Separation Anxiety Disorder

Separation anxiety disorder can affect people of any age. As the name suggests, separation anxiety is characterized by an increased level of anxiety due to being removed from a person or place of safety or comfort. Separation anxiety disorder in children is more common than in adults. Toddler separation anxiety and infant separation anxiety account for the vast number of cases of child separation anxiety.

Separation anxiety disorder is commonly used to describe the upset experienced by children when they are left by a parent, at school or kindergarten for example. Separation anxiety in toddlers is sometimes very hard on the parents as it is usually their first encounter with the distress that it causes their child.

Adults too can experience separation anxiety disorder, this happens through divorce, bereavement or through the development of an anxiety disorder which can include agoraphobic symptoms where a person experiences anxiety due to separation from a person or place of safety.

It is important to understand that although separation can cause anxiety, this is inappropriate when it is clear that the separation is not permanent. Of course, young children do not understand that they will be collected again but older children and adults who should understand this and still feel detached and anxious are experiencing true separation anxiety; this falls into the realms of general anxiety disorder.

Any inappropriate anxiety is deemed an anxiety disorder. No one should experience such a high level of anxiety at times when it is not required. Separation anxiety is no exception. It forms part of an anxiety disorder and can therefore be treated as such. Medication and counseling are not the solution.

The anxious response is created deep in the subconscious 'autonomic nervous system' in an organ called the Amygdala. It is this that causes and perpetuates the inappropriate levels of anxiety experienced in separation anxiety disorder and it is this, therefore, that must be addressed.

The Linden Method is the most successful separation anxiety disorder treatment. If followed correctly, the Linden Method will help you to 're-set' this level of inappropriate anxiety by addressing it at the root cause in the Amygdala. Separation anxiety in babies is more difficult to treat and should be overseen by a qualified expert. Child separation anxiety is easier to treat when the child has developed language skills.

The success of this treatment is undeniable; it is easy to learn, not time consuming, is completely sensitive to the fears of anxious people and can be used by all age groups. The only proviso is that the method is overseen by an adult in the case of children under 14 as there are elements which may need to be explained by an adult.

Charles Linden
Author of The Linden Method^® and
CEO of The Linden Centers