Separation Anxiety Disorder

Separation anxiety is a result of insecure attachment. Insecure attachment can be characterized by the infants fear, anger or indifference toward the caregiver. The child has less confidence in self, is unwilling to leave the caregivers arms and side. Infant attachment status usually does not affect the later emotional development of the child. Insecure attachments can be repaired in the early years of life. Children sometimes recover from periods of maternal depression, responding more to their mother’s current behavior than to her earlier behavior. However, the opposite may occur for children with a secure attachment with their caregiver. If a child before the age of 12 experiences a disruptive family event, this occurrence can shake loose a secure attachment.

Separation Anxiety Disorder in Children

By: healthline.com

What Is Separation Anxiety Disorder?

Separation anxiety is a normal part of childhood development. It occurs in babies between 8 and 12 months old. It usually disappears around age of 2.

Some children have symptoms of separation anxiety during their grade school and teenage years. This condition is called separation anxiety disorder or SAD. Three to four percent of children suffer from SAD (Walker, et al., 2011).

SAD tends to be indicative of general mood and mental health issues: Around one-third of children with SAD will be diagnosed with mental illness as an adult. Approximately half of childhood mental health referrals are for suspected SAD (Ehrenreich, et al., 2008).

Symptoms of Separation Anxiety Disorder

Symptoms of SAD occur when a child is separated from parents or caregivers. Fear of separation can also cause anxiety-related behaviors. Some of the most common behaviors include: clinging to parents, extreme and severe crying, refusal to do things that require separation, physical illness, such as headaches or vomiting, violent, emotional temper tantrums, refusal to go to school, poor school performance, failure to interact in a healthy manner with other children, refusing to sleep alone, nightmares, Risk Factors for Separation Anxiety Disorder.

SAD is more likely to occur in children with: a family history of anxiety/depression, shy, timid personalities, low socioeconomic status, overprotective parents, a lack of appropriate parental interaction, problems dealing with kids their own age.

SAD can also occur after a stressful life event such as: moving to a new home, switching schools, divorce, the death of a close family member.

How Is Separation Anxiety Disorder Diagnosed?

Children that experience three or more of the above symptoms may be diagnosed with SAD. Your doctor may order additional tests to confirm the diagnosis.

Your doctor might also watch you interact with your child. This shows whether your parenting style affects how your child deals with anxiety.

How Is Separation Anxiety Disorder Treated?

Therapy and medication are both used to treat SAD. Both treatment methods can help a child deal with anxiety in a positive way.

Therapy

The most effective therapy is cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). With CBT, children are taught coping techniques for anxiety. Common techniques are deep breathing and relaxation.

Parent child interaction therapy is another way to treat SAD. Parent child therapy can be broken into three main treatment phases:

Child-Directed Interaction (CDI), which focuses on improving the quality of the parent/child relationship. It involves warmth, attention, and praise. These help strengthen a child’s feeling of safety.

Bravery-Directed Interaction (BDI), which educates parents about why their child feels anxiety. Your child’s therapist will develop a bravery ladder. The ladder shows situations that cause anxious feelings. It establishes rewards for positive reactions.

Parent-Directed Interaction (PDI), which teaches parents to communicate clearly with their child. This helps to manage poor behavior.

The school environment is another key to successful treatment. Your child needs a safe place to go when he or she feels anxious. There should also be a way for your child to communicate with you if necessary during schools hours or other times he or she is away from home. Finally, your child’s teacher should encourage interaction with other classmates. If you have concerns about your child’s classroom, speak with the teacher, principle, or a guidance counselor.

http://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety/separation-anxiety

In Adults, Separation Anxiety Disorder: Top Five Symptoms

By: Newsmax.com

All of us have experienced some level of anxiety when separated from our near and dear ones. Separation anxiety disorder is a psychological disorder characterized by excessive anxiety when separated from people with whom the sufferer has strong emotional attachment. It is prevalent in both adults and children and is common in families with a history of anxiety. Among adults, more women than men suffer from this disorder. It is quite interesting to note that separation anxiety disorder in adults was recognized only about 20 years back by psychiatrists.

The top five symptoms of separation anxiety disorder are:

Persistent worry about primary caregiver. The worrying could be about losing them or about them being harmed. The person keeps constantly worrying that some unexpected event will cause separation from the attachment figure. This worry significantly affects their social and occupational performance in life. 

Excessive fear of being alone. Children with this disorder refuse to go to school, or even to play alone, as it involves being away from their primary caregiver. 

Persistent refusal to go to sleep without the presence of loved ones. Children can exhibit temper tantrums — whining, crying, throwing objects, and screaming. This usually occurs because they feel excessive and disabling distress when separated.

Recurrent nightmares about being separated from loved ones. Waking up from nightmares decreases their daytime performance.

Recurrent physical symptoms include headaches, stomach aches, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite when separated. Bed-wetting, in the case of children, could also be another symptom.

Some amount of separation anxiety is normal in children. It becomes a disorder when it becomes excessive. Separation anxiety disorder symptoms may begin at any age. Research shows hormonal influences during pregnancy may influence the chance of a child developing this disorder. Trauma or stress in childhood could also be a possible cause of separation anxiety disorder. Trauma could be caused by a prolonged stay in a hospital, or in an adult’s case, death of a loved one. Another causative factor could be parents who are overprotective and overanxious about their child’s safety. Side effects of some medications may also produce symptoms. 

Diagnosis for separation anxiety disorder is based on detailed history, signs, and symptoms. Symptoms have to be persistent over a long period for evaluation to be carried out. Most symptoms improve with psychotherapy and medicines. Mild separation anxiety disorder symptoms do not need any treatment.

http://www.newsmax.com/FastFeatures/Separation-anxiety-disorder-symptoms/2010/10/26/id/374886/