S e p a r a t i o n A n x i e t y D i s o r d e r

1. S e p a r a t i o n A n x i e t y D i s o r d e r Mia McKenzie Ms. Ready Psychology, B4 17 December 2013

2. What is SAD? • Separation anxiety disorder (SAD) is 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 • According to the American Psychology Association, separation anxiety disorder is the inappropriate and excessive display of fear and distress when faced with situations of separation from the home or from a specific attachment figure. • SAD may cause significant negative effects within a child's everyday life, as well. These effects can be seen in areas of social and emotional functioning, family life, physical health, and within the academic context.

3. Characteristics of SAD • Characteristic features of separation anxiety disorder include severe distress, fear, or worry leading to impairment of functioning and frequently accompanied by somatic symptoms such as headaches or stomachaches • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEkFp0Ux4OQ&safe=active

4. Causes • Research studies indicate that some children who are overly fearful early in life may eventually develop anxiety disorders that result in substantial impairment. Significant symptoms of anxiety may emerge when a child enters school for the first time and is expected to adjust to daily separation from a parent or caregiver. In some cases, initial separation anxiety resolves over the first few weeks of school, while less commonly, the anxiety does not resolve spontaneously and worsens over time. • Researchers have hypothesized that children who develop separation anxiety disorders may have altered sensitivity to endocrine influences such as maternal cortical, and the way in which they process emotionally intense experiences of separation.

5. Symptoms • The severity of the symptoms ranges from anticipatory uneasiness to full-blown anxiety about separation. • Subjective feeling of anxiety • Unrealistic worries about the safety of loved ones • Reluctance to fall asleep if not near the primary attachment figure • Excessive dismay (for example, tantrums) if separation from the primary attachment figure or item. • Nightmares with separation-related themes • Homesickness • Psychosomatic symptoms such as headache, dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, stomachache, cramps, vomiting, and muscle aches.

6. When to Seek Medical Care • Seek medical evaluation when social functioning becomes impaired, that is when a child or adolescent is refusing to go to school, is not socializing, is avoiding participation in sports or recreation, or is unwilling to be separated from figure or object.

7. Separation Anxiety Treatment • The child or adolescent and his or her family, school staff, and primary-care physician should work together to design a plan to accomplish a gradual return to developmentally expected function in settings such as school, sports, and social events. It is very important to acknowledge the level of distress that the child or adolescent feels. • Cognitive-behavior therapy, including response prevention and exposure therapy has been shown to be effective, especially in helping the child or adolescent return to normal daily function. • Anti-anxiety medications may be effective but are not U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for people younger than 18 years of age.

8. Case Study • Emilia • She began to severe separation anxiety her mother took her to school for the first time. • Although she had never really been away from her mother before, her mother could not fathom why she would act in such ways when other children did not. • Psychologist have explained that separation from the parent and child in early childhood development is healthy and lets the child get a feel of independence. Separation anxiety of this level could have been easily avoided if Katharine, Emilia’s mother had maybe left her with a babysitter every once in awhile or let other caretakers takeover for a bit. • http://www.parentingstyles.co.uk/handling-separation-anxietya-case-study.html

9. Interesting Things About Specific SAD’s

10. The most prominent cause of SAD later on in life during adolescence is bullying. Teenage females are more prone to bullying and taunting among their peers, which is why 64% of adolescents that have SAD are female. • Bullying and experiences of recurrent social rejectionmay contribute to the development of separation anxiety in vulnerable children and adolescents. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2p_N7Lcl90&safe=active

11. Cellphone Separation Anxiety (CSAD) is starting to become a serious around the world, especially with teens. Symptoms of CSAD include extremely irritability, fidgeting, involuntary movement of the hands and eyes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_n9sHRhvAw&safe=activehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YsiPXX8YT4&safe=active

12. Work Cited Page • Work Cited • http://www.parentingstyles.co.uk/handling-separation-anxietya-case-study.html • http://www.emedicinehealth.com/separation_anxiety • http://www.medicinenet.com/separation_anxiety • http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57457818-1/something-new-to-fear-cell-phone-separation-anxiety/ • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YsiPXX8YT4