The teenage years are a difficult road to navigate for parents and caregivers. And this stage is even more complicated when a teenager is experiencing mental health issues. For parents, it can be hard to identify exactly what a teen with OCD or another mental health condition is going through, and how to help them.
When an adolescent is struggling with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), they may feel shame around the obsessive thoughts they are experiencing. As a result, they may be even less forthcoming with their parents than teens with other types of mental health issues might be.
If you have concerns about your child’s behavior, functioning, and overall well-being, it’s essential to seek help from a mental health professional. It’s also vital to educate yourself and your family about the challenges they’re facing. The information below provides a place to start in understanding OCD and getting your teen the support they need.
Key Takeaways
- Excessive worrying and compulsive behaviors are common symptoms of OCD.
- OCD can also manifest in less common obsessions, such as extreme body dysmorphia.
- Talking to your teen about what they’re experiencing is the first step in addressing the issue.
- The most effective treatment for OCD includes Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy.
Common Signs of OCD in Teens
While not an exhaustive list, below are some of the common signs and symptoms experienced by teens with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Seemingly Unrealistic or Excessive Worrying
OCD sufferers often worry about things that appear unlikely, excessive, and unrealistic to their loved ones. Teens’ excessive worrying could relate to fears of contamination or repetitive checking that doors are locked or the oven is off.
Unrealistic worries can take many forms. Your teen might make statements like, “What if I hit someone with my car on the way home from school?” or “If I don’t wear my green socks, the dog will die.” Or they might constantly question their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Families might also notice that their teen asks for reassurance and/or engages in “what if” questions, such as “Are you sure I don’t have cancer?” or “What if I see the number 666 and God doesn’t love me anymore?”
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Compulsive Behaviors
OCD is defined by both obsessions and compulsions. Compulsions are the rituals, thoughts, and/or behaviors an individual engages in with the intent of reducing their distress or anxiety related to their obsessions.
Compulsions or rituals can be both internal (mental compulsions) or external (checking, washing, wiping).
If you are concerned that your teen has OCD, be on the lookout for things like excessive hand-washing or dry/cracked hands. Have you noticed your child taking an excessive amount of time in the shower? Are they using a bottle of shower gel a day? These are just some examples of how compulsions can present.
Other compulsive behaviors often seen in OCD include:
- Rearranging or excessive organizing items
- Repeating actions to make sure they are “just right”
- Checking doors, locks, ovens
- Excessive reassurance-seeking and increased emotional reactions if you do not provide reassurance
- Saying certain words to “cancel out” bad thoughts
- Constant praying
- Avoiding things like certain places, people, or items (for example, avoiding knives because they are afraid they will hurt someone or hurt themself)
Other Types of OCD Symptoms and Presentation
OCD does not always create fears about contamination or organization. Some individuals will experience obsessions about their sexuality or their morality. They may also experience body dysmorphia—an over-awareness/obsession with a particular body part.
For example, a teenager might become fixated on how his nose looks. At first, his parents might assume this was typical teenage behavior and he was just worried about his looks. However, over time, they notice that he spends hours looking at his nose in the mirror, and constantly asks for reassurance that his nose looks okay. He has also stopped spending time with friends because he thinks his nose looks bad and he feels embarrassed. Moreover, his parents have found articles about rhinoplasty on his phone. A version of this issue is known as Snapchat dysmorphia, because teens want their real faces to look more like their filtered online selfies.
Thinking about their sexuality, identity, and physical appearance are typical for teenagers. However, it is the obsessive nature of the intrusive thoughts, paired with compulsive behavior, that makes it a concern.
How to Talk to Your Teen About OCD
If you suspect that your teen may be struggling with OCD, it’s okay to ask them about it. Engage them in a nonjudgmental way. Rather than asking, “Why are you washing your hands so much?” say something like, “I noticed that you’ve been washing your hands more often. I’m curious if something is bothering you?”
It is also important to remember that if a teen is experiencing OCD, they are likely at a point where they cannot control their behavior. Be patient with them, don’t take their behavior personally, and let them know that you can see they need help in managing their distress.
Where to Seek Help for Teen OCD
Once you are ready to move forward in OCD treatment, it’s imperative to find a program or treatment provider that specializes in Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) therapy. ERP is the gold-standard in treatment for OCD and has been proven many times over to be extremely effective. In addition, your child’s treatment provider should be informed about OCD treatment approaches and best practices when working with this diagnosis.
Newport Academy provides specialized OCD treatment for adolescents, using ERP therapy in combination with other modalities, including Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Attachment-Based Family Therapy. Our family therapy component strengthens trust and communication between teens and parents, so adolescents can turn to their parents for support when they are experiencing distress related to their OCD fears and symptoms. In addition, teens participate in experiential therapy, including art, music, yoga, and outdoor Adventure Therapy.
We also provide specialized OCD treatment for young adults, through our sister program, Newport Institute, serving ages 18–35.
Contact us today for a free mental health assessment and more information about our OCD treatment programs.
Meredith A. Hettler, MS, LMFT, CCATP, is National Director of Newport Healthcare’s OCD and Anxiety Program. With over 10 years of experience in the behavioral healthcare field, Meredith holds a master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling from Central Connecticut State University and an undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Rhode Island. Meredith is trained in Exposure and Response Prevention therapy, Attachment-Based Family Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. She is also a certified yoga instructor.
