Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD)
Separation anxiety disorder is when a person gets extremely anxious or fearful when he is separated from a certain person or place that makes him feel loved, safe, or protected.
Separation anxiety disorder is much more common in children, but it can present itself in adults as well.
What causes separation anxiety?
Because separation anxiety is much more common in children, it is thought that some causes may be factors such as losing someone they loved, upheaval in childhood such as parents divorcing, changing schools often, moving house often, being separated from loved ones for a long time and being sheltered by parents as a child.
Separation anxiety disorder is much more common in children, but it can present itself in adults as well.
What causes separation anxiety?
Because separation anxiety is much more common in children, it is thought that some causes may be factors such as losing someone they loved, upheaval in childhood such as parents divorcing, changing schools often, moving house often, being separated from loved ones for a long time and being sheltered by parents as a child.
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What are the symptoms of Separation anxiety?
How to handle separation anxiety? Separation Anxiety in children is best handled through the guidance of a family therapist, although you can try some of these handy tips as well:
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- Build up separation by going away from your child from a few seconds to a few minutes to a few hours. Start by going into the garden and then coming back to them inside the house after a minute or two.
- Make their time away from you exciting, fun and enjoyable by planning activities with another parent or baby sitter.
In adults, separation anxiety disorder may be handled by learning that's it's okay to be alone, and in fact can be very therapeutic to be alone. You need to do things that can take your mind of your anxious symptoms (much like any anxiety disorder) in order to help your mind to see that it's okay to be alone or away from your safe place or person.
Focus on making your time alone calming and relaxing, by doing something like meditation or treating yourself to a spa treatment or taking a walk in the park. If it's a person you are attached to, remind yourself that they are just a phone call away and you can call them if you need to.
Getting diagnosed with separation anxiety
Because children naturally feel anxious when separated from their parents, the situation needs to be evaluated by a therapist before it can be put down to actual separation anxiety.
In adults, because separation anxiety disorder is more common in children, and because it displays many symptoms to other anxiety disorders, it is also best to get diagnosed through a therapist.
Focus on making your time alone calming and relaxing, by doing something like meditation or treating yourself to a spa treatment or taking a walk in the park. If it's a person you are attached to, remind yourself that they are just a phone call away and you can call them if you need to.
Getting diagnosed with separation anxiety
Because children naturally feel anxious when separated from their parents, the situation needs to be evaluated by a therapist before it can be put down to actual separation anxiety.
In adults, because separation anxiety disorder is more common in children, and because it displays many symptoms to other anxiety disorders, it is also best to get diagnosed through a therapist.