Separation Anxiety Disorder Treatment in Austin

What is Separation Anxiety Disorder?

Defined as distress associated with separation from one’s parent or caregiver, separation anxiety is developmentally appropriate among infants and toddlers between the ages of 6 and 18 months. However, Separation Anxiety Disorder is characterized by excessive, persistent worry when separation from home or attachment figures occurs or is anticipated.

  • Recurrent, excessive distress when separation from home, parents, and/or loved ones occurs or is anticipated

    Preference for time spent with parents over social activities

    Persistent worry about losing or about possible harm befalling a parent or other loved one

    Extreme worry if parent or caregiver is late

    Fear of getting lost or being kidnapped

    Reluctance or refusal to go to school or elsewhere due to fear of separation

    Difficulty going to sleep without being near caregiver or sibling

    Fearful or reluctant to be alone, clinginess

    Frequent reassurance seeking

    Physical symptoms (such as headache, stomachache, nausea, or vomiting) when separation from parent or caregiver occurs or is anticipated

    Nightmares about separation

  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is considered the treatment of choice with emphasis placed on identifying anxious thoughts regarding separation, challenging those thoughts, and generating alternative coping thoughts. Relaxation techniques targeting physical symptoms of stress and anxiety may also be a helpful component of the treatment plan. These new skills are then implemented in anxiety provoking situations such as attending a birthday party without a parent or staying with a babysitter. This is accomplished gradually beginning with the easiest situations then progressing to the more difficult. Parent education is an important component of treatment as the anxiety is often unintentionally reinforced.

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