The departure of children from their parents' home primarily for studies, army or job finding is an important moment for the family because it creates upheavals. This usually happens in the middle age of the parents, and this change may cause them a strong emotional change that, when persistent and very intense, can be described as a "Empty Nest Syndrome".

The main symptoms that may occur in this phase are loneliness, sadness, anxiety and, in some cases, depression. These major family rearrangements and the changes that parents are required to make at both practical and psychological levels sometimes create a serious problem of adaptation to these new facts. Most of them experience it as abandonment of parental roles, and for some, it may even be experienced as mourning.

Usually in the beginning it is much harder for mothers to deal with the fact that the child now has his own hours of food, sleep and generally his own daily routine. That is why they may continue to try to exercise control over their new lives, with repeated phone calls and many detailed questions of how they spend their day. In some cases, parents can get to the point of being interfering with and controlling the child's life, which will most often trigger serious conflicts in their relationships.

These changes that the middle-aged couple is experiencing are likely to bring to the surface some of the older issues that have long remained in obscurity. Due to the fact that there is now plenty of free time for discussion, they have to face these issues. It is now clear that this phenomenon raises problems both at the family and at the individual-marital level and should be especially taken care of, because sometimes it results in separation or serious conflict between family members.

Previous studies have shown that parents with this syndrome have much higher rates of vulnerability to alcoholism, substance abuse, depression or even serious conjugal conflicts. However, new studies have shown that with the departure of the last child there is the possibility for parents to reconnect and make a fresh start to their marriage.

This syndrome can be addressed in the context of a realistic rapprochement of the situation. Initially, it should be stressed that this syndrome is a normal process in most families and should not be treated as a pathological one (unless otherwise diagnosed by a specialist). It is also suggested that this change be an opportunity for them to invest more time in their relationship and to solve some problems they have had put aside.

It is also very important to make an effort so that the parent acquires a new identity. That is to become a parent of an adult rather than of a small child who was in the past. These interventions will aim at developing all the necessary skills and actions to acquire this new identity, with which he/she will go for the rest of his/her life. For his/her part, the adult young man must do a proper and constructive conversation with the parents where he will set his limits. It will become clear that his life has changed, but he has not changed the fact that he continues to love and care for his parents and everyone should adapt to the new data with understanding and confidence.