Separation Anxiety - Psychologist Counselling Program
Separation Anxiety Separation anxiety, the fear of being apart from loved ones, is a natural and adaptive response crucial for survival. However, in children, this fear can sometimes become excessive and chronic, evolving into a condition known as separation anxiety disorder. Children with this disorder often cling to their parents, avoid sleeping over at friends' homes, and may resist attending school. Thankfully, effective treatments are available for children struggling with separation anxiety. While much of the research on separation anxiety focuses on children, recent studies reveal that this condition can also affect adults. Adults with separation anxiety experience intense and ongoing fears of being apart from loved ones, which may include children, partners, parents, or other close relationships.
When directed toward children, these fears can lead parents to become overprotective, struggling to let their children gain independence. If focused on romantic partners, the affected individual may exhibit controlling, dependent, or jealous behaviors. For adults anxious about their own parents, their lives may revolve around maintaining constant involvement with them, often at great personal cost. Despite its profound impact on social, emotional, and professional functioning, separation anxiety disorder in adults has historically been overlooked as a recognized condition. Fortunately, the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) now includes separation anxiety disorder as a diagnosable condition for adults, alongside children. Even so, adult separation anxiety often goes undetected or is misdiagnosed by researchers and clinicians. Its symptoms are frequently mistaken for those of other disorders, such as panic disorder, agoraphobia, or personality disorders, leading to suboptimal treatment.
The instinct to seek closeness to caregivers and those who provide protection during times of vulnerability is a trait shared by most mammals. In humans, fears of separation from close attachments—such as intimate partners, family members, or close friends—are deeply rooted. However, when these fears become excessive and focused on one or two specific individuals, they can be maladaptive, leading to significant distress and social dysfunction. In such cases, health professionals should consider the possibility of a diagnosis of separation anxiety disorder.
Clinical Indicators of Adult Separation Anxiety
- Repeatedly seeking excessive reassurance about the availability or contact with attachment figures, such as calling them multiple times during the day or needing detailed information about their plans and whereabouts in advance.
- Demanding specific timing and conditions for reunions after being apart from the attachment figure, including ensuring that safety measures are in place (e.g., information about companions, phone numbers, and emergency contact details) to guarantee reconnection.
- Hesitance to leave the home, often displayed as delaying, making excuses, or procrastinating before going out.
- Engaging in "sleep rituals" like sleeping with lights on, keeping the bedroom door open to hear familiar people nearby, playing music in the background, ensuring the attachment figure is available or reachable before bed, and experiencing difficulty sleeping alone.
- Actively seeking out key attachment figures, such as making unnecessary or prolonged phone calls or looking for familiar people associated with their close bonds when those key figures are not available. For adults, maintaining contact—either in person or via phone—can serve as a substitute for the clinging and shadowing behaviors seen in young children.
Manicavasagar, V., Silove, D. (2020). Separation Anxiety Disorder in Adults: Clinical Features, Diagnostic Dilemmas and Treatment Guidelines. Netherlands: Academic Press.
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