Children and Teens With Separation Anxiety Disorder

Children and adolescents suffering from separation anxiety disorder worry excessively about being apart from their caregivers, parents or other important people in their lives. They might also be concerned that being separated could have negative consequences, such as being lost or hurt.

Psychotherapy and medications can be used to treat children with separation anxiety disorders. Therapy focuses on teaching children to manage fearful situations gradually, with reassurance and support.

Symptoms

While some anxiety about being away from loved ones is normal separation anxiety disorder causes people much more intensely anxious than other people when it comes to being separated from family members and primary caregiver figures. People suffering from this disorder are worried that their family member could suffer a tragic event when they are separated. This could include getting lost or falling ill. They might also be scared of other situations that could separate them from their loved ones including being abducted or having an accident in a vehicle.

The onset of this anxiety disorder usually occurs in the earliest years of life, however adults can be affected at any time. Adult separation anxiety is not thought to be caused by any specific factor however it can be caused by life changes, depression, or PTSD. The sufferers of this disorder might feel a lot dependent on children or romantic partners, and lack boundaries. Others may perceive them as being overly clingy or demanding.

This condition is characterized by extreme anxiety when a person is separated from family, significant distress when away from home or at work, and frequent dreams of separation. These symptoms can make people avoid travel or other activities that entail a physical separation from their families, like going to school. Children with this condition may have difficulty sleeping or experience a variety of physical ailments like headaches or stomach pains when they are worried about being left alone.

A healthcare professional will inquire with you about your previous and current symptoms, or those of your child in order to determine the cause of separation anxiety disorder treatments anxiety. They will also inquire about your family, and other relationships to determine how you've dealt with separation anxiety before.

Treatment for this disorder consists of talking therapy and, in some cases medications. Your therapist will teach you and your children how to deal with the fear. They can also help you deal with situations that scare you by guiding you through the steps that helps your child learn how to handle separations and build their confidence. Medicines can help to relax the brain and relax the body which can ease your child's anxiety.

Diagnosis

Separation anxiety disorder causes people to experience extreme anxiety when they are away from their home or other close family members. In contrast to the normal anxiety and fear that people generally experience, the symptoms of this disorder are long-lasting, usually lasting more than four weeks for children, and up to six months or longer in adults, and they cause major disruption to daily life and function at school and work. It can also affect the person's social anxiety disorder life and ability to form romantic relationships.

To determine the cause of this disorder, a mental health professional will interview the patient and observe their behavior. The healthcare provider will want be aware of the time when symptoms began and what causes them to become worse or better. Based on the age of the patient an expert in mental health will also inquire about 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 a result of another medical condition that could cause similar symptoms, for example an illness, like cancer or a neurological issue like cerebral palsy or multiple sclerosis. Other possible causes include childhood family adversities, such as parental mental illness, addiction to drugs, child abuse, domestic violence and neglect, and exposure to traumatizing events such as natural disasters, sexual assault, war, or the loss of a loved one.

It is a challenge to identify separation anxiety disorder among adults because there are no lab tests and the symptoms could be similar to those of other fears. Separation anxiety disorder is more prevalent among adults who have suffered a traumatic experience or significant loss. Certain studies suggest that those who have been diagnosed with separation anxiety disorder as children are more likely to be suffering from depression and anxiety disorders as they age.

Separation anxiety disorder can be treated in a variety of ways. People suffering from separation anxiety disorder can overcome their fear with therapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), or medications such as selective serotonin receptor antagonists and antidepressants. Parents suffering from this disorder can benefit from methods and training to improve their relationship with their child.

Treatment

Although many children go through a phase that makes them clingy and fearful of strangers, when this anxiety persists through the elementary years and beyond and is manifested as 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 common anxiety disorder diagnosed in kids, affecting up to 4% of them, with an onset age of 7 years old.

Your child's healthcare provider will conduct a thorough examination to identify any physical issues that may be causing their anxiety. If no physical problems are found, the healthcare provider for your child will refer them to an expert in anxiety disorders. This will likely be a psychologist or child psychiatrist.

Psychotherapy (also known as talk therapy) is usually the first treatment for separation anxiety disorder. The therapy therapist will assist your child to discover healthy ways to manage their emotions and increase self-confidence and independence, and build resilience. The therapist will also train parents on how they can help their child and aid them with their anxiety. The use of medication, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are typically prescribed along with psychotherapy for separation anxiety disorder.

The therapist will determine which treatment option is best medicine for generalized anxiety disorder for your child based upon their particular needs. Children who suffer from severe anxiety, for example might 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 feel comfortable with them.

Often, children with separation anxiety disorder improve as they get older, and their symptoms will decrease. However, some adults could still suffer from symptoms of separation anxiety disorder throughout their adult lives. It can be challenging to maintain relationships or to pursue certain career goals like returning to college or moving to work. Adults with separation disorder are more likely to develop co-occurring disorders, such as depression, phobias and post-traumatic disorder.

Prevention

Separation anxiety is a common occurrence in many children. But for others it can be a serious problem that interferes with their lives and stops them from engaging in activities they enjoy. If your child's worries are disrupting their daily routines, talk to a mental health professional.

Children suffering from separation anxiety disorder experience extreme distress when separated from their parents or other significant attachment figures. They are always worried about being kidnapped or lost or that an accident could cause them to lose the people closest to themselves. They may also have a hard time falling asleep alone at night, or they might refuse to go to camps, school, or play dates without their parents.

Doctors are not able to diagnose separation anxiety until the symptoms of a child are present for at minimum four weeks. Most often, the healthcare professional will interview the child and their parents in a separate interview to get an accurate picture of the situation. They might ask questions regarding other anxiety disorders or changes in the life, such as family history and life events that may have triggered the separation anxiety.

Treatment for separation anxiety anxiety disorders disorder differs based on the age of the child and the severity of the symptoms. Children express anxiety by worrying about their attachment figures. For instance they might be worried that their parents are involved in a car accident or be attacked by burglars. However older children who suffer from separation anxiety usually deny that they are worried about leaving their home.

Children who have anxiety about separation are often treated with behavioral therapy. It usually involves teaching children relaxation techniques and assisting them in learning to recognize and control their fears. In some instances it is necessary to combine treatments, such as cognitive therapy, is utilized.

It's crucial for adults to be consistent in their responses to children's separation generalized anxiety Disorder treatment. Children must be taught that their parents' pleas not to leave them not valid. They can only grow by receiving clear, firm boundaries, and support in overcoming their fears.