Separation Anxiety Disorder

Separation Anxiety Disorder is characterized by developmentally inappropriate and excessive anxiety concerning separation from home or from those to whom the individual is attached. Separation anxiety causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, academic, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

This is typically evidenced by several of the following symptoms:

• Recurrent excessive distress when separation from home or major attachment figures occurs or is anticipated

• Persistent and excessive worry about losing, or about something harmful happening to major attachment figures

• Worry that a harmful event will lead to separation from major attachment figure (e.g., getting lost or being kidnapped)

• Persistent reluctance or refusal to go to school or elsewhere because of fear of separation

• Excessively fearful or reluctant to be alone

• Refusal to go to sleep without being near a major attachment figure or to sleep away from home

• Recurrent nightmares involving the theme of separation

• Repeated complaints of physical symptoms (e.g., headaches, stomachaches) when separation from major attachment figures occurs or is anticipated