Practical Tips for Finding Time as a Parent: Balancing Family and Personal Life
Being a parent can feel like a constant balancing act between work life and home life, social life, and just plain alone time. If we suspect that...
4 min read
Williamsburg Therapy Group : Nov 17, 2023 1:37:13 PM
Many parents who try to go out while leaving their child with other caregivers find themselves sighing and explaining over the screams, "Oh, they have separation anxiety." But what exactly is separation anxiety? Is it a normal childhood issue, or is it something more?
In this article, we'll discuss the difference between separation anxiety and separation anxiety disorder, how parents can help their child's symptoms, and how this disorder can be treated.
Separation anxiety is a fairly common early childhood issue when a baby or toddler demonstrates fear or worry when apart from their usual loved ones. Normal separation anxiety is experienced by nearly all children at some point or another and generally resolves itself around age 2 or 3 as the child develops.
Separation anxiety disorder is a mental health diagnosis that can be seen most commonly in childhood but may present all the way into adulthood for some. Separation anxiety disorder (SAD) causes a person to experience extreme fear when they are separated from their family members or even their primary caregiver.
Children who have separation anxiety disorder experience worry about their parents or other family members, to the point where it negatively impacts day to day life in the child's school or social life. Your child's anxiety may make it difficult for them to participate in everyday activities and create a great deal of stress in their lives, as well as the lives of their parents or other family members.
You must have separation anxiety disorder diagnosed by a healthcare provider or a mental health professional using criteria from the latest diagnostic and statistical manual (DSM-5).
There can be different causes of separation anxiety disorder in children. Some of the most common include:
In many cases, separation anxiety disorder is caused by a combination of biological and environmental factors.
If you are concerned that your child's symptoms point more toward separation anxiety disorder than a common and transient child's separation anxiety, there are some signs you can look for. If these look familiar to you, you may want to schedule a mental health evaluation with your child's healthcare provider:
Risk factors for separation anxiety disorder can include:
Separation anxiety disorder in children or even adolescents and adults is treatable. In adults, the initial separation anxiety disorder will often develop into another anxiety disorder, like panic disorder.
Cognitive behavioral therapy with a licensed therapist is an effective, evidence-based treatment for both separation anxiety and these other anxiety disorders. Anti-anxiety medication may also be prescribed by your child's healthcare provider in some severe cases to help manage symptoms.
Family therapy can also be a valuable tool to help other family members understand separation anxiety disorder and how to improve the child's quality of life.
For normal separation anxiety in very young children, there are some strategies you can use to help manage symptoms. Keep your transitions short--drawing out the separation time can increase negative behaviors.
Toddlers also have a tendency to act out when tired or hungry. When you make plans to go out, try to ensure that the child involved is both fed and well-rested. Finally, be consistent when you make plans away from your child - don't respond to pleas or threats, and don't cancel plans based on their behavior.
To treat separation anxiety disorder, you will need the help of your child's healthcare provider. The symptoms of separation anxiety can be more severe due to intense fear, and may require individual or family therapy to manage these feelings.
Alongside this therapy, there are some tips you can follow to reinforce what their therapist is doing:
While you can't always prevent separation anxiety disorder, with a treatment plan, people with separation anxiety have a good outlook in the long term. If left untreated, symptoms of separation anxiety can develop into a related mental health problem like social anxiety or panic disorder.
But with treatment like CBT and (in some cases) antidepressant or antianxiety medicine, most children with social anxiety disorder can manage their symptoms and lead a vibrant and healthy social life.
If you think your child may have separation anxiety, you should book an appointment with a licensed child therapist.
Williamsburg Therapy Group is proud to be home to one of Brooklyn's best child therapy departments. Give us a call, and our patient coordinator will set you up with the right doctoral-level Brooklyn child therapist for you.
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