Overview of Stranger and Separation Anxiety

Introduction

There are various manners in which separation and stranger anxiety affects the individual throughout the course of the life-span. Examples for each category will be given accordingly as well as other factors that may seem significant towards identifying these disorders in an individual. Definitions of various terms will be expressed to explain the implications of separation and stranger anxiety may have on a person and how it affects their day to day activities, as well as other areas of wellness (social, occupational, emotional, physical, etc.) Overall, separation and stranger anxiety creates numerous vulnerabilities for mental disorders throughout the course of one’s life, and diagnosis is not to be limited to one’s infancy or childhood.

Topic analysis

Definition of Stranger Anxiety

The distress and apprehension experienced by a person when they are surrounded by people that are unfamiliar to them. Most commonly seen in younger age groups. (Typically seen in infants and preschoolers)

Definition of Separation Anxiety

Defined as anxiety over being away from a loved one, usually a parent. One of the most common anxiety disorders seen in children under 18 years of age.

Stranger Anxiety in Infancy

Stranger anxiety is the first form of anxiety an infant can experience in life. Stranger anxiety usually begins around eight or nine months of age and typically lasts until age two. (Feldman, 2017) Ways to depict stranger anxiety can vary, for example, an unfamiliar face trying to carry or pick up the infant. It may also include a stranger or a person they could recognize but they are wearing something that would make them unrecognizable in the child’s eyes. Such as if a person is wearing things that are unfamiliar to them may upset them like glasses, costumes, etc. Babies differentiate caregivers from other people and display a strong preference for familiar faces.

Separation Anxiety in Infants

Separation anxiety is the second type of anxiety a child can experience in their life. It is most active between six and ten months of age because babies have not developed object permanence. They are unable to understand that once a parent or caretaker leaves does not mean they are gone forever. Playing peekaboo is a great way to introduce object permanence.

Distracting the child also helps the child with dealing with a parent leaving. Babies will not notice the parent or caretaker leaves avoiding upsetting the child. An example that can be noted is that during the first few days of daycare or preschool they may experience an unrealistic and lasting worry that something bad will happen to the parent or caregiver if the child leaves. There can be refusal to go to sleep without a parent or caregiver as well as nightmares of being separated from the attachment figure.

Separation Anxiety in Adolescence

Although it is not as common as in infancy, it can still be seen in adolescence. Separation anxiety can continue in adolescence mainly due to situations occurring in their homes. They may fear that something can occur to loved ones while they are away. The development of that fear or feeling of uneasy being out of their comfort zone as they are starting to develop or see those around them developing. Adolescents view their home or family as a safety net or a comfort zone. Some signs may include them not wanting to go to school. They will try to make up excuses, such as being sick or not feeling well to convince caretaker to allow them so stay home.

Grow fear that something may happen to loved ones while they are away. Studies show that when President Trump first started his term younger children and adolescents feared going to school because they worried their parents would be deported. Feelings of being “homesick” when away from family members. This can be more commonly seen in young adults when they move out of family’s house or go away for college.

Stranger Anxiety in Adolescence

Stranger anxiety in adolescence can be linked to having a social anxiety. In extreme cases adolescents may feel people they are not familiar with can harm them. Stanger anxiety in infancy is the mere uneasiness of an unfamiliar face whereas stranger anxiety in adolescents tends to portray the uneasy feelings of what others may think of them. Adolescents are prone to be more self-conscious of themselves. They start to fear speaking or interacting in public, develop an uneasy feeling of reading or presenting in front of class and may view strangers as a threat to their well-being.

Separation Anxiety in Adulthood

Separation anxiety in adulthood is often overlooked, however since the new changes in the DSM-5, more is being uncovered on proper assessment of this disorder amongst adults. Adults may present have similar symptoms/ behaviors (as seen in earlier years): Actions such as repeated phone calls to attachment figures throughout the day or making arrangements to keep the individual(s) in proximity at all times.

Non-verbal cues deigned to signal the person’s distress when there is a perceived threat of separation as well as other subtle means to ensure nearness to attachment figure. There is a higher prevalence in women (particularly during pregnancy). Due to this there are also familial pattern in mothers and daughters. Childhood risk factors include exposure to overprotective parenting.

Interviews conducted by Silove and Rees focused on the relationship between a mother and her seven-year-old daughter. The daughter showed constant stress and worry and avoidance towards school, she always questioned her mother’s well-being and safety, often cried and complained of headaches, stomach aches, and will proceed to vomit because of her worry. She also would have nightmares about her mother getting kidnapped, falling ill and dying, the daughter met criteria for separation anxiety.

After interviewing the daughter, the mother was also interviewed. It was discovered she had a longstanding pattern of broken sleep once her daughter was born. She had formed a habitual pattern of checking on her repeatedly to ensure she was alive and breathing. Throughout her child’s life she constantly worried about her, she limited contact with other children to ensure she would not catch any undisclosed illnesses and rarely went out to shopping centers out of worry for child’s well-being. Before the age restrictions were lifted, the mother was quick to be diagnosed as having panic- agoraphobia.

Agoraphobia is the extreme fear of entering open or crowded places, leaving one’s own home or of being in places where escaping is difficult. However, the psychologist that focused on exposure programming discovered that was not the root of her fears. The mother’s primary concerns were with ensuring closeness and safety of her daughter at all times, not simply being in public places.

Stranger Anxiety in Adulthood

Although similar to the adolescent stage, reactions may be consistent and result in social anxiety, which is the fear of social situations that involve interactions with other people. There is comfort in familiarity, which lead to a lack of trusting new individuals. This in itself can be influenced by over protective parenting styles at a young age.

Conclusion

Throughout the years, the criteria for who could experience separation and stranger anxiety has changed dramatically. The complex nature of anxiety and its various ways it may choose to present itself often makes it difficult to diagnose an individual accordingly. Given these changes it is to be known that these disorders are not simply prevalent in one’s childhood or infancy and that it may make itself known later on in life, or even continue to affect one in numerous forms throughout one’s life. However, through treatment and seeking the appropriate professionals help is always within reach to provide the necessary resources to face these concerns and not let it control one’s day to day activities.

Works Cited

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