When we hear about separation anxiety disorder, we usually think of children, however, we can also find cases of separation anxiety disorder in adults.
Separation anxiety occurs when someone fears being separated from a person, animal, or even an object; in any case, separation anxiety disorder manifests itself, as we can intuit, after a separation; symptoms are diverse and may include nausea, headache or sore throat.
- Separation anxiety usually occurs in children.
- Especially in the early years of life.
- And a child still does not understand that when a parent leaves.
- It still exists and is connected to it.
However, while this is understandable for adults who develop this disorder, they are also prisoners of absence and anxiety arising from uncertainty about when the reunion will take place. Uncertainty that can be particularly large in some situations; for example, imagine a soldier going to a place where the attacks occur.
The main feature of separation anxiety disorder in adults is excessive concern about being alone, but how do you know when concern for loneliness becomes an anxiety disorder?
According to the American Psychiatric Association, separation anxiety occurs when a person develops several of the following symptoms:
In adults, these symptoms can last 6 months or more and can cause significant distress that affects their social, professional or academic functioning.
Separation anxiety in adults can result from the separation of different characters, usually close and loved; on the other hand, this type of anxiety may be related to other types of mental problems, such as delusions (psychotic disorders) or fear of change (autism spectrum disorder).
Sometimes people can classify an adult with separation anxiety disorder as controlling or overprotective; however, his actions are often an adult way of expressing his fears of separation.
As we have said before, separation anxiety can originate in childhood, especially in the way the first attachment ties form, it can also result from subsequent experiments in which unexpected and sudden losses occurred. have suffered abuse or neglect are also at risk.
Separation anxiety in adults often develops after the loss of a loved one or after a major event, such as the start of college studies away from home. Divorce can also cause separation anxiety.
In addition, the likelihood of developing separation anxiety disorder in adults is higher if diagnosed in childhood. Adults who have grown up with authoritarian parents may also have an increased risk. Instead, people with obsessive-compulsive disorder are more likely to suffer from a separation. anxiety in adulthood.
Separation anxiety disorder in adults is often diagnosed in people who have also been diagnosed with one of the following conditions:
Treatment of separation anxiety disorder in adults is similar to treatments used to treat other anxiety disorders. Possible treatments include:
In all cases the diagnosis and treatment should be determined by a qualified professional, so whenever we have suspicions the first step will be the consultation.