Welcome back. This is the savvy psychologist. I'm Dr. Ellen Hendrickson and every

week I'll help you meet life challenges with evidence-based research, a sympathetic

ear, and zero judgment.

From ill-advised Hollywood marriages to good old oil and water, separation is an inevitable part of life.

And so it is with separation anxiety.

Virtually every toddler goes through a totally normal developmental stage

where being away from a primary caregiver

is met with tears and clinging that fall somewhere between baby koala and

laundry with no dryer sheet. And it makes total sense. Of course a child would

get upset about being away from the person who takes care of them.

But all the fuss usually subsides by about age two.

Now, usually doesn't mean always. Lots of school-age kids and teens, various studies

estimate about one in 20, have separation anxiety, which can lead to very real

problems like not wanting to go to school or having trouble making friends.

But guess what? Separation anxiety is just as common, if not more common, in adults than it is in kids.

One study estimates that a full 6.6% of adults will have separation anxiety at some point in their life, whether it spills over from childhood

or starts fresh as an adult reaction to bereavement, panic attacks, or something else.

What does this mean? It means if you suspect this might mean you, you're far from

alone. Okay, so what are the signs of adult separation anxiety.

Well, to illustrate, meet Megan, a client I worked with a few years ago.

And clearly, Megan is not her real name because I'd like to keep my license.

But Megan was a smart 30-something grant writer who'd been married for almost 10 years.

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