Separation anxiety disorder

Separation anxiety disorder

Separation anxiety is a psychological condition in which an individual has excessive anxiety regarding separation from home or from people to whom the individual has a strong emotional attachment (like a father and mother).

Background

Present in all age groups, adult separation anxiety disorder (affecting roughly 7% of adults) is more common than childhood separation anxiety disorder (affecting approximately 4% of children). [ [http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/41/13/30 Adult Separation Anxiety Often Overlooked Diagnosis - Arehart-Treichel 41 (13): 30 - Psychiatr News ] ] [ [http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/163/6/1074 Prevalence and Correlates of Estimated DSM-IV Child and Adult Separation Anxiety Disorder in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication - Shear et al. 163 (6): 1074 - Am J Psychiatry ] ] Separation anxiety disorder is often characterized by some of the following symptoms:

* Recurring distress when separated from the subject of attachment (such as significant other, the father or the mother, or home)
* Persistent, excessive worrying about losing the subject of attachment
* Persistent, excessive worrying that some event will lead to separation from a major attachment
* Excessive fear about being alone without subject of attachment
* Persistent reluctance or refusal to go to sleep without being near a major attachment figure, like a significant other or mother
* Recurrent nightmares about separation

Often, separation anxiety disorder is a symptom of a co-morbid condition. Studies show that children suffering from separation anxiety disorder are much more likely to have ADHD, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, and other disorders later in life. [ [http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=59727&nfid=crss Link Between Separation Anxiety In Children And Subsequent Onset Of Panic Disorder In Adulthood, Testing The Hypothesis ] ]

eparation Anxiety Disorder versus Separation Anxiety

Separation Anxiety Disorder should not be confused with Separation Anxiety, which occurs as "a normal stage of development for healthy, secure babies." [ [http://www.drgreene.org/body.cfm?id=21&action=detail&ref=993 Separation Anxiety - DrGreene.com ] ] Separation anxiety occurs as babies begin to understand their own selfhood—or understand that they are a separate person from their primary caregiver. At the same time, the concept of object permanence emerges—which is when children learn that something still exists when it is not seen or heard. As babies begin to understand that they can be separated from their primary caregiver, they do not understand that their caregiver will return, nor do they have a concept of time. This, in turn, causes a normal and healthy anxious reaction. Separation anxiety typically onsets around 8 months of age and increases until 13-15 months, when it begins to decline [Siegler, Robert (2006). How Childred Develop, Exploring Child Develop Student Media Tool Kit & Scientific American Reader to Accompany How Children Develop. New York: Worth Publishers. ISBN 0716761130.] .

See also

*Stranger anxiety

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • separation anxiety disorder — noun A psychological condition in which an individual experiences excessive anxiety regarding separation from home or from people to whom the individual has a strong emotional attachment …   Wiktionary

  • separation anxiety disorder — noun Psychology a condition in which one experiences excessive and developmentally inappropriate anxiety on separation from one s home or from those to whom one is attached …  

  • separation anxiety disorder — [DSM IV] excessive, prolonged, developmentally inappropriate anxiety and apprehension in a child concerning removal from parents, home, or familiar surroundings …   Medical dictionary

  • Anxiety disorder — Classification and external resources The Scream (Norwegian: Skrik) an Expressionist painting by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch ICD 10 …   Wikipedia

  • separation anxiety — n a form of anxiety that is caused by separation from a significant nurturant figure and typically a parent or from familiar surroundings and that has an onset during childhood or sometimes adolescence * * * a state of distress and fear at the… …   Medical dictionary

  • Generalized anxiety disorder — DiseaseDisorder infobox Name = Generalised anxiety disorder ICD10 = ICD10|F|41|1|f|40 ICD9 = ICD9|300.02 DSM IV TR = DSM IV TR|300.02 Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is an anxiety disorder that is characterized by excessive, uncontrollable and …   Wikipedia

  • Anxiety —    Anxiety and phobic thinking may be normal emotions, distinct clusters of symptoms ( syndromes *), or diseases in the sense of distinct illness entities.    In psychoanalysis, anxiety is used as a theoretical term, the presumed unconscious… …   Historical dictionary of Psychiatry

  • Anxiety and Phobias —    Anxiety and phobic thinking may be normal emotions, distinct clusters of symptoms ( syndromes *), or diseases in the sense of distinct illness entities.    In psychoanalysis, anxiety is used as a theoretical term, the presumed unconscious… …   Historical dictionary of Psychiatry

  • Anxiety UK — (formerly the National Phobics Society[1]) is a UK national registered charity formed 30 years ago for those affected by anxiety disorders. It is a user led organisation, run by sufferers and ex sufferers of anxiety disorders. The NPS is the… …   Wikipedia

  • Anxiety — For other uses, see Anxiety (disambiguation). Anxiety A marble bust of the Roman Emperor Decius from the Capitoline Museum. This portrait conveys an impression of anxiety and weariness, as of a man shouldering heavy [state] responsibilities …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”