When most people hear the term separation anxiety, they imagine a crying child clinging to their parent on the first day of school. However, separation anxiety isnāt limited to children. Adults, too, can experience intense emotional distress when separated from loved ones, partners, or even familiar environments. Known as Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD) in adults, this condition is real, often misunderstood, and can significantly affect oneās mental and emotional well-being.
In recent years, psychologists have observed a growing number of adults struggling with attachment issues and separation anxiety especially in fast-paced, urban societies where emotional dependency, stress, and uncertainty are common.
What Is Separation Anxiety Disorder in Adults?
Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD) occurs when an individual experiences excessive fear or anxiety about being apart from people or places they are emotionally attached to. While mild separation distress can be normal in close relationships, SAD becomes a disorder when the fear is persistent, irrational, and disrupts daily functioning.
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), symptoms must last for at least six months in adults for a diagnosis of SAD.
Common Symptoms of Adult Separation Anxiety
Adults with this condition may not always realise that their anxiety stems from separation. The signs can appear subtle or may be mistaken for general anxiety or relationship insecurity. Common symptoms include:
- Excessive Worry: Persistent fear that harm, accident, or illness may occur to a loved one when apart.
- Difficulty Functioning Alone: Feeling uneasy or panicked when alone or away from attachment figures.
- Sleep Disturbances: Trouble sleeping without a partner or family member nearby.
- Avoidance Behaviours: Avoiding travel, social events, or work that requires being away from home or loved ones.
- Physical Symptoms: Headaches, stomachaches, rapid heartbeat, or dizziness during or before separations.
- Emotional Distress: Feelings of emptiness, sadness, or anger when separated.
Adults may also struggle with clinginess in relationships, constant need for reassurance, or difficulty maintaining independence, which can strain personal and professional life.
Psychological Causes and Risk Factors
Several psychological, environmental, and biological factors can contribute to the development of adult separation anxiety:
1. Childhood Experiences:
Adults who experienced separation anxiety as children, or who grew up in overprotective or unpredictable family environments, are more prone to developing SAD later in life.
2. Attachment Style:
Psychologists link separation anxiety to insecure attachment styles, especially anxious-preoccupied attachment, where individuals fear abandonment and crave closeness.
3. Traumatic Experiences:
Loss of a loved one, relationship breakups, relocation, or major life transitions can trigger separation-related fears.
4. Stress and Life Changes:
Events such as marriage, parenthood, or moving to a new city can heighten dependency and separation fears.
5. Personality and Genetics:
People with a tendency toward anxiety, perfectionism, or emotional sensitivity may be biologically predisposed to SAD.
The Impact on Daily Life and Relationships
Adult Separation Anxiety can deeply affect emotional health, interpersonal relationships, and career functioning. Individuals may:
- Feel constantly on edge when loved ones are away.
- Have difficulty focusing at work due to intrusive worries.
- Experience tension in romantic relationships from dependency or fear of abandonment.
- Avoid travel, independence, or long-term commitments out of fear of separation.
Over time, this anxiety can lead to depression, panic attacks, or chronic stress, reinforcing a cycle of emotional dependency.
Treatment and Coping Strategies
The good news is that Separation Anxiety Disorder in adults is treatable. With professional guidance and self-help strategies, individuals can learn to manage symptoms and build emotional independence.
1. Psychotherapy:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helps individuals identify and challenge irrational fears about separation, replacing them with healthier thought patterns.
- Attachment-based therapy addresses early emotional wounds and builds secure attachment styles.
- Online counselling platforms like TalktoAngel offer access to licensed psychologists who specialise in anxiety and attachment issues, allowing flexible, stigma-free support.
2. Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques:
Practices such as meditation, deep breathing, and yoga help regulate emotional responses and reduce panic associated with separation.
3. Gradual Exposure:
Slowly increasing time apart from loved ones can help desensitise the brain to separation triggers, improving tolerance and emotional resilience.
4. Building a Support Network:
Connecting with friends, support groups, or therapists provides emotional reassurance without overdependence on one person.
5. Professional Support:
For those needing in-person guidance, Psychowellness Centre provides specialised therapy for anxiety, attachment, and relationship concerns, helping individuals strengthen self-confidence and autonomy.
How Loved Ones Can Help
If someone you know is struggling with adult separation anxiety, approach them with empathy, not judgment. You can:
- Offer reassurance but encourage gradual independence.
- Help them seek therapy and support.
- Avoid reinforcing dependent behaviour by setting healthy boundaries.
- Communicate openly and compassionately.
Conclusion
The hidden loneliness of senior citizens is a deeply human issue that deserves empathy, understanding, and collective action. It is not merely a byproduct of ageing but a reflection of how society values connection, purpose, and care in later life. With the right emotional and psychological support, seniors can rediscover meaning, joy, and companionship.
For elderly individuals struggling with feelings of isolation or emotional distress, the Psychowellness Center, located in Dwarka Sector-17 and Janakpuri, New Delhi (011-47039812 /7827208707), offers specialised counselling, geriatric therapy, and wellness programs to enhance mental well-being and strengthen social bonds. Their team of experienced professionals, including some of the best psychologists near me, uses evidence-based approaches like CBT, REBT, and Mindfulness-Based Therapy to help seniors build resilience, find emotional clarity, and reconnect with life. For convenient online support, TalktoAngel provides virtual counselling and strength-oriented therapy, enabling senior citizens to access compassionate care from the comfort of their homes.
Loneliness in old age may be hidden, but it is never hopeless with awareness, care, and professional guidance, every senior can experience aging as a chapter filled with dignity, warmth, and connection.
Contribution: Dr. R.K. Suri, Clinical Psychologist, and Ms. Mansi, Counselling Psychologist
ReferencesĀ
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). APA Publishing.
Cyranowski, J. M., Hofkens, T. L., Frank, E., Seltman, H., Cai, H. M., & Amico, J. A. (2008). Evidence of dysregulated peripheral oxytocin release among depressed women. Psychosomatic Medicine, 70(9), 967ā975. https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0b013e318188ade4
Manicavasagar, V., & Silove, D. (2020). Adult separation anxiety disorder: An update on theory and treatment. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 54(3), 209ā220. https://doi.org/10.1177/0004867419888974
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