symptoms of this disorder are persistent, often lasting more than four weeks for children and six months or longer for adults. They cause major disruption to daily activities and performance at school and work. It can also affect a person's socialization and ability to establish romantic relationships.
A mental health professional will interview and observe the patient's behavior in order to diagnose this disorder. The healthcare provider will want determine when the symptoms began and what causes them to become worse or better. A mental health professional will inquire about recent events and history of trauma dependent on the age of the patient.
The doctor will also try to determine whether the fear is due to another medical condition that could cause similar symptoms, such as an illness such as cancer or a neurological issue, such as cerebral palsy or multiple-sclerosis. Other possible causes are family-related adversities that affect children like parental mental illness, addiction to drugs, child abuse, domestic violence and neglect, as well as exposure to traumatic events such as natural disasters or sexual assault, war or the loss of a loved one.
The diagnosis of separation anxiety disorder in adults is more difficult because there aren't any laboratory tests for the condition, and it may have a variety of symptoms with other fears. Anyone who suffers from separation anxiety disorder in their adulthood typically does so after experiencing an event that was traumatic or a major loss. Certain studies suggest that those diagnosed with separation disorder in childhood are more likely to develop depression and anxiety disorders later in life.
Separation anxiety disorder can be treated in many ways. Individuals suffering from separation anxiety can overcome their phobia through therapy, like a cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT), or medications like selective serotonin antagonists and antidepressants. Parents suffering from this disorder can benefit from techniques and training to strengthen their relationship with their child.
Treatment
While many children go through a phase that makes them anxious and clingy to strangers If this fear persists throughout the elementary years and beyond and is associated with physical symptoms, and affects daily functioning it could be an indication of separation anxiety disorder. According to BetterHelp an online therapy service for children that treat separation anxiety disorder, it can affect up to 4% of children with an average age of 7 years.
Your child's doctor will perform an extensive exam to rule out physical issues that could be causing anxiety. If no physical problems are found the healthcare provider of your child will refer them to a mental health professional who has expertise in anxiety disorders. For children it will likely be a child psychologist or psychiatrist.
Psychotherapy (also called talk therapy) is usually the first option for treating separation anxiety disorder. The therapist will work with your child to help them develop healthy ways of managing their emotions, boosting self-confidence and independence, and building their resilience. The therapist will also educate parents on how they can support their child and help them cope with their anxiety. Separation anxiety disorder is usually treated with medication, such as antidepressants, such as selective serotoninin receptor inhibitors (SSRIs).
Based on the specific needs of your child's requirements, their therapy therapist will determine which options are most appropriate for the child. For instance, children suffering from severe anxiety might benefit from a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy. This is the process of gradually expose your child to situations that trigger anxiety over time in a series of small steps until they feel comfortable.
As children get older their symptoms typically decrease. However, some adults may suffer from symptoms of separation disorder throughout their adult lives. It can be difficult to maintain relationships or pursue certain career goals like returning to school or moving to work. Adults who suffer from separation anxiety have a high rate of co-occurring disorders, including 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, separation anxiety can be a serious issue that interferes in their lives and prevents them from participating in activities they enjoy. Consult a mental health professional if your child's anxiety is affecting their daily routine.
Separation anxiety disorder is a condition where children experience
severe anxiety disorder distress when separated from parents or other figures of attachment. They are always worried about being kidnapped or lost, or that an accident will cause them to lose the people closest to them. They might have difficulty falling asleep at night or refuse to go to school, play dates or camp without their parents.
The symptoms of separation
anxiety disorder levels in children should last
best meds for anxiety disorders at least four weeks before a doctor will determine the cause. The healthcare provider can interview both the child and the parents individually to obtain the complete picture. They might also inquire about anxiety disorders that are not related to separation anxiety or family history as well as life changes that might have caused or made separation anxiety more severe.
Treatment for
anxiety disorder separation varies by 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 family members, such as being worried that their parents could be injured in a car accident or be attacked by burglars. Separation
different anxiety disorders in older children is frequently dismissed by them.
Behavioral therapy is a common treatment for children with separation anxiety. It typically involves teaching children relaxation techniques and assisting them in learning to recognize and manage their fears. In some cases, a mixture of therapies, including cognitive therapy, is employed.
Adults must be consistent in their responses to children experiencing anxiety over separation. Children must be taught that their pleas to parents not to let them go are not valid. They will only improve if they receive clear, unambiguous boundaries and help in overcoming their fears.
