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Signs of OCD

Mental illness and substance abuse problems impact more than 20% of Americans annually. Psychological health problems, such as the signs of OCD, can become challenging to identify and diagnose in young adults and adolescents because the brain continues to develop until your late 20s. Adolescence is also a time when teenagers are developing their sense of self, which can become significantly harder when things like peer pressure and puberty are creating additional stressors. Teenage years are filled with problems with self-esteem and anxiety. But when symptoms of things like anxiety or OCD start interfering with daily life, it is essential to find help immediately. 25% of people who are diagnosed with OCD begin dealing with symptoms by age 14. But what is OCD? And where is a great teen OCD treatment program in California?

What is OCD?

So, what is OCD, and what are common OCD symptoms? OCD stands for obsessive-compulsive disorder. It causes you to have obsessive thoughts or engage in obsessive behaviors. This can cause you to complete elaborate routines in order to reduce teenage anxiety. Failure to complete these obsessive behaviors can cause severe mental instability. You may also become plagued with obsessive thoughts, which can involve anything from obsessively thinking something terrible is going to happen to worrying about getting sick. Signs of OCD in teens can include:

  • Demonstrating unusual or irrational behavior that can’t be explained
  • Obsessively counting or cleaning
  • Compulsive behavior
  • Getting angry if you can not engage in a compulsive behavior
  • Obsessively checking and re-checking things, like making sure your door is locked

Obsessive thoughts can result in you developing rituals, believing that the rituals themselves with prevent something bad from happening. You may obsessively wash your hands because you are fearful of getting sick from germs. These obsessive thoughts and behaviors can lead to mood changes, depression, hostility, and isolation.

How Can You Treat OCD?

Although there is not a cure for OCD, proper treatment, which can include things like therapy, medications, and holistic treatments, can help control and reduce symptoms. As many as 40% of people who develop OCD during childhood recover from the condition by adulthood. Evidence-based treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy are highly effective. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps you understand the cause of your obsessive thoughts and feelings, which is a crucial element in learning how to recover from OCD. Another example of effective therapy for OCD includes exposure and release prevention. This technique helps teach you how to cope with anxiety in a healthy manner. Medications can also help alleviate certain symptoms of OCD. Common medications used to treat OCD in teens includes anti-depressants, such as Zoloft and Prozac, as well as certain anti-anxiety medications.

Do You See Signs of OCD?  

After finding an answer to what are the signs of OCD and how to treat it, remember that the earlier you find treatment, the better the recovery outcomes are. Destinations for Teens, which has the best teen OCD treatment program California offers, understands what it takes to recover from OCD. Our dedicated treatment team provides you the compassion, expertise, and understanding your family needs to find recovery. Call us today at 877.466.0620 to learn more about our programs.