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Children and Teens With Separation Anxiety Disorder

Children and adolescents who suffer from separation anxiety disorder are anxious about being apart from their parents, caregivers or other important people in their lives. They may also worry about the negative consequences of separation, like getting lost or hurt.

Children with separation anxiety disorders can get treatment through psychotherapy and medication. The child is taught to handle feared situations slowly, with assurance.

Symptoms

Although some anxiety about being away from loved ones is normal, separation anxiety disorder makes people much more intensely anxious than other people when it comes to separating from family members and primary caregiver figures. People suffering from this disorder fear that their loved ones will be the victim of a tragic incident when 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 such as being abducted or being involved in a car accident.

This anxiety disorder can affect adults at any age. It's not known what causes separation anxiety in adults, but it can be triggered by significant life changes or previous mental health issues, such as depression or PTSD. People who suffer from this condition can feel overly dependent on their children or romantic partners and have trouble establishing boundaries. Some may see them as too demanding or clingy.

This condition is characterized by extreme distress when someone is separated from their family, significant stress while away from home or at work, and recurrent dreams of separation. These symptoms can make people avoid traveling or other activities that involve a physical separation from family members, like going back to school. Children who suffer from this condition might experience physical problems such as stomach pains if they worry about being on their own.

A healthcare provider will ask you about your current and past symptoms or those of your child to determine if you suffer from separation anxiety. They will also inquire about your family and other relationships to see how you've faced separation anxiety in the past.

Treatment for this disorder consists of talk therapy and, in some instances medications. Your therapist can teach you and your child ways to deal with their fears. They can also help you to approach feared situations by guiding you through the steps that can help your child understand how to handle separations and build their confidence. The medicines can help calm the brain, relax the body and help ease your child's fears.

Diagnosis

A person suffering from separation anxiety disorder will experience extreme stress when apart from the home or close family members. Contrary to the normal fears and anxieties that many people suffer from the symptoms of this disorder are persistent, often lasting for more than four weeks in children and six months or longer in adults, and they cause major disruption to the daily routine and functioning at work and school. The condition can also cause problems with a person's ability create romantic relationships and socialize.

A mental health professional will interview and observe the patient's behavior to diagnose the disorder. The doctor will inquire about when symptoms first started and what causes them to worsen or improve. A mental health professional will ask about recent events and the history of trauma in relation to the age of the person.

The doctor will also attempt to determine whether the fear is a result of another medical condition that could cause similar symptoms, for example an illness, like cancer or a neurological disorder such as cerebral palsy or multiple-sclerosis. Other possible causes include family-related adversities that affect children like parental mental illness, substance abuse or domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, as well as exposure to traumatizing events such as natural catastrophes or sexual assault, war or the death of loved ones.

The diagnosis of separation anxiety disorder in adults is more difficult, as there are no lab tests for the condition and it can share many symptoms with other phobias. Someone who develops separation anxiety disorder in their adulthood typically experiences it after a traumatic event or significant loss. There are studies that suggest that those who were diagnosed with separation anxiety disorder as children are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression as they age.

Separation anxiety disorder can be treated in various ways. People with separation anxiety disorder can overcome their fear with therapy, such a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), or medications like selective serotonin receptor antagonists and antidepressants. Parents who suffer from this disorder can benefit from strategies and training to improve their relationship with their child.

Treatment

Although many children go through a stage where they are anxious and clingy to strangers, when this anxiety persists through the elementary years and beyond and is accompanied by physical symptoms, and causes problems with daily activities it could be an indication of separation anxiety disorder. According to the BetterHelp online therapy service that separation anxiety disorder is the most frequent anxiety disorder diagnosed in kids, affecting up to 4 percent of them, with an onset age of around 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 discovered the healthcare provider of your child will refer them to a mental health professional who has experience in anxiety disorders. For children, this will most likely be a child psychologist or psychiatrist.

Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, is typically the first option of treatment for separation anxiety disorder. The therapy therapist will work with your child to teach them healthy ways of managing their emotions, boosting self-confidence and independence, and building resilience. The therapist will also instruct parents on how they can help their child and aid them deal with their anxiety. Separation anxiety disorder is typically treated by medication, for example antidepressants like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

The therapist will determine the best social anxiety disorder medication treatment plan for your child based on their individual needs. Children who suffer from extreme generalized anxiety disorder treatment, for instance might benefit from a combination cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as well as exposure therapy. This means exposing your child to situations that cause anxiety gradually over time, in small steps, until they feel comfortable with them.

As children get older their symptoms tend to decrease. Some adults may still have symptoms of separation anxiety in their adult life. This makes it difficult to maintain relationships or pursue certain career goals, like returning to college or relocating for work. Adults suffering from separation anxiety disorder are more likely to suffer from co-occurring disorders, including other anxiety disorders, depression, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder, and a range of substance use disorders.

The following is a list with preventions.

Separation anxiety is common in many children. For others, anxiety disorders consequences over separation can be a serious issue that can affect their lives and prevents them from participating in the activities they enjoy. If your child's fears are disrupting their routine discuss it with an expert in mental health.

Children suffering from separation anxiety experience extreme distress when separated from their parents or other important relationships. They are constantly concerned about being kidnapped or lost or that an accident could result in the loss of those closest to themselves. They may have trouble falling to sleep at night, or refusing to go to school, play dates, or camp without their parents.

The signs of separation anxiety in children should last for at least four weeks before a doctor will determine the cause. Most often, the healthcare professional will interview the child and parents in a separate interview to get an entire picture of the situation. They might also inquire about anxiety disorders that are not related to separation anxiety or family history as well as changes in life that may have caused or made the separation anxiety more severe.

Treatment for anxiety disorder separation varies depending on the child's age and the severity of the symptoms. Children express anxiety by worrying about their attachment figures. For example they might worry that their parents could be involved in a car accident or harmed by a burglar. In contrast, older children with separation anxiety typically deny that they are anxious about leaving their home.

Children who have anxiety about separation are often treated using behavioral therapy. It involves teaching relaxation techniques to children and helping them identify and manage their anxiety. In some cases, a combination of treatments is employed, including medication and cognitive therapy.

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