What is obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)?
OCD occurs when a person suffers from troubling and intrusive thoughts or images in their head and/or follows repetitive or strict patterns of behaviour (rituals) to feel less distressed.
Most people with OCD, except very young children, recognize that the thoughts and/or images they experience are not true. However, they still believe them and feel compelled, or forced, to perform certain rituals to make them less troubling. This link between thoughts and behaviour means that it is more common for someone with OCD to experience obsessions and compulsions together than to experience either an obsession or a compulsion on its own.
Often, people with OCD engage in compulsive behaviour out of fear that something terrible will happen if they do not follow certain patterns. Completing the behaviour helps them feel "just right", if only for a short time. Teens and adults can express their worries about what will happen if they do not perform their ritual, but children—especially very young children—often have trouble doing so.
Where does a child usually display their OCD symptoms?
Children and teens can display symptoms of OCD anywhere—at home, at school, or in the community. Some children may be more likely to display OCD symptoms, at least in the early stages, in the safety of their own home. When OCD symptoms occur in other settings, like school, they can impact a child’s ability to learn to their fullest ability, socialize comfortably with peers and adults, and take part in extracurricular activities or hobbies.
What causes OCD?
The exact cause of OCD is unknown, but research is looking at many different factors. For example:
- Genetics (characteristics that run in families) are known to play an important role in OCD. People who have relatives with OCD or anxiety have a greater chance of developing OCD in childhood.
- Abnormal levels of neurotransmitters (brain chemicals that carry information) are also known to play a part. In particular, low or imbalanced serotonin can contribute to OCD.
- Rarely, OCD can also occur after a streptococcal infection. However, this type of OCD results from an autoimmune reaction where the body confuses its own tissues for the strep infection. Symptoms occur suddenly (many parents describe as almost overnight). As a result, it is very different from what occurs in what is normally considered to be childhood OCD.
How common is OCD?
OCD affects between one and four percent of children and teens, making it the fourth most common youth mental health problem today. Some studies have shown that as many as eight percent of children and teens may have a mild form of OCD. This means that, while they may have some symptoms, they do not interfere significantly with their everyday routine.
How is OCD diagnosed?
OCD is diagnosed through an interview with an experienced and regulated health-care professional such as a psychologist or psychiatrist. For more information on how OCD is diagnosed, see OCD: Signs and symptoms.
Treating OCD
OCD is treated by both medication and/or psychotherapy (talk) therapy. For more information on OCD treatment, see OCD: Treatment with psychotherapy and medications.
Reducing the impact of OCD
There is no known way of preventing OCD. However, it may be possible to reduce the risk of symptoms becoming severe by helping your child engage in good self-care—getting enough good-quality sleep, eating well, balancing screen time with other non-screen activities, engaging in healthy relationships, and learning helpful and adaptive strategies for handling the stressful events that inevitably come up in life.
If you or your child do notice OCD symptoms, taking action early—for example, by seeking help and participating actively in treatment—can also be helpful in mitigating the impact and severity of the disorder.
Complications of OCD
Dealing with OCD over time, especially if your child’s symptoms are severe and/or untreated, can have both physical and mental health effects. For example, if your child has intrusive thoughts about cleanliness, they can spend significant amounts of time every day washing their hands or other parts of their bodies, impacting their skin health. OCD can also have an impact on mental health, as many of the symptoms are often associated with shame, sadness, worry, and thoughts about self-harm and/or suicide.
Does OCD occur with other mental health conditions?
It is not unusual for a child or teen with OCD to have another mental health condition, such as:
- one or more anxiety disorders
- depression
- tic disorder
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia or avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)
- hoarding disorder
- trichotillomania (hair pulling)
- excoriation disorder (skin picking)
Some of these mental health conditions can be treated alongside OCD, but others may need other treatments. For example, tic disorders respond to a therapy called Comprehensive Behavioural Intervention for Tics (CBIT). During CBIT therapy, a person learns to recognize the urge that arises before the tic and then learns a competing response to essentially block the tic. Another type of anxiety disorder, such as social anxiety or generalized anxiety, usually responds well to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This involves understanding the relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviours and learning coping strategies to manage distressing thoughts.
What to do if you suspect your child has OCD
If you suspect your child has OCD, speak to your child's health-care provider. They can refer your child to a specialist for diagnosis and treatment.
If your child has already been diagnosed with anxiety, seek help for OCD from someone who is experienced in using CBT and treating OCD. It is not enough to see a therapist experienced in anxiety treatment on its own, as different skills are needed to treat OCD.
Further information
For more information about OCD, please see the following pages:
OCD: How it affects your child's life
OCD: Treatment with psychotherapy and medications
Please visit our teen mental health hub for teen-specific information on obsessive compulsive disorder.
Resources
The following books and websites have some useful advice about OCD for parents and teens.
Books
Chansky, T. (2001). Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Powerful, Practical Program for Parents of Children and Adolescents. Harmony.
Derisley, J., et al (2008). Breaking Free from OCD: A CBT Guide for Young People and Their Families. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Dotson, A. (2014). Being Me with OCD: How I Learned to Obsess Less and Enjoy My Life. Free Spirit Publishing.
Jassi, A. (2013). Can I Tell You about OCD? A Guide for Friends, Family, and Professionals. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Websites
International OCD Foundation (2016). OCD in Kids.
TeenMentalHealth.org (2016). Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
AnxietyBC (2016). Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
