Adult Separation Anxiety Disorder – A new diagnostic category
I’ve noticed many contributors referencing their own struggles with anxiety as well as considering/reporting the anxiety that some celebrities have referenced themselves. Sometimes it’s simply obvious given the overwhelming circumstances, crowds, PR pressures, performance concerns and red carpet expectations/surprises that celebrities endure. They’re anxious.
There are a number of diagnoses within the anxiety category that subdivide into more specific symptoms. Social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, specific phobias. In the DSM IV which lists and describes every psychiatric classification, a new anxiety category was added: Adult Separation Anxiety Disorder. It describes adults who continue to fear (from childhood) the loss of a parent or significant other to the extent that this fear can be completely disabling. The symptoms include (and this is only a few): vomiting, diarrhea, panic attacks, hypervigilance, difficulty making decisions, shame, derealization (life feels unreal, disconnected), substance abuse and suicidal ideation/attempts.
This is possibly the most serious anxiety disorder although anyone experiencing severe anxiety would probably argue justifiably. As with any anxiety disorder, there are chemical imbalances in the brain. Interestingly 73% who meet the criteria for ASAD have a family history of this condition. So for example, a child traumatized by experiencing an abrupt life stressor in which they are separated from their parents at a young age could develop this condition then have a 73% chance of passing it on to his/her children. These adults spend their lives being unsure of themselves, feeling shame for perceived “bad” behaviour as they struggle to find a reason for the separation and enduring constant anxiety at varying levels, the only relief being alone with familiar surroundings or the lost parent. It has a profound impact on the individuals ability to recognize appropriate friends and candidates for a mature romantic relationship.
I found this interesting because we often discuss “fake” relationships and how this is common in the entertainment industry. Others deciding who you should be seen with, date, even marry when you’re already confused. Celebrities often come from wealthy families or families of privilege; the same families who send their children to private schools, allow nannies to raise them, or “abandon” them at an age where they are unsure anyone is coming back. I suspect many are victims of this system that cares nothing for the individual and everything for money and power.
Ref: DM Silove, CL Marnane, R Wagner, V Manicavasagar, S Rees. The Prevalence and Correlates of Adult Separation Anxiety Disorder in an Anxiety Clinic, BMC Psychiatry, 2010, 10:21.