Children and Teens With Separation Anxiety Disorder

Children and adolescents who suffer from separation anxiety disorder have a tendency to worry about being apart from their caregivers, parents or other significant people in their lives. They may also worry that separation could have negative consequences, for example, being hurt or lost.

Children suffering from separation anxiety can get treatment through psychotherapy and medications. The child is taught to handle the fearful situations slowly, and with assurance.

Signs and symptoms

While some anxiety about being away from loved ones is normal, separation anxiety disorder makes people more anxious than others when it comes to being separated from family members and primary caregiving figures. People suffering from this disorder are worried that their family member will suffer a tragic event when they are separated. This could include getting lost or falling ill. They may also be fearful of other situations that could separate them from their loved one, including being abducted or having a car accident.

The onset of this anxiety disorder typically occurs in the earliest years of life, however adults can be affected at any time. It isn't known what causes adult separation anxiety, but it can be triggered by major life changes or previous mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety disorder or PTSD. People suffering from this disorder may feel a lot dependent on children or their romantic partners, and have poor boundaries. Some may see them as too clingy or demanding.

The symptoms of this condition include a high level of distress when someone is separated from their family members, severe distress when they are away from their home or at work and frequent nightmares about separation. These symptoms can cause people to avoid traveling or other activities that require physical separation from family members, like returning to school. Children with this condition may have trouble sleeping or experience a variety of physical problems, such as stomach pains or headaches, when they are worried about being on their own.

To diagnose this disorder medical professionals will inquire about your your child's past and present symptoms. They will also ask you about your family and other relationships to determine how you have faced separation anxiety in the past.

Talk therapy and, in certain instances, medication are utilized to treat this disorder. Your therapist can show you and your child how to manage their fears. They can also assist you approach situations that are feared in a step-by-step process that helps your child learn how to handle separations and build up their confidence. The use of medication can help calm the mind 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 family members. In contrast to the normal anxiety and fear that many people experience the symptoms of this disorder are long-lasting, usually lasting more than four weeks in children and up to six months in adults. They cause major disruption to daily activities and performance at work and school. It can also affect the person's social life and ability to form romantic relationships.

To determine if this disorder is present A mental health professional will talk to the patient and observe the patient's behavior. The healthcare provider will ask when symptoms first started and what triggers them to worsen or improve. Depending on the person's age an expert in mental health may also ask about recent events that may be causing stress, as well as any past trauma.

The provider will also try to determine whether the phobia is a result of another medical condition that can cause similar symptoms, for example an illness such as cancer or a neurological condition such as cerebral palsy or multiple sclerosis. Other causes include family problems like mental illness of the parents or domestic violence, abuse of substances and child abuse and neglect.

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 anxiety disorders. Someone who develops a separation anxiety disorder in adulthood typically experiences it after a traumatic event or significant loss. Some studies suggest that people who have been diagnosed with separation anxiety disorder in childhood are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety disorders as they age.

There are a variety of treatment options available for those suffering from separation anxiety disorder. People suffering from separation seasonal anxiety disorder disorder can overcome their fear through therapy, including cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT), or medications such as selective serotonin receptor antagonists and antidepressants. People suffering from this disorder usually benefit from parental education and techniques to improve the quality of their relationship with their children.

Treatment

Separation anxiety disorder may be diagnosed when the child's fear of being around strangers and clinginess is persistent throughout elementary school, and is accompanied with physical symptoms and interferes in daily activities. 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 issues are found, the healthcare provider for your child will refer them to an expert in anxiety disorders. This will likely be a child psychiatrist or psychologist.

Psychotherapy (also known as talk therapy) is usually the first option for treating separation anxiety disorder. The therapy therapist will assist your child to discover healthy ways to manage their feelings, increase self-confidence and independence, and build resilience. The therapist will educate parents on ways they can assist their child who is suffering from 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 needs, the therapy therapist will determine which options are appropriate for their specific needs. Children who suffer from severe anxiety, like, may benefit from a combination 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.

As children age, their symptoms usually decrease. However, some adults might continue to have symptoms types of anxiety disorders separation anxiety throughout their adult lives. It can be challenging for them maintain relationships or to pursue certain career goals like returning to college or going to work. Adults with separation disorder are more likely to develop co-occurring disorders such as depression, phobias, and post-traumatic disorder.

The following is a list with preventions.

For many children who are anxious about separation, it is an expected part of developing. For others it can be an issue that causes problems with their lives and blocks them from taking part in activities they like. Talk to a mental health professional if your child's anxiety is affecting their daily life.

Children suffering from separation anxiety suffer extreme stress when they are separated from their parents or other important family members. They have persistent fears about being abducted, lost or experiencing an accident that could cause the loss of loved ones to them. They might have difficulty falling asleep at night or refuse to go to school, play dates or camp without parents.

Doctors do not diagnose separation anxiety until the signs of a child last at minimum 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. They may ask about any other anxiety disorder medication list disorders, family history, and life events that could have caused or made separation generalized anxiety disorder cognitive behavioral therapy more severe.

Treatment for separation anxiety is determined by the age of the child and the severity of the symptoms. Younger children tend to express their anxiety through specific concerns about harm to their attachment figures for example, being worried that their parents will get in a car crash or be attacked by burglars. Separation anxiety in older children is usually denied by them.

Children who suffer from separation anxiety are often treated with behavioral therapy. It typically involves teaching children relaxation techniques and helping them learn to recognize and manage their fears. In some cases the combination of treatments is employed, such as cognitive therapy and medication.

Adults should be consistent with their responses to children who are experiencing separation anxiety. Children must be taught that their pleas to parents not to leave them are not valid. They will only improve by receiving clear, firm boundaries, and help in conquering their fears.