Separation Anxiety Disorder Treatment

What Is Separation Anxiety Disorder?

Separation anxiety disorder is a mental health condition characterized by intense anxiety or fear when separated from or losing a person they are closely attached to, like a parent, spouse, or caregiver.

In some cases, the anxiety symptoms can become so intense that it is difficult to function independently because of fears or worries about being apart from their loved one or about something terrible happening to them.

Separation Anxiety Disorder Symptoms

People with separation anxiety disorder often experience three or more of the following symptoms:

• Intense distress when separated or anticipating separation from an attachment figure—even for daily activities like going to school, work, or the grocery store.
• Persistent worry that their attachment figure will become sick, injured, or even die when apart.
• Fear of getting lost or kidnapped—making it impossible to reunite with their attachment figure.
• Intense fear of being alone without an attachment figure nearby.
• Recurring nightmares about being separated from their attachment figure.

In addition to emotional distress, separation anxiety disorder may also cause one or more physical symptoms when separated from an attachment figure, including:

• Headache
• Stomachache
• Dizziness, nausea, or vomiting
• Heart palpitations

The licensed therapists at Beach House can help you understand why you’re experiencing anxiety when your loved ones leave and offer specialized anxiety disorder treatment to help manage your stress response and foster independence.

Causes and Risk Factors

Separation anxiety disorder can be caused by a combination of biological and environmental factors, such as:

• Brain chemistry
  Some people may have a higher risk of developing separation anxiety due to an imbalance of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain.
• Family history
  Those with a family history of anxiety or other mental health conditions have a higher risk of developing separation anxiety disorder.
• Trauma, loss, or life stresses
  Those experiencing a traumatic event like divorce or the loss of a loved one, pet, or attachment figure have an increased risk of developing this disorder.
• Parental overprotectiveness
  Those with overprotective parents are more likely to develop separation anxiety disorder.
• Inconsistent or inexperienced parenting
  Those with inconsistent or inexperienced parents can create an insecure attachment to them, increasing their risk of developing this disorder.

While these risk factors increase the likelihood of developing separation anxiety, a formal diagnosis is essential to identify what’s causing your symptoms and guide effective treatments.

How Is Separation Anxiety Disorder Diagnosed?

If you experience intense fear or distress when apart from loved ones or worry excessively about being apart, you may have a separation anxiety disorder.

A healthcare provider or mental health professional can accurately diagnose this disorder using criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR) book by the American Psychiatric Association. The requirements include developmentally inappropriate and excessive fear or anxiety concerning separation from an attachment figure that causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, academic, or professional settings.

To properly confirm a separation anxiety disorder diagnosis, other disorders and mental health conditions must be ruled out, such as:

• Autism spectrum disorder—excessive resistance to change.
• Psychotic disorder—delusions or hallucinations concerning separation.
• Agoraphobia—refusal to leave the home with or without a trusted companion.
• Generalized anxiety disorder—worries about significant others experiencing ill health or other harm.

Once a diagnosis is made, you and your healthcare provider or mental health professional can explore effective treatment options to help manage your symptoms and reduce distress.

How to Treat Separation Anxiety Disorder

The licensed therapists at Beach House offer several evidence-based treatments and, when necessary, medication to help you overcome your separation anxiety, such as:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), including gradual exposure to your feared object, animal, or situation.
• Family therapy and life skills training to improve communication and develop healthy coping strategies.
• Medications (e.g., antidepressants or anti-anxiety) to help manage severe symptoms.

The treatment plan is tailored to your unique needs and considers your age, gender, symptom severity, underlying causes, and co-occurring conditions.

We understand how overwhelming anxiety can feel. Our compassionate team is skilled in diagnosing and treating several types of anxiety disorders and is committed to helping you overcome your fears with personalized, high-quality care.

Get Help for Separation Anxiety Today

Beach House Center for Recovery offers several mental health treatment programs to help you find healing, hope, and a path to a brighter tomorrow.

Contact us today to get started.