OCD | Support for families and carers

OCD is a serious mental health condition. It is misunderstood because people often use the term flippantly to describe wanting to be clean and tidy. Although these are some of the characteristics of OCD, they are much more extreme.

OCD usually develops in adolescence and early adulthood although it has been known to start much younger. You can read more about OCD and what causes it here.

Signs your child might have OCD

Many of the traits of OCD can be seen in most people, especially those who like to be organised. However some of the key signs that this might be developing into OCD is excessive concern or needing to carry out rituals before starting or ending something. Your child might become extremely upset or distressed if they are not able to carry out these habits.

Signs of OCD include:

How to talk to your child about OCD

Your child might not know how to talk to you about the thoughts they have and may have kept them secret from you. For some people their obsessive thoughts can be intrusive and distressing in nature which can lead to them feeling guilty or ashamed about themselves.

When talking to your child about OCD:

Getting help for your child

It’s important to get your child to see their GP who will be able carry out an initial screening for OCD.

Depending how severely the OCD affects their daily life your child might be treated by the GP or will be referred to a mental health professional for further assessment. This will likely be with CAMHs (child and adolescent mental health service).

Therapy and medication is the most common and effective way to treat OCD.