Children and Teens With Separation Anxiety Disorder

Children and adolescents with separation anxiety disorder have a tendency to worry about being separated from their caregivers, parents or other significant people in their lives. They might also worry about the negative consequences of separation, like getting lost or injured.

Children with separation anxiety disorders can be treated with therapy and medication. Therapy focuses on teaching children to deal with fearful situations slowly, with reassurance and support.

Symptoms

Separation anxiety disorder is more intense than normal anxiety when it comes to being separated from family and primary caregivers. People with this condition fear that their loved ones will be the victim of a tragic incident when they are separated. This could mean getting lost or falling ill. They might also be afraid of other situations that could cause separation from their loved one, for example, being kidnapped or getting into a an accident with a car.

This anxiety disorder can affect adults at any age. It's unclear what causes separation anxiety in adults however, it could be caused by major life changes or previous mental health disorders, like depression and anxiety disorders or PTSD. People with this condition can feel overly dependent on their children or their romantic partners and exhibit poor boundaries. Others may view them as too clingy or demanding.

The signs of this disorder include excessive distress when a person is cut off from their family members, severe anxiety 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 involve a physical separation from their families, for example, going to school. Children with this condition may have trouble sleeping or experience a variety of physical issues like headaches or stomachaches, when they worry about being left alone.

A healthcare professional will inquire with you about your current and past symptoms, or those of your child in order to diagnose separation anxiety. They will ask you about your family and other relationships, to determine how you've dealt with separation anxiety before.

Talk therapy and, in some instances, medication are used to treat this condition. Your therapist can show you and your child ways to deal with their fears. They can help you and your child to learn how to deal with separations through a step by procedure. Medicines can help to relax the mind and relax the body, which can help ease your child's anxiety.

Diagnosis

Separation anxiety disorder causes individuals to feel intense anxiety when they are away from their home or relatives. The symptoms of separation anxiety disorder can be more severe than normal anxiety and fear. They can last for up to six months for adults and up to four weeks in children. They cause major disruptions in daily life at school, work, and home. It can also impact the person's social life and ability to form romantic relationships.

A mental health professional will interview and examine the patient's behavior to diagnose this disorder. The doctor will inquire about when symptoms first started and what causes them to get worse or improve. A mental health professional will ask about recent events and trauma history dependent on the age of the person.

The doctor will also determine whether there is another medical condition that can cause similar symptoms. This could be due to an illness like cancer or a neurological disorder like multiple sclerosis or cerebral palsy. Other causes are family traumas like parental mental illnesses, 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 phobias. Someone who develops separation anxiety disorder in their adulthood typically experiences it after an event that was traumatic or a major loss. There are studies that suggest that those who have been diagnosed with separation anxiety disorder in childhood are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression in adulthood.

Separation anxiety disorder can be treated in many ways. Treatment like cognitive behavioral therapy (cbt for anxiety disorders) and medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and antidepressants, can help people overcome their fears. People suffering from this disorder typically benefit from parent education and methods to improve their relationship with their children.

Treatment

Many children go through a stage that makes them clingy and fearful of strangers If this fear persists through the elementary years and beyond and is associated with physical symptoms, and affects daily functioning it could be an indication of separation anxiety disorder. In fact, according to the BetterHelp online therapy service, separation anxiety disorder is the most frequent anxiety disorder that is diagnosed in children, affecting up to 4 percent of them, with a onset age of 7 years old.

The healthcare provider for your child will perform a thorough exam to determine if there are any physical issues that could be causing anxiety. If no physical ailments are discovered then the healthcare provider for your child will refer them to an anxiety disorder specialist. For children, this will most likely be a child psychologist or psychiatrist.

Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, is usually the first option of treatment for separation anxiety disorder. The therapist will assist your child to teach them healthy ways to manage their feelings, increasing confidence and independence, as well as building their resilience. The therapist will educate parents on ways they can assist their child who is suffering from anxiety. Medication, including antidepressants like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are typically prescribed along with psychotherapy for separation anxiety disorder.

The therapist will determine which treatment option is best for your child based upon their particular needs. For instance, children suffering from extreme anxiety may benefit from a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy. This involves exposing your child to situations that trigger their anxiety gradually in small steps until they are comfortable with them.

As children get older, their symptoms usually decrease. However, some adults might be suffering from separation anxiety disorder throughout their adult lives. This could make it difficult for them to keep relationships or to pursue certain career goals, like returning to school or relocating to work. Adults who suffer from separation anxiety are more likely to suffer from co-occurring disorders, including other types of anxiety disorders, depression, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder, and a variety of substance use disorders.

The following is a list with preventions.

Separation anxiety is common among many children. But for others it can turn into an issue that is serious and can interfere with their lives and prevents them from engaging in activities they enjoy. Consult a mental health specialist if your child's fear affects their daily routine.

Children suffering from separation anxiety disorder suffer extreme anxiety when they are separated from their parents or other important relationships. They are constantly concerned about being kidnapped or lost or that an accident will cause them to lose those closest to themselves. They may struggle to fall asleep at night or refusing to go to play dates, school or camp without parents.

The symptoms of separation anxiety in children should last for at least four weeks before a doctor will diagnose the problem. The healthcare provider may interview both the child and parents individually to gather the complete picture. They may ask about anxiety disorders that are not related to separation anxiety disorders medications or family history as well as life changes that might have triggered or made the separation anxiety more severe.

Treatment meds for generalized anxiety disorder anxiety disorder separation varies according to the age of the child and the severity of the symptoms. Younger children tend to express their anxiety by expressing specific fears about harm to their attachment figures for example, the fear that their parents will get in a car crash or be attacked by a burglar. In contrast older children who suffer from separation anxiety typically deny that they have any anxiety about leaving the house.

Behavioral therapy is a typical treatment for children suffering from separation anxiety. It typically involves teaching children relaxation techniques and helping them learn to recognize and control their fears. In some cases there is a mix of therapies, including cognitive therapy, is utilized.

Adults should be consistent in their responses to children experiencing separation anxiety. Children need to be aware that their pleas to parents not to let them go are not valid. They will only be able to improve if they receive clear, unambiguous boundaries and support in overcoming their fears.