6 Ways to Cope With a Teen Who Has OCD

6 Ways to Cope With a Teen Who Has OCD October 02, 2019 Izabela Habur/Getty Images More in OCD Living With OCD Causes Symptoms and Diagnosis Treatment Types Related Conditions In This Article Table of Contents Expand Refusal to Be Assessed/Treated You're Involved in Compulsions Teen Enraged or Violent Refusal to Discuss Symptoms Using Drugs to Cope Being Bullied Because of OCD Teenagers can be a challenge at the best of times. However, when your teen has obsessive-compulsive disorder  (OCD) as well, it can present additional challenges.   Teenagers with OCD may have a number of problems that can make treatment of symptoms difficult. Your Teen Refuses to Be Assessed and/or Treated Teenagers often refuse to go for assessment and treatment for OCD. This is often related to the stigma of being diagnosed with a mental illness. They may also worry about falling behind in school or have concerns about the side effects of OCD medications. In addition, like many people with OCD, your teen may have poor insight into the nature and severity of his symptoms and may not see the need to seek treatment. How to Cope:  Try to find a therapist who is skilled in motivational interviewing techniques. These are designed to help enhance motivation for change and reduce negative feelings towards treatment through education. These techniques may also help your teen gain insight into the impact of her symptoms on herself and the people around her. It is important to remember that forcing someone to change simply does not work. Just being there as a source of support for when your teen does decide to seek treatment is often the best option. Constant nagging and confrontation often make the situation worse. You Have Become Involved in Your Teens Compulsions Many teenagers with OCD have managed to get their parents involved in their compulsions. This could involve things like helping with a cleaning ritual, agreeing to arrange items in the house a certain way, or providing excessive reassurance, like telling your teen over and over again that his hands are clean or that nothing bad will happen. This can cause burnout and frustration as parents grow tired of participating in rituals and/or continually providing reassurance for the same problems. How to Cope:  Ideally, you should have no involvement in your childs compulsions nor should you continue to provide reassurance once you have given initial feedback to your child. Participating in compulsions only reinforces their importance. Likewise, providing excessive reassurance validates the worries that accompany OCD. Many parents go along with their teens compulsions so that their teen will not feel distressed, but it is important to realize that in the long run, this does much more harm than good. It can often be helpful to work with a mental health professional to identify problematic OCD behaviors. Moreover, involving family members in treatment can be helpful. Your Teen Becomes Enraged or Violent When Prevented From Participating in an OCD Ritual Many pleasant, otherwise well-adjusted teens with OCD become very angry when prevented from carrying out an OCD ritual. In some cases, this can lead to physical confrontations between the parent and teen or the destruction of property. How to Cope:  It is important to remember that in the vast majority of cases, this anger is driven by fear, anxiety, and frustration, rather than aggression. Your teen is simply feeling overwhelmed and has run out of coping resources. It can often be helpful to engage an objective third-party, such as an OCD therapist, who can work with your teen in a non-judgmental environment to explore the nature of his obsessions and compulsions. The therapist can then work with your teen to put coping strategies in place and work to reduce the frequency of compulsions. If you are tackling this alone, your best strategy may be to simply walk away until you and your teen have calmed down. You can then discuss the matter rationally. Your Teen Will Not Discuss Her Symptoms With You   Teenagers are often reluctant to share details of their lives with their parents at the best of times, and this secrecy can be even worse in teens with OCD. Symptoms of OCD can be embarrassing, particularly with respect to obsessions related to sexuality, which could involve parents, siblings, pets, or other inappropriate figures. How to Cope:  You may have to accept that your teen will not be willing to share the nature of his symptoms with you. Respecting his privacy and providing a supportive, non-judgmental environment should he decide to open up is often the most helpful strategy in these circumstances. You may suggest that if he is not comfortable speaking with you, you will help him find a therapist he is comfortable with. Although your teen may be willing to discuss her symptoms with an OCD therapist, keep in mind that in most cases the therapist is bound to maintain your childs confidentiality and will not share details with you unless your child gives permission. This can be very frustrating for parents, but it is important to respect your childs right to privacy. Your Teen Is Using Drugs to Cope With Symptoms It is not uncommon for teens to use drugs and alcohol to cope with symptoms of OCD, particularly if their OCD symptoms are ?accompanied by depression. How to Cope:  In these circumstances, it is advisable to seek professional assistance, as this can be a complex problem that requires the experience of trained mental health professionals. Your family doctor is often a good starting point to identify resources. It can be frustrating for your child to reject such assistance, but unless she is a danger to herself or someone else, she cannot be forced into treatment. Setting firm boundaries at home, such as not allowing drugs/drug use in the house, and managing your own stress levels are paramount in these instances.? Your Teen Is Being Bullied at School Because of Her OCD Unfortunately, some teens with OCD are subjected to psychological and/or physical bullying. This can be extremely stressful for both parents and the affected teen and can lead to depression. Of course, depression increases the risk of self-harm behaviors, including suicide. How to Cope:  If you become aware of bullying, it is essential to engage the appropriate professionals at your teens school, including the school principal, guidance counselor and your childs teacher. While your teen needs to be taught assertiveness skills for dealing with such situations, he also needs to feel safe and confront such problems in a supportive environment. Individual therapy can be helpful for focusing on building self-esteem, working on social skills, and of course, managing OCD symptoms.