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OCD In teen



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amother
Tangerine


 

Post Wed, May 24 2017, 8:00 pm
If 13 year old is showing mild ocd behaviors is it ok to work on it at home or does it need prof esionial help? she is fully functional but feels she has to look and touch things in a obsessive way, Does any have a good book or workbook she can use to understand herself and learn stragegies to do help herself?
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amother
Mint


 

Post Thu, May 25 2017, 5:04 am
I can't answer your question from a professional standpoint, if it is okay to deal at home or not, but I will just share my experience...

I dealt with OCD tendencies as a young teen. It did not go away, it just grew worse and crazier. There were other factors attributing to it, I will say that. But, I WISH I had got the PROFESSIONAL help I needed as a teen! I WISH I had learnt the skills back then, so that I would actually have had the tools I needed to DEAL with my life. It is what it is, I didn't get the help I was desperate for as a teen, and it led me to some deep and dark places until I did get the help I needed.

Point is, if she's just 13, she has a chance at learning how to deal with herself now. OCD is probably just the symptom of an underlying problem. In my opinion, workbooks aren't going to be enough to help her to fully understand herself, her thoughts, what OCD is, and teach her the skills to change it now when it's still just developing. OCD is acting out of PRESSURE. Something in her is pressuring her to do it better, or it isn't good enough...
She'll need a let out for the underlying feelings, the reasons why she is feeling pressure to act in this manner, which you, as her Mom may be too close to be able to help her with. I will say it again: do not blow it up or create a drama out of this. There is nothing but a little issue that can be dealt with. (it won't be little if it goes untreated)

Why let it develop? Catch it early, in the bud. Get a LICENSED, experienced professional who works with children her age, who will see the situation as it is (not running to say - oh give her meds! and not running to say - oh it's nothing! but actually teaching her skills and tools. No need to blow it into some major issue - it's not [at least not yet]).

I would imagine that alternative therapist WHO ARE EXPERIENCED IN THIS ISSUE is your best option. Such as, an art, music or play therapist. It takes the drama out of the issue, it's something enjoyable, child-friendly and she can learn the skills she needs to, almost as a by-the-way. If you're in Israel I may have a good suggestion.

That's just my layman's opinion, based on my own personal experience and regrets.
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FranticFrummie




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, May 25 2017, 6:33 am
PLEASE GET PROFESSIONAL HELP NOW!!!

Sorry to yell, but I am in tears for you. My DD is also 13, and has OCD and anxiety disorder. She started cutting herself and clawing at her arms to try to stop her intrusive thoughts.

I'm in Israel, and I searched for months to find an English speaking specialist for her, while I watched her get worse and worse.

Finally I had to make the ultimate sacrifice, and send her back to the US to live with my ex, so he could get her professional help in English.

B'H, she has stopped self harming, and seems to be slowly getting better with CBT and talk therapy.

Sadly for me, because Israel is where her trauma started, she has associated the country with her illness, and is convinced that if she moves back here, she will relapse and self harm again.

Only time will tell if she recovers to the point of wanting to live with me in Israel again. Crying

The idea of only seeing her on occasional vacations (and expensive airplane trips) breaks my heart, but I'd rather have her live away from me and recover, than have her live here and be in crisis.
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amother
Sienna


 

Post Thu, May 25 2017, 2:03 pm
PROFESSIONAL HELP!!!!!!!!!!!

OCD is something that cannot be cured by yourself, and even with professional help is very hard. I have OCD since I'm young (mid-elementary school), and it came and went over the years of therapy. 13 in particular is an age where profesional help is extra necessary because puberty hormones make it much worse - my OCD flared up again as a teenager, and this is probably one of the underlying reasons.

The sooner you get her professional help, the sooner she will better, and the easier it will be for her to get better.
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amother
Bisque


 

Post Fri, May 26 2017, 11:34 am
ocd does not go away on its own. and cannot be dealt with on your own. you need professional help. and to all of you who have dealt with this as being the one with it or as a parent hugs to you. its so painful. but im sure you all will grow stronger from it.
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