Separation Anxiety Disorder
A person with separation anxiety disorder has intense anxiety about losing touch with someone they are emotionally attached to, typically a parent or other caregiver. A constant worry that something will happen to the caregiver or the person with separation anxiety and cause them to be separated from the caregiver goes hand in hand with this fear of separation. These concerns frequently include the caregiver passing away or getting sick or hurt; the worried person getting lost, kidnapped, or in an accident.
Separation anxiety disorder can affect people of any age. However, it is frequently diagnosed in kids and teenagers. The fear of separation must be developmentally inappropriate to be eligible for separation anxiety disorder. For instance, while it could be acceptable—and even expected—for a toddler to feel anxious if a parent had to travel for a week on business, it wouldn’t be expected for a 16-year-old to feel the same way.
Children and teenagers with separation anxiety disorder may try to reduce their worry by constantly keeping track of their caregivers. They may do this by following them around, shouting out in the hopes of hearing back or texting the caregiver to check their whereabouts. These measures might help to lessen the child’s anxiety in the short term. However, in the long term, stress and the fear of separation increase.
The following signs and symptoms of separation anxiety disorder may occur in certain people:
- Refusal to allow family members to leave your sight
- Becoming agitated or worried as separation is about to occur
- Difficult, protracted goodbyes before leaving for school, bed, etc.
- During the break, sobbing, pleading, and protesting
- Tantrums or aggressive behavior when separated
- Refusal to leave the house, go to school or go to work because of a dread of being separated
- Reluctance or unwillingness to stay away from home and sleep alone
- Nightmares about being alone or separated
At Connected Care Behavioral Health LLC, we specialize in treating anxiety disorders like Separation Anxiety Disorder. We have the tools and expertise required to provide evidence-based care to Separation Anxiety Disorder patients of all ages. To treat Separation Anxiety Disorder, we employ Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP), which is the most successful therapy treatment across a range of anxiety disorders. Through ERP, people with separation anxiety can confront their concerns about separation and improve their ability to accept ambiguity regarding the location of their caregiver. This enables them to gradually regain control of their lives from separation anxiety disorder and develop into self-assured, assured people. Please call us at 443-219-9236 if you or someone you know could benefit from our expert Separation Anxiety Disorder therapy services.