Separation Anxiety Disorder

A small degree of separation anxiety is normal in very young children, but after reaching the age of three most individuals are able to separate from loved ones with relative ease. When older children or adults show developmentally inappropriate and excessive anxiety about leaving home or being away from loved ones, and when this anxiety interferes with daily life, this may indicate the presence of separation anxiety disorder. Individuals with separation anxiety disorder have extreme difficulty being away from home or attachment figures and they try to avoid these separation situations. In children, these fears must last for a period of one month or longer, whereas in adults, the anxiety must last for six months or more.

Roughly 4% of children suffer with separation anxiety disorder, but regrettably only a small proportion of affected youth ever receive the professional help they need. Separation Anxiety Disorder in adults is a newly recognized diagnosis in the DSM-5. Although mild forms of separation anxiety dissipate with time, when an individual meets criteria for separation anxiety disorder, symptoms typically persist; in the absence of treatment the individual may be at increased risk for the development of other mood and anxiety problems.

Common Symptoms of Separation Anxiety Disorder

• Difficulty sleeping alone
• Reluctance to go to school/work or to friends' homes
• Fear that something bad will happen—such as getting kidnapped or lost—if not with loved ones
• Fear that something bad will happen to attachment figures (e.g., they might leave and never come back, they might get sick or die) when not together
• Clinging to loved ones/attachment figures
• Refusing to stay with a babysitter or relative
• Nightmares about being away from loved ones
• Calling or texting attachment figures repeatedly and throughout the day to make sure they are ok
• Tantrums when separation from loved ones occurs or is anticipated
• Physical complaints upon separation, such as a headache or upset stomach