Separation Anxiety Disorder

Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is a psychological condition characterised by excessive anxiety regarding separation from home or from individuals to whom the individual has a strong emotional attachment. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), the key elements of this disorder are as follows:

1. Excessive Distress: The individual experiences significant and age-inappropriate distress when anticipating or experiencing separation from home or major attachment figures.
2. Persistent and Excessive Worry: There is often persistent and excessive worry about losing major attachment figures or about possible harm befalling them, such as illness, injury, disasters, or death. Additionally, there may be worry about experiencing an untoward event that causes separation from a major attachment figure (e.g., getting lost or being kidnapped).
3. Reluctance or Refusal to Go Away: The individual may exhibit reluctance or refusal to go out, away from home, to school, to work, or elsewhere because of fear of separation.
4. Fear of Being Alone: Persistent and excessive fear or reluctance to be alone or without major attachment figures at home or in other settings is common.
5. Nighttime Fears: Individuals with SAD may resist going to sleep without being near a major attachment figure or may experience nightmares about separation.
6. Physical Symptoms: When separation from major attachment figures occurs or is anticipated, the individual may suffer from physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach aches, nausea, or vomiting.
7. Duration of the Disturbance: The duration of these symptoms is typically at least four weeks in children and adolescents and typically at least six months in adults.
8. Impairment: The fear, anxiety, or avoidance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, academic, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
9. Not Better Explained by Another Disorder: The disturbance does not occur exclusively during the course of another mental disorder, such as refusing to leave home because of excessive reluctance to change in autism spectrum disorder, and is not better explained by another mental disorder, like panic disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, or generalised anxiety disorder.

It’s important to note that the diagnosis of any mental health disorder should be made by a qualified mental health professional, and this description is intended only for general educational and informational purposes.