It’s natural for teens to stress about concerning aspects of their environment. Many young people worry about things like safety, order, and cleanliness. For example, your teen might like to keep things organized just so in their school folders, or have troubling thoughts that keep them up at night sometimes. However, teens with OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) experience intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors that interfere with their daily life.
Adolescents are struggling with OCD and other mental health challenges across the nation. Like families throughout the US, parents and teens living in California are looking for support and information for adolescent mental health, including OCD. In this article, we answer questions about teen OCD in California, what teen OCD treatment looks like, and how to find the right level of support for your child.
Key Takeaways
- Common signs of teen OCD are obsessions, intrusive thoughts, and compulsive behaviors.
- Effective treatment for OCD addresses secondary diagnoses, such as major depression and generalized anxiety disorder.
- Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy is the gold standard of care for OCD in adolescents.
- Newport Academy’s teen OCD treatment centers in California utilize ERP therapy in addition to other evidence-based modalities to create sustainable healing.
Teen OCD Statistics in California
Between 1 and 3 percent of teens have OCD, and about 20% of people with OCD experience onset at age 10 or earlier. In fact, there may be two peaks of OCD onset: one around age 11, and the other in early adulthood.
Here are some additional teen OCD statistics in California, including stats about teen OCD treatment services.
- OCD in California impacts boys and girls equally.
- The majority (up to 70 percent) of young people who struggle with OCD also have co-occurring disorders, including anxiety disorders, tic disorders, ADHD, and personality disorders.
- The most common obsessions and compulsions among teens with OCD involve cleaning (up to 87 percent), followed by repetition, checking, and aggressive thoughts.
- 1 in 10 children and adolescents in California receive mental healthcare, fewer than the national average of 12 percent of children.
- According to the California Children’s Trust, over 70 percent of California youth with mental health needs do not have access to therapy or treatment services, even if they have health insurance.
What Parents Should Know About Teens with OCD
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) among California teens is often misunderstood. Despite being an anxiety disorder that has a major impact on mental health, OCD is commonly overlooked by healthcare providers.
Teen obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is not about being nitpicky or a perfectionist. Instead, it’s characterized by three main symptoms: obsessions, intrusive thoughts, and behavioral compulsions. These primary symptoms cause a significant amount of distress among teens with OCD, and are not easily controlled.
Hence, children with OCD are at higher risk of engaging in self-harm behaviors as an unhealthy way to cope with the distress associated with OCD. And OCD is also linked to a higher risk of suicide and depression in young adulthood.
Some facts about teens with OCD in California may be surprising to people who aren’t familiar with the disorder. Below are common OCD symptoms, obsessions, and compulsions to watch for if you think your teen has OCD.
Questions?
We know that reaching out can be difficult.
Our compassionate team of experts is here to help.
Call us at 877-929-5105
or complete the form below.
OCD Obsessions
Obsessions are fixations and intrusive thoughts about a specific fear or aversion. They often include distressing images and unwanted thoughts. Some common OCD obsessions in teens include the following:
- Fear of one’s own or another’s safety or health
- Fear of getting sick or spreading germs
- Unwanted thoughts about sex or sexual orientation
- Worry about inflicting violence on themselves or someone else
- Urgent need to arrange objects in a specific way
- Aversion to getting rid of belongings, even if they’re old or unwanted
- Concern about causing harm or damage by being careless
OCD Compulsions
Compulsions are repetitive behaviors, rituals, or thoughts that teens with OCD engage in, as a way to soothe distress from their obsessions. These compulsive behaviors can provide temporary relief, but ultimately reinforce fear and distress. Common OCD compulsions among teens include:
- Continually checking things, like door locks or light switches
- Excessive grooming, handwashing, or showering
- Repeating activities in sets of certain numbers, such as going in and out of a room, turning off a switch, or tapping an object
- Maintaining a specific order for objects or foods
- Repetitive counting
- Recurrent checking, redoing, or rewriting things like homework assignments, written lists, or letters
Teen OCD Treatment in California
Newport Academy provides specialized teen OCD treatment in Northern and Southern California to help teens manage the challenges of living with this disorder. Our residential treatment programs for teens with OCD and anxiety offer integrated OCD treatment plans for teens, designed and delivered by a multidisciplinary treatment team. This includes a tailored treatment plan for teen OCD, a wide range of evidence-based modalities, and medication management. Furthermore,
Each patient’s OCD tailored treatment plan for teen OCD includes 4.5 hours of daily Exposure and Response Prevention therapy in group and individual settings to address the biggest challenges of OCD symptoms. In addition, we treat underlying or comorbid disorders to promote sustainable healing. Each teen receives individualized psychiatric care and medication management, as well as clinical modalities like EMDR and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Attachment-Based Family Therapy.
All teen OCD treatment plans at Newport Academy California include experiential therapy. Experiential modalities are full-body experiences that give teens ways to process the anxiety associated with OCD and build skills for emotion regulation. At Newport’s California treatment centers for OCD, teens participate in Adventure Therapy, art and music therapy, yoga and meditation, and other physical modalities like Mixed Martial Arts.
Furthermore, we work closely with each child’s school to ensure they progress in their education while receiving the treatment they need. We use tailored instruction and accredited California curriculums. Our specialized team of teachers and tutors helps teens stay on track academically, guides them in developing organizational skills, and supports their talents and interests.
What’s Included in Our Teen OCD Treatment in California
The best treatment for a teen with OCD addresses not only the symptoms of OCD, but also the underlying or secondary disorders. These might include trauma, depression, other anxiety disorders, and/or ADHD. In fact, research shows that between 40 and 50 percent of people with OCD also have major depression. Therefore, treatment options for OCD in our California locations address various conditions, and may use both medication and therapy.
Components of our integrated OCD treatment in California include:
Medication
Proper medications for obsessive-compulsive disorder may include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), Clomipramine (a “tricyclic” antidepressant), antipsychotic medications, or others. Medication prescription depends upon severity of symptoms and the presence of other disorders.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Therapy
Considered the most effective therapeutic style for obsessive-compulsive disorder, ERP therapy helps adolescents gradually reduce their obsessions and worries. This modality is a type of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that utilizes a specific approach to reduce anxiety and obsessions. ERP therapy helps teens with OCD incrementally face their anxieties, endure uncomfortable thoughts and sensations, and reduce compulsive behaviors.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps teens learn to reframe and challenge intrusive thoughts and develop new ways of responding to stressors. Adolescents learn to recognize and understand their thoughts and impulses. And they gain healthy coping strategies to cope with challenges. Hence, CBT is extremely effective for treating anxiety and depression. In one study, up to 70 percent of patients with OCD improved significantly following CBT treatment.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT helps adolescents accept their difficult feelings and thoughts with self-compassion. Teens learn to be more aware of their physical sensations, thoughts, and emotions. And they practice letting those feelings come and go rather than judging themselves or attempting to avoid discomfort. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps reduce shame and fear around obsessions and compulsions. Therefore, teens become less distressed by OCD thoughts and symptoms following treatment.
Attachment-Based Family Therapy (ABFT)
ABFT helps cultivate trust and connection in the family system. As a result, teens feel safe going to their parents for guidance and support when they’re struggling with mental health symptoms. Furthermore, ABFT teaches parents how to respond effectively and caringly to their child’s symptoms and needs.
Our California Locations for Teens With OCD
Our Newport locations for teen OCD treatment are in both SoCal and NorCal, including our OCD center near Los Angeles. To learn more about our teen OCD treatment in California and see whether your teen might be a good fit, contact us today. We provide in-person or virtual teen mental health assessments at no charge and no obligation. Here’s where to get started on the healing journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
Cureus. 2023 Mar; 15(3): e36863.
Front. Psychiatry. 21 July 2022: 13. 10.3389.
J Affective Disord. 2021 Feb; 281: 422–430.
Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2015; 8: 211–223.
Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2011 Mar: 108 (11); 173–179.
Mol Psychiatry. 2010 Jan; 15(1): 53–63.
