Recently I have been receiving a number of referrals for teens who have developed Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. This intriguing condition has no discernable cause although it is being related to levels of serotonin in the brain and the fact that low levels may cause the brain to trip into “alarm” mode and get stuck with a thought or behaviour as a calming mechanism. There is a strong genetic component to OCD and it does tend to occur in families. Some years ago it was thought to be difficult to treat but recent developments have caused clinicians to realise that OCD is a treatable condition with positive outcomes likely.

OCD is a form of anxiety disorder and people with it begin to believe that certain things are dangerous or certain thoughts necessary to prevent bad things from happening. Although the persons themselves recognise that there is no logic behind what they do or think they find it impossible to stop doing or thinking them. Everyone feels anxiety and fear at times but people with OCD have a brain that can’t filter out harmless things from harmful things and it seeks a way to control the anxiety and fear. These control mechanisms often take the form of obsessive behaviour such as checking locks on doors or checking and re-checking homework to no good effect. Sometimes the fear-avoiding mechanisms are in the forms of thoughts that recur over and over without control.

OCD can be mild, moderate or severe. Most often it is quite mild and therefore goes unnoticed by adults. A child who checks homework carefully can easily be perceived as a diligent student. However, endless checking for hours is needless.

Certain compulsive behaviours can be mistaken as normal also: long or frequent showers or brushing the hair a particular number of strokes are often seen as “clean habits”. When OCD reaches the moderate and severe range it can prove to be totally debilitating.

Giving in to compulsions and obsessions strengthens OCD. That is why a first step in the treatment of OCD is to educate the teenager to the condition, inform them it is not their fault, that it is more common than we think and that it can be a great asset in life when channelled properly (for example good accountants benefit from a certain amount of OCD). Teens often think they are losing their mind when they have OCD and try to hide it, even when the behaviours are quite noticeable (frequent need to shower may be masked by saying they got dirty at PE or spilled milk on their clothes). Reassurance from a professional can make a big difference.

OCD is treatable and the particular treatment of choice is Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy (CBT). This is a form of treatment that is active, often includes assignments to complete out of the office and has been shown to be particularly helpful in treating OCD. It can be difficult for a parent to know if their teenager (or younger child because children have OCD as well as teens and adults) has OCD. Asking them if they are troubled my thoughts or the need to complete an action (hand washing, showering, checking locks, etc) will often elicit an answer that helps. If you suspect OCD get in touch with your GP or a CBT practitioner. There are times when medication may be necessary but more often than not OCD can be treated successfully with 6-10 sessions of CBT.