Advice and resources : OCD in children and young people
How can we help
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
More about what OCD is and what causes it.
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) adviceAnger and aggressive behaviour
Aggressive behaviour is when a child or young person reacts in a hostile way.
Anger and aggressive behaviour adviceHow can we help
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
More about what OCD is and what causes it.
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) adviceAnger and aggressive behaviour
Aggressive behaviour is when a child or young person reacts in a hostile way.
Anger and aggressive behaviour adviceOverview
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder.
You might have recurring and unwanted obsessive thoughts, or repetitive and compulsive actions and behaviours.
OCD can vary in its severity and impact. It can sometimes lead to very high levels of anxiety and distress.
OCD may also take up a considerable amount of time and attention for both you, and your family and friends.
What you might see
We all have anxious thoughts, and they can influence our behaviour.
For example, thinking about whether you have left the front door open might make you go back and check, because of the fear that the house will be burgled.
It’s also normal to have certain routines, like a bedtime routine involving a bath, reading a book, and ending with a milky drink.
However, if these thoughts and behaviours become obsessive (recurring), they can lead to unhelpful behaviours.
For example, repeatedly checking the door, can interfere with your daily functioning, such as being late for work or school.
OCD is when a person carries out compulsions to reduce anxiety and obsessive thoughts, as this reinforces their belief that worrying thoughts might be true.
It can be difficult to learn that anxiety will gradually go away without performing these compulsions.
Common signs of OCD
There are common signs to look out, such as:
- particular and repetitive behaviours, like tidying a room in a certain way, or recurrent lining up of certain items
- repetitive handwashing
- prolonged showering or bathing
- excessive worry about handwriting, or the neatness of handwriting
- excessive worry about possible harm coming to loved ones
- constantly checking things, like door locks, windows, taps, gas hobs
- repetitive counting and distress when interrupted
- excessive worry about illness or disease
- hoarding items, or refusing to discard seemingly useless items
How you can help
Education
Try to learn more about OCD, obsessive thoughts, and what does your child or young person do to reduce their anxiety.
Try not to reassure them about their worries. Try to understand how reassurance can actually keep OCD going and won’t aid the recovery process.
Challenge
Challenge the negative thoughts and beliefs which keep their OCD going.
You can ask them questions like:
- What is the evidence for and against the anxious thoughts?
- ‘Are the thoughts realistic?
- Is there another way of looking at this?
Help to replace negative thoughts with more realistic and alternative thoughts. It’s helpful to write their realistic thoughts and use this list to support them when they’re feeling anxious.
Routines
Encourage them to keep a thought and behaviour diary.
This is a useful way of identifying how thoughts and beliefs are triggering and fuelling their OCD, and can help spot thinking errors.
Think about whether they are overestimating the chances of something bad happening or assuming that they can’t cope with it.
Introduce daily calming routines or relaxation, such as:
- reading
- excercise
- listening to music
OCD symptoms tend to increase when young people are under stress, and activities can help calm them.
Support your child or young person to think of options and try not to solve problems for them.
Praise
Encourage them to face their fears without giving in to their compulsions. This will provide them with evidence that their fears won’t come true, and they’ll learn to cope with the uncomfortable feelings of anxiety.
It's best to start with the least anxiety-provoking first.
Praise them for their efforts and encourage them to praise themselves.
When to ask for help
Many children and young people with OCD can feel embarrassed of their thoughts and behaviours.
Some might not even know that what they’re experiencing is OCD. This can make it really hard for them to talk to other people about how they feel and ask for help.
When children and young people do manage to talk about how they feel, they often feel much better.
If you’ve tried to support the child or young person by using the techniques on this page and they’re still having difficulties, there’s lots of support available in your area.
You can find information about what your local area offers in our service pages.
You can talk to your GP if you're concerned that their OCD symptoms are interfering greatly with their day-to-day life, or you think this is a risk of them not eating or self-harming.
Self-help and other support
You can find additional support online.
Mind UK provide trusted help and access to resources to help better mental health.
IOCDF provides up-to-date education and resources, professional training, and research.
Young people and families
The Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPSYCH) have information for patients, carers, family, and friends relating to mental illnesses and mental health problems.
Mental Health Literacy have inclusive mental health resources for young people, parents, carers, and educators.
OCD UK provide advice, information, and support services for those affected by OCD, and campaign to end the trivialisation and stigma of OCD.
Anna Freud (On My Mind) have information co-produced with young people. It contains information, advice, and resources to help young people support their own mental health.
The free digital resources are designed for children and young people aged 10 to 25.
Professional and research support
The Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPSYCH) have information for patients, carers, family and friends relating to mental illnesses and mental health problems.
Guides and books
Books that might help include:
- Talking back to OCD, John March & Christine Benton, 2007.
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy with Children & Young People edited by Polly Waite & Tim Williams, 2009.
- Free From OCD: A Workbook for Teens with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Timothy Sisemore, 2010.
- Touch and Go Joe: An Adolescent’s Experience of OCD Joe Wells, March 2006
- Breaking Free from OCD: A CBT guide for Young People and Their Families Jo Derisley, Isobel Heyman, Sarah Robinson & Cynthia Turner, May 2008.
OCD One-Page Resources
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