Separation Anxiety Disorder

Remember the first day of school? All you could hear around you was children crying, clinging to their parents, throwing tantrums and showing tempers. However there are some children who don't show such tendencies. They are cool, calm, composed and willing to make new friends. So why these differences in behavior. The first type of students suffer from Separation Anxiety Disorder. Most children suffer from this disorder, however, while growing up the impact of this disorder reduces considerably.

Separation anxiety disorder is a fairly self-explanatory term. It is a disorder characterized by a constant state of anxiety due to (or for the) fear of losing something/someone that one is attached to. SAD mostly affects children and toddlers. Although adults have been observed to be afflicted by it too, but the impact is less and under certain circumstances only.

Causes of SAD: Separation anxiety disorder often develops if a person has been through some trauma, such as hospital stay, the death of a loved one or a pet, or a change in environment (such as moving to another house or change of schools). Children of over-protective parents may be more prone to separation anxiety. In fact it is mostly observed that separation anxiety in a child is the manifestation of the parents' anxiety. In addition, the fact that children with separation anxiety often have family members with anxiety or other mental health problems suggest that a vulnerability to the disorder may be genetic.

Symptoms of SAD: Persons with separation anxiety are observed to have an unrealistic and lasting worry that something bad will happen to their loved ones if they leave. They are afraid of getting harmed themselves in the absence of their loved ones. Children refrain from going to school just to stay back with their loved ones. They are unable to sleep without their loved one. They are extremely afraid of being alone. They have complaints of headaches and stomach aches on school days. They suffer from frequent nightmares about separation. Repeated temper, tantrums are observed as well.

About 4% to 5% children in the US suffer from separation anxiety. It ranges in the age group of 7 - 11 years. It is less common among teenagers. Only 1.3% teens are affected by it. More so, the gender of the individual does not make any difference, it affects both genders equally.

Diagnosis of SAD: As with any mental disorder, the diagnoses happens on the basis of signs and symptoms. If a person shows symptoms of separation anxiety he/she has to undergo routine checks like X-rays, etc. to rule out the possibility of medication side-effect or physical illness. Once the patient is physically deemed fit, the doctor will give his take on the symptoms and the impact of the disorder.

Treatment of SAD: If it is a mild case of separation anxiety, there is no need for medical treatment. However in severe cases like when the child refuses to go to school, treatment may be needed. The goals of the treatment would be reducing anxiety in the child, developing a sense of security in him/her and the caregivers and teaching the child and family/caregivers about the need for natural separation. Treatment options that may be used include:

• Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy (a type of counseling) is the most commonly used treatment approach for separation anxiety disorder. The focus on therapy is to develop tolerance in the child for being separated from the caregiver, without the separation causing distress or interfering with everyday functions. A type of therapy called cognitive-behavioral therapy works to remould the child's thinking (cognition) so that the child's behavior improves. Family therapy also helps educate the family about the disorder and help the family members support the child during periods of anxiety.
• Medication: Antidepressant medications are used only in case of severe separation anxiety disorder.

It is crucial to be wary of the symptoms of SAD as it is the only way you can make sure that it has the least effect. It also helps to take corrective actions at an early stage. This will help cure it faster and reduce the distress while it lasts.