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Amélie Boukhobza (Clinical Psychologist)
Do you tend to get stressed when your partner is away? Here are 10 phrases that reveal separation anxiety, examined by our expert, Amélie Boukhobza, clinical psychologist.
As soon as your friend leaves for a few days, you are prey to stress? It is possible that you are suffering from separation anxiety – a little-known disorder that is nevertheless disabling in daily life. Here are the key phrases to identify to be sure.
Separation Anxiety: What is it?
According to the MSD Manual, separation anxiety is defined as “by a persistent, intense and inappropriate fear of separation from a primary attachment figure.”
A definition that Amélie Boukhobza, psychologist, validates.Separation anxiety is an intense, irrational fear of being separated from someone you care about,” she says.
In toddlers (8-24 months), this is a completely normal emotion. The child panics when he sees his attachment figure disappear from his field of vision – usually his mother.
Although this anxiety usually disappears with time – when the child understands that his parents will return – it nevertheless persists in rare cases until adulthood. It is then considered a serious disorder.
“This form of anxiety can affect children as well as adults, and disrupt daily life and psychological balance.“, the expert emphasizes.
To overcome this separation anxiety, or help a loved one overcome it, recognizing the symptoms associated with this obsessive disorder is essential.
Separation Anxiety: Signs to Look Out for
A few key phrases characterize this anxiety and allow us to better identify it:
1. Don’t leave without me, I can’t stay alone.“This sentence expresses the intense fear of being left alone.“, confides Amélie Boukhobza.
2. What if something bad happens to you while you’re away? “It is the thought of a worry excessive for the safety of the other“, the expert emphasizes.
3. I don’t sleep well when you’re not home. ““Sleep disturbances in the absence of the other person are a common symptom,” assures the specialist.
4. I feel so bad when you leave. “It is the expression of physical or emotional discomfort directly linked to the separation“, warns Amélie Boukhobza.
5. Call me as soon as you arrive, okay? “This sentence marks a need for constant reassurance.” warns the psychologist.
6. I can’t concentrate when you’re far away. “This expresses a difficulty in focusing on anything other than the absence of the other.“, reveals the expert.
7. Do you still love me? Even when you’re far away? “It is an expression of concern about the stability and continuity of affection in the absence of the other.“, confides the practitioner.
8. I can’t do anything without you. “These terms mark a strong emotional dependence“, says the specialist.
9. If you leave, what will become of me? “It is the fear of losing the other, one’s identity or one’s stability in the absence of the other.“, the psychologist explains further.
10. You come back soon. “It is the need for a reassuring promise to manage anxiety“, concludes Amélie Boukhobza.