Children and Teens With Separation Anxiety Disorder
Children and adolescents with separation anxiety disorder worry excessively about being separated from their caregivers, parents or other important people in their lives. disorders anxiety may also worry that separation could have negative consequences, such as getting hurt or lost.
Children with separation anxiety disorders can be treated with psychotherapy and medications. The child is taught to approach the fearful situations slowly, and with assurance.
Signs and symptoms
While some anxiety over being away from loved ones is normal separation anxiety disorder can cause people much more intensely anxious than others when it comes to being separated from family members and primary caregiver figures. People suffering from this condition are worried that something tragic will occur to their family member when they are separated, for example, being lost or getting sick. They may also be fearful of other scenarios that could cause separation from their loved ones including being abducted or having an accident with a car.
The first signs of this anxiety disorder typically occurs in childhood, though adults can be affected at any time. It's not known what causes adult separation anxiety, but it can be caused by major life changes or by previous mental health disorders, like depression or PTSD. The people who suffer from this condition can feel overly dependent on their spouses or children and exhibit poor boundaries. Some may view them as being too clingy and demanding.
Symptoms of this condition include extreme stress when a person is separated from their family members, severe distress when they are away from home or work and frequent nightmares about separation. These symptoms can cause people avoid traveling or other activities that involve a physical separation from family members, for example, returning to school. Children with this condition may suffer physical issues like stomach pains if they worry about being alone.
To diagnose this disorder, the healthcare professional will inquire about your your child's past and present symptoms. They will ask you about your family and other relationships, to see how you've faced separation anxiety in the past.
Talk therapy and, in some instances, medication are used to treat this disorder. Your therapist will instruct you and your children how to cope with the fears. They can assist you and your child understand how to handle separations in a step-by- step process. The medicines can help calm the mind and relax the body to reduce your child's anxiety.
Diagnosis
Separation anxiety disorder can cause a person to feel extreme anxiety when they are away from their home or family members. The symptoms of separation anxiety are more persistent than normal anxiety and fear. They can last up to six months for adults and for up to four weeks in children. They can cause significant disruptions in the daily routine at school, work, and home. It can also affect a person's socialization 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 want to be aware of the time when symptoms began and what makes them more or less severe. Based on the age of the patient an expert in mental health might also inquire about any recent events that could have caused stress, as well as any previous trauma history.
The doctor will also try to determine whether the phobia is due to another medical condition that could cause similar symptoms, like an illness, like cancer or a neurological disorder like cerebral palsy or multiple-sclerosis. Other possible causes include family-related adversities that affect children such as mental illness, addiction to drugs or domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, and exposure to traumatizing events, such as natural disasters, sexual assault, war, or the loss of a loved one.
Diagnosis of separation anxiety disorder in adults is more difficult, as there are no lab tests for the condition, and it may have a variety of symptoms with other fears. Anyone who develops separation anxiety disorder in adulthood usually is a victim of a traumatic event or significant loss. There are studies that suggest that those who have been diagnosed with separation anxiety disorder as children are more likely to be suffering from anxiety and depression later in life.
A variety of treatment options are available to those suffering from separation anxiety disorder. Therapy such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) as well as medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors as well as antidepressants, can help overcome their fears. People with this disorder often benefit from education for parents and techniques to improve their relationship with their children.
Treatment
Although many children experience a period where they are clingy and fearful of strangers, when this anxiety persists throughout elementary school and beyond and is associated with physical symptoms, and causes problems with daily activities it could be an indication of separation anxiety disorder. According to the BetterHelp online therapy service the disorder of separation anxiety is the most prevalent anxiety disorder that is diagnosed in children, affecting up to 4 percent of them, with a onset age of around 7 years.
Your child's doctor will perform an exhaustive exam to rule out physical problems that could cause anxiety. If no physical issues are discovered the doctor who treats your child will refer them to a mental health professional who has experience in treating anxiety disorders. It could be a psychologist or child psychiatrist.
Psychotherapy (also known as talk therapy) is often the first option for treating separation anxiety disorder. The Therapist will work with your child to help them learn healthy ways to manage their emotions, boosting self-confidence and independence, and building their resilience. The therapist will also train parents on how they can help their child and aid them with their anxiety. Treatment, such as antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are often prescribed along with psychotherapy for separation anxiety disorder.
The therapist will decide the best treatment option for your child based upon their particular needs. For instance, children who suffer from severe anxiety may benefit from a combination of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy. This involves exposing your child to situations that trigger their anxiety gradually in small steps until they feel comfortable with them.
Often, children with separation anxiety disorder will improve as they grow older and their symptoms decrease. Some adults may still suffer from symptoms of separation disorder in their adulthood. It can be challenging for them maintain relationships or pursue certain career goals, such as returning to school or moving to work. Adults suffering from separation disorder are more likely to have co-occurring disorders like depression, phobias and post-traumatic disorder.
Prevention
Separation anxiety is a common occurrence in many children. But for others it can turn into an issue that is serious and can interfere with their lives and stops them from participating in activities they enjoy. If generalized anxiety disorder is disrupting their daily 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 always worried about being snatched away, missing, or experiencing an accident that could result in the loss of people who are close to them. They might also have a hard time falling asleep alone at night or they may refuse to go to school, camp or play dates without their parents.
Doctors do not diagnose separation anxiety until the signs of a child have lasted at minimum four weeks. Most often, the healthcare professional will interview the child and parents separately to get an accurate 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 caused or made the separation anxiety worse.
Treatment for separation anxiety is dependent on the child's age and the severity of symptoms. Children express anxiety by worrying about their attachment figures. For example they might be worried that their parents might be involved in a car accident or attacked by burglars. Separation anxiety in older children is usually ignored by them.
Behavioral therapy is a common treatment for children with separation anxiety. It typically involves teaching children relaxation techniques and helping them learn to recognize and control their anxieties. In some cases, a mixture of therapies, such as cognitive therapy, is used.
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 not valid. They will only be able to improve by receiving clear, firm boundaries, and help in overcoming their fears.