Separation anxiety disorder (SAD) is a psychological condition that significantly affects life. It is not just a passing anxiety;

What is separation anxiety disorder?

Have you ever felt afraid to be away from someone you love or are attached to?

Separation anxiety can also be defined as a feeling of fear at the idea of ​​leaving the house or being away from your family or loved ones. This is normal until the age of approximately three years and to a limited degree, but if it increases to the limit and affects your mood, or continues at an older age, it means developing the disorder and needing treatment.

Causes of separation anxiety disorder

Although there are no direct causes of infection, there are some factors that may contribute to the occurrence of the problem or increase its severity, ومن أهمها ما يلي:

• Having a family history of mental illness or disorders in the family.
• Going through a psychological trauma such as the end of a romantic relationship or the death of a close person, or a difficult experience such as divorce or having to live in a completely new place away from loved ones.
• Suffering from generalized anxiety disorder, as it causes other psychological problems such as depression and separation anxiety.
• The family follows an overprotective pattern with the children, in addition to not giving the child the opportunity to manage his life on his own or go through various experiences.
• A shy or sensitive personality type that tends to be introverted and unwilling to engage in social situations, especially new ones.
• Low social statuses such as poverty or difficult living conditions.

Symptoms of separation anxiety disorder

The fear of leaving loved ones is normal, but there are symptoms that confirm that the problem goes beyond mere attachment and fear of separation. ومن أهم هذه الأعراض ما يلي:

• Getting into a state of anger or intense crying when away from family or friends.
• Refusing to leave the house or stay with strangers.
• Difficulty performing daily routines and usual activities away from parents.
• When you try to get away for a while, you experience trouble sleeping or have nightmares.
• You may complain of physical symptoms when any separation occurs, whether temporary or permanent, and the most important of these symptoms are stomach pain and headache.
• Constantly feeling afraid, imagining dangerous situations for a loved one, or thinking a lot about what might happen if you are far away from them.
• The emergence of the problem of emotional dependence and the difficulty of coexisting away from family or loved ones, which affects the ability to acquire skills in social and professional life.

Complications of separation anxiety

Separation anxiety does not only affect the psychological state; Among the most important are:

• Negative impact on academic or professional performance, and the inability to acquire new skills or face different situations.
• Many problems appear in social relationships or difficulty getting to know new people.
• Inability to achieve normal daily goals.
• Suffering from sleep disorders, seeing nightmares, and constantly thinking about painful imaginary situations.
• Suffering from depression, which may make the situation worsen and lead to panic attacks.
• Incomplete personality development, lack of independence, and low self-confidence.
• Not being able to improve the quality of life due to fear of being away, traveling, or dealing with new people, and this may affect the health aspect as well.

اقرأ أيضاً: How to treat anxiety disorders in children and 5 tips for parents

Do only children get separation anxiety?

Some people think that this type of anxiety is only for children, but unfortunately there is a large group of adults who suffer from this problem, and the interesting thing is that you may be exposed to it even if you did not suffer from this problem when you were young!

Symptoms of separation anxiety disorder in children are not much different from those in adults, as the fears that a young child experiences when separated from his mother and father, and not wanting to go to school or meet new friends, also affect an adult regarding his wife and children, or perhaps his parents if he is a teenager.

disorder Separation anxiety in adults It affects the affected person much more, and requires treatment to stop the deterioration of his lifestyle.

The causes of separation anxiety in adults may be related to the sudden death of a parent, the separation of a close friend, or going through a psychologically painful experience. They may also be without clear reasons. In both cases, immediate intervention must be taken to treat the problem and prevent the condition from deteriorating.

What is the difference between normal separation anxiety and separation anxiety disorder?

It is a normal sign of development for a young child to develop anxiety and fear of separation, but this type of anxiety is temporary and occurs in certain situations, and its impact on the child’s daily life is small and ineffective and does not last for a long time, and it does not require treatment.

As for separation anxiety disorder, it lasts for a long time and causes a strong and direct impact on daily life. It occurs at ages older than three years, and affects all aspects of the sufferer’s life. It hinders the acquisition and learning of new skills due to constant fear. It also prevents the establishment of new relationships and the performance of work efficiently. It often requires therapeutic intervention so that the patient does not lose social skills.

How can separation anxiety be treated?

There are different methods and therapeutic mechanisms for rapid intervention when suffering from separation anxiety disorder. The most important treatment methods are the following:

Psychological treatment for separation anxiety disorder

This type of treatment is carried out by a specialist who is able to manage the dialogue session so that he makes the patient talk about his feelings and thoughts to help him understand them better. There are psychological therapeutic strategies approved in these cases, They include the following:

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

It is one of the most important psychological therapeutic techniques in cases of separation anxiety. During the sessions, the focus is on unrealistic thoughts that affect life, to be modified step by step with training to go through situations in which he is exposed to separation so that he can overcome the anxiety of being away from those close to him.

Family therapy

Treatment originally begins with the family, and this type of treatment aims to provide full support from those close to them and correct the errors that occurred in upbringing, especially in the case of overprotection, while accompanying the patient to go through some external situations and training to stay outside the home for a longer time.

Psychodynamic therapy

This type of therapeutic technique is well suited if the person has developed the problem due to trauma that occurred in his life or loss of stability, as it helps to uncover psychological conflicts that affect his feelings and behavior.

Pharmacological treatment of separation anxiety

In some cases, intervention is carried out using medical drugs to improve or consolidate the results, especially if we do not get good results from psychological treatment. The most important types of medications that are prescribed for these cases are the following:

• Selective serotonin inhibitors.
• Antianxiety agents and tranquilizers.
• مضادات الاكتئاب.

Pharmaceutical intervention is only carried out in special cases, and the patient should not take any medication except after consulting a doctor, as the use of medications without medical supervision may result in serious side effects in some cases.

Can separation anxiety be prevented?

Separation fear disorder is a psychological problem that can be avoided with some simple measures. Which includes the following:

• Developing self-reliance in children from a young age.
• Do not worry too much about the child and encourage him to go through some situations on his own.
• Giving the child some simple responsibilities appropriate for his age to do so that he feels that he is able to achieve achievements on his own.
• Encourage children to meet other people and new friends.
• Not staying at home all the time and organizing different activities for children according to their ages and needs.
• Do not surprise the child by moving away and disappearing when the mother has to go out to buy something or go to work, especially if it is during the normal period of anxiety and fear of separation.
• It may help to use a specific way to say goodbye, such as a greeting or a regular phrase, so that the child knows that after saying this you will come back to him.
• Allow the child to speak for himself and express his feelings without ridicule or belittling him.
• If there is a big change coming, the child must be prepared for it, and he must know that changes, whether small or large, are normal in life and desirable.
• Do not threaten the child by leaving him or staying away from him, and do not intimidate him excessively from others, while teaching him some ways to protect himself.

Why choose Almoosa Hospital to help you?

Al Mousa Health Group in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a reliable destination for psychological care, as it is one of the first hospitals to provide integrated services, and it is also accredited as a teaching hospital that provides care with the latest technologies.

The hospital has a qualified medical staff in multiple specialties, and it also provides complementary services such as: Translation And organizing accommodation, care, etc., so if you feel that anxiety is affecting your life negatively, you will find someone to listen to you and provide you with appropriate care.

اكتشف المزيد عن: How does psychological stress affect your physical and mental health?

Frequently asked questions

Need to learn more about separation anxiety? Follow us for answers to these questions:

How do I know that my infant is afraid?

There will be some observations such as screaming and hysterical crying when away from him, in addition to rejecting others to approach him and being upset when leaving the house, all of which are symptoms that show the infant’s fear of being away from his mother.

Does the infant feel the absence of his mother?

Yes, the infant can feel that his mother is moving away from him, and he screams and cries in rejection.

When does separation anxiety begin in infants?

A baby becomes upset at the age of 6 months if his mother is absent from him, so it can be said that the period from six months to three years of age is the natural stage for the emergence of natural separation anxiety.

ختامًا Separation anxiety may seem like a simple problem, but in reality it has a significant negative impact on the lives of those affected, and that is why we present it to you Al-Mousa Hospital Advanced services for obtaining treatment, in addition to awareness services for prevention, so do not hesitateContact us immediately.