You might have heard about separation anxiety somewhere and have been wondering whether you have it. There are so many things to look at in order to find out if you have this disorder. Here are the fiver dirty secrets of separation anxiety, and what could be causing them.
1. Kids are more prone to separation anxiety.
Losing something important is very hard. To a child, this could mean the end of the world in some way. This is one of the main reasons why people go into depression when they separate from someone. Separation anxiety is not limited to kids that were left behind after their parents split up. Children are vulnerable to these things, especially when they felt incredibly attached to the parent that left. The extent of separation anxiety in children is directly related with his or her mental development level. This only means that children that know more can feel the loss more. Children with this disorder are quiet and would speak only when spoken to. Children of broken families may show apathy and sadness, along with difficulty focusing on studies.
2. Separation anxiety may lead to paranoia.
Depending on the mental state of the person experiencing separation anxiety, paranoia may develop. It could start from fearing the dark or always being anxious about car accidents. Some kids don’t want to leave home because they are afraid they may never come back. These fears tend to stick around until adulthood, which leads to adult anxiety disorder. Phobias develop more in anxious individuals. They may soon channel their fears on animate objects like animals or burglars.
3. A Good Night’s Sleep is Rare
Many sleepless nights could lead to more nightmares. The mind becomes too tired with the non-stop stimuli of daily lifestyle changes. When the mind is tired, the old fears, even those forgotten, re-surface. Phobias from childhood may come back. Some individuals even regressed to their stuttering speech after years of being free from the disability.
4. Mental Distress
Recurrent show of excessive anxiety when someone leaves for work may be a symptom of worsening separation anxiety. This kind of distress may occur to the individual wherever he or she is. The body remembers this kind of distress, which translates to being fretful and difficult. If the person tries to keep it in, he may experience nightmares. Children of divorcing couples experience many of these symptoms. The main treatment seems to be therapy, with emphasis on social exposure.
5. Adapting to the New Lifestyle is Difficult
Adapting to the new lifestyle with no regard for the past may seem impossible, but there are ways to buffer the debilitating effects of separation with enough knowledge of confidence boosting techniques and relaxation methods. Separation anxiety treatment should be done on the child and the parent. The baggage needs to go and life must go on for both the parent and child that were left behind.
