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 significant people in their lives. They might also worry about the negative consequences of separation, such as getting lost or being injured.
Children with separation anxiety disorder can get treatment through psychotherapy and medications. The child is taught to tackle difficult situations slowly, with reassurance.
Signs and symptoms
Separation anxiety disorder is more intense than normal anxiety when it comes to being separated from family members and primary caregivers. People with this condition fear that their family member will be the victim of a tragic event if they are separated. This could mean that they get lost or becoming sick. They may also fear other situations that could keep them from their loved ones, for example, being kidnapped or getting into a car accident.
The onset of this anxiety disorder typically begins in childhood, though adults can develop it at any time. Adult separation anxiety is not known to be caused by anything specific however it could be caused by life changes such as depression, depression, or PTSD. People with this condition may be overly dependent on their spouses or children and have trouble establishing boundaries. Others may perceive them as being overly clingy or demanding.
This condition is marked by a high level of anxiety when a person is separated from their family, a significant amount of distress when away from home or working, and recurring thoughts of separation. These symptoms can make people avoid traveling or engaging in other activities that involve a physical separation from family members, such as going back to school. Children with this condition may have difficulty sleeping or may experience a variety of physical problems like headaches or stomachaches, when they are worried about being on their own.
To diagnose 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 see how you've dealt with separation anxiety before.
Talk therapy and, in certain instances, medications are used to treat this condition. Your therapist can show you and your child how to manage their fears. They can also help you to approach feared situations through a step-by-step method that will help your child learn how to deal with separations and build their confidence. The use of medication can help calm the brain and relax the body which can ease your child's anxiety.
Diagnosis
Separation anxiety disorder causes a person to feel extreme distress if they are away from their home or relatives. Contrary to the normal fears and anxieties that people generally experience, the symptoms of this disorder are long-lasting, usually lasting for more than four weeks in children, and up to more than six months in adults. They can cause significant disruption to the daily routine and functioning at school and work. It can also impact the person's social life and ability to establish romantic relationships.
To diagnose this disorder, a mental health professional will interview the patient and observe their behavior. The doctor will inquire about when symptoms began and what triggers them to get worse or improve. A mental health professional will ask about recent events and history of trauma, depending on the age of the person.
The provider will also determine whether there is a medical condition that can cause similar symptoms. This could be an illness such as cancer, or an underlying neurological disorder, such as multiple sclerosis or cerebral palsy. Other possible causes include 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 and war, sexual assault or the death of loved ones.
It is a challenge to identify separation anxiety disorder in adults, since there aren't any lab tests and the symptoms could be similar to the symptoms of other anxiety disorders. A person who develops a separation anxiety disorder in adulthood typically experiences it after an event that was traumatic or a major loss. Some studies suggest that people who were diagnosed with separation anxiety disorder as children are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression later in life.
Separation anxiety disorder can be treated in various ways. People suffering from separation anxiety disorder can overcome their phobia through therapy, like a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or prescription medications like selective serotonin receptor antagonists and antidepressants. People with this disorder often benefit from parent education and methods to improve the quality of their relationship with their children.
Treatment
Separation anxiety disorder is diagnosed when a child's fear of strangers and clinginess is persistent throughout elementary school, is manifested by physical symptoms and interferes in daily activities. In fact, according to the BetterHelp online therapy service, separation anxiety disorder is the most common anxiety disorder seen in children that affects up to 4 percent of them, with an onset age of 7 years old.
Your child's doctor will perform an extensive exam to rule out physical ailments that could cause anxiety. If no physical issues are discovered, your child's healthcare provider will refer them to a mental health professional with expertise in anxiety disorders. It could be a psychologist or child psychiatrist.
Psychotherapy (also called talk therapy) is usually the first option for treating separation anxiety disorder. The therapy therapist will assist your child to teach them healthy ways to manage their emotions, building confidence and independence, as well as building their resilience. The therapist will instruct parents on how they can assist their child who is suffering from anxiety. anxiety disorder separation is typically treated by medication, for example antidepressants, such as selective serotoninin receptor inhibitors (SSRIs).
Based on your child's individual requirements, their counselor will determine what treatment options are most appropriate for the child. Children who suffer from severe anxiety, for example, may benefit from a combination cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy. This means gradually expose your child to situations that cause anxiety in small steps until they become comfortable.
As children get older their symptoms typically decrease. There are some adults who suffer from symptoms of separation disorder throughout their adult lives. It can be challenging for them maintain relationships or to pursue certain career goals, such as returning to college or moving to work. Adults with separation anxiety disorder have a high percentage of co-occurring disorders, including other types of anxiety disorders such as depression and phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder, and a variety of substance use disorders.
Prevention
For many kids, separation anxiety is a normal part of development. For others, separation anxiety is a serious problem that can affect their lives and hinders their participation in activities they love. Consult a mental health professional if your child's fear affects their daily routine.
Separation anxiety disorder is a condition in which children suffer from extreme distress when separated from parents or other attachment figures. They have persistent fears about being abducted, lost or experiencing an accident that could cause the loss of people who are close to them. They may also have trouble sleeping on their own at night or refusing to go to camps, school or play dates with their parents.
The symptoms of separation anxiety in children must last for at least 4 weeks before a doctor can diagnose the condition. Often, the healthcare provider will interview the child and parents separately to obtain a full picture of the situation. They may ask about anxiety disorders that are not related to separation anxiety or family history, as well as life changes that might have triggered or made the separation anxiety worse.
Treatment for separation anxiety disorder differs based on the age of the child and the severity of the symptoms. Children younger than 5 years old tend to express their anxiety through specific worries about harm to their attachment figures, such as a fear that their parents could be injured in a car accident or be attacked by an intruder. Separation anxiety in older children is usually ignored by them.
Children who suffer from separation anxiety are usually treated with behavioral therapy. It usually involves teaching children relaxation techniques and teaching them to recognize and control their fears. In some cases it is necessary to combine treatments is employed, such as cognitive therapy and medication.
It is crucial for adults to be consistent in their responses to children's anxiety about separation. Children need to understand that their pleas to parents not to leave them are not valid. They can only grow when they are given clear, firm boundaries, and support in overcoming their fears.