PSP 168: 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 called Exposure Response Prevention (ERP). If a teen’s OCD symptoms are missed, they are also missing the help they so desperately need and deserve. Sadly teens with OCD who go undiagnosed have a higher likelihood of suffering from depression and ongoing symptoms. So what are the signs of OCD in teens?  It’s not always an easy thing to detect. Teens with OCD have had years to develop compulsions. Many of them have gotten very good at the art of hiding these behaviors. Let’s start with what OCD is and what it isn’t. OCD is not about being a “neat freak.” Many extremely messy teens are silently suffering from OCD. OCD is not about being obsessed with organizing. Many disorganized teens can still have OCD. OCD is about having an intrusive thought, feeling, image or song stuck in one’s head and the need to do or avoid something to get some brief relief. The problem is, the more you do or avoid, the bigger the OCD grows. OCD isn’t just about germs. In fact, many people with OCD don’t worry about germs. There are many different “sub-types” or themes around OCD. The common denominator though is this: They all have an intrusive thought, feeling, image or song in their head and they all do compulsions to get some relief.  So how can you tell if your teen has OCD? When in doubt, go see an OCD therapist to get a proper assessment. You can visit the International OCD Foundation’s therapist directory (www.iocdf.org/find-help) to see if there is anyone in your area. It is always good to be proactive and get professional help. This podcast episode is just to help jump start you in thinking about OCD in a different way so you don’t miss it. You can also check out NOCD teletherapy services at: https://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parenting *** This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional. Visit my website at www.ATparentingSurvival.com Sign up for my weekly email newsletter: https://pages.convertkit.com/740ba8cd83/92109b7172 Take one of my online classes: To view the entire online school library, go to: http://www.ATparentingSurvivalSchool.com Classes include: How to Crush Social Anxiety http://www.ATparentingsurvivalschool.com/p/crush-social-anxiety Parenting Kids with OCD  http://www.ATparentingsurvivalschool.com/p/child-ocd Crush Moral OCD in Kids http://www.ATparentingsurvivalschool.com/p/moral-ocd Teaching Kids to Crush Anxiety http://www.ATparentingsurvivalschool.com/p/crush-anxiety Helping Kids with Anxiety or OCD Through Difficult Behaviors http://www.ATparentingsurvivalschool.com/p/difficult-behaviors Helping Kids Who are Scared to Sleep http://www.ATparentingsurvivalschool.com/p/scared-to-sleep Handling Sensory-Based Anxiety http://www.ATparentingsurvivalschool.com/p/sensory-anxiety Library of Live Anxiety and OCD Classes (20 hours of class replays) http://www.ATparentingSurvivalschool.com/p/library Ultimate list of helpful anxiety products: https://www.ATparentingsurvival.com/reduce-child-anxiety/  To join my private Facebook group visit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ATparentinganxiouskids/ Interested in my AT Parenting Community Membership? Get on the waitlist: http://www.atparentingcommunity.com For a list of my books visit: https://www.amazon.com/Natasha-Daniels/e/B011K5IIWA Join the fun on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/anxioustoddlers78 Other social places I hang out: http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingsurvival http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingsurvival http://www.twitter.com/atsurvival http://www.instagram/ATparenting...