BONUS POST: My Lifelong 'Childhood Disorder.'
The Thing That Didn't Leave.
Amanda Stern
August 25, 2024
 | You’re reading How to Live—an inquiry into the psychological forces that shape us, and how to stop being run by them. Through deep research, personal storytelling, and hard-won insight, I challenge the myth of normalcy and offer new ways to face old struggles. This work is reader-supported. If it speaks to you, consider a paid subscription for deeper insight, off-the-record writing, and seasonal in-person gatherings. You can also donate any amount. |
My Lifelong 'Childhood Disorder.'
I wrote about Adult Separation Anxiety Disorder (ASAD) as an under-recognized disorder in a recent post. I admitted that I have it; that I've always had it.
Today's bonus for premium members is the most personal How to Live piece I've written. Not because I am typically withholding—I’m not—but because I’m exposing a struggle that, until a decade ago, wasn’t clinically recognized in adults, leading sufferers to struggle with feelings of shame and discomposure for existing outside the realm of other peoples’ possibilities.
Yet, adult separation anxiety disorder isn't just possible, it's prevalent.
This piece is about adult separation anxiety as I experience it still, to this day, although to a lesser degree than I did in childhood.
I reveal the impact it has on my friendships and romantic relationships and how it makes things most people take for granted incredibly challenging for me.
Upgrade to discover whether you or a loved one might also might suffer from this overlooked disorder.
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