Separation anxiety disorder

What is separation anxiety?

Separation anxiety, also known as abandonment anxiety, means that someone is very afraid of being separated from someone they are attached to. This is often a parent or caregiver. When children are separated from this person, they often worry a lot about the safety and health of their parents, caregivers, or themselves. Most children experience a temporary form of separation anxiety. This is part of their development and is very normal. Only when this behavior is no longer age-appropriate, persists for a longer period of time (generally longer than 6 months), and interferes with the child's development, could it be considered separation anxiety disorder. Separation anxiety disorder occurs in approximately 1 to 2% of the population.