There are two ways to approach OCD. The first is to align with OCD and appease, negotiate and listen to the rules it dictates. The world outside of OCD is the problem. The second is to recognize that OCD is not a friend, confidante or protector. It does not dictate rational rules to keep you safe or comfortable. It is the discomfort maker. In this week’s Youtube I am talking to kids and teens about this and asking them, which way do they want to see OCD?
Puberty is hard enough, but add anxiety and OCD to the mix and UGH! In this week’s AT Parenting Survival Podcast I talk about the good (yes there is some good), the bad (oh yeah, there is that too) and the ugly (plenty of that) when kids with anxiety or OCD enter puberty.
OCD comes in many different shapes and flavors. One way it shows up is through the concept of “contamination.” Contamination means something different for each person who suffers from OCD, but they all have two things in common:
Something/someone cannot be touched and should be avoided
Contamination can spread from object to object, person to person (and even place to place)
This is the million-dollar question that people with OCD want to know. Will OCD go away? And the common follow-up question is… When will OCD go away? Ironically these questions are part of what keeps OCD around.
How often do we hear from family, friends, and even doctors that we should “wait and see” if it gets worse. We should wait and see if the anxiety or OCD grows bigger. We should wait and see if anxiety or OCD becomes debilitating. We should wait and see if it is truly an issue.
There is nothing worse than finally getting rid of one OCD theme, only to have a brand new one take its place. Often this is the time when kids and even parents start to lose hope. Even though this can be so disappointing, it isn’t necessary that anyone give up hope. In fact, having new themes pop up is no indication that the skills and tools aren’t working. Believe it or not, sometimes it is a sign they are working well
2 Powerful Ways Kids Can Crush OCD on a Daily Basis Often parents and even some therapists talk about addressing OCD in a one dimensional way. But there are actually two ways we want our kids to tackle OCD on a daily basis. I call it playing both defense and offense. In this YouTube video, I explain to kids how to address their ocd both […]
How to Spot OCD Symptoms in Teens Most kids with OCD go into adulthood without a diagnosis. This means years of feeling different. Years of feeling ashamed. And years of little to no support. If parents and therapists can learn how to spot OCD symptoms in teens, we could help them save years of unnecessary pain and suffering. OCD requires a very specific therapeutic approach […]
“He’s really oppositional!” The mom vents. “Honestly it takes a miracle to get him to do anything. Don’t even get me started on how long it takes him to get out of the house in the morning.” She takes a breath and continues, “And no one can go into his room. One time I entered his room without his permission and he had a complete meltdown.” This is often my initial introduction to a teen whose main issue isn’t opposition, but rather OCD. OCD symptoms in teens are often misconstrued as oppositional or quirky behavior.
