What is OCD?

OCD more common than people think. 2.3% of the population will develop it at some point. Adolescents with OCD tend to have distressing thoughts that won’t go away. They might act on their compulsions for temporary relief, even when they don’t really want to. They can also experience obsessions, compulsions, or both. They are often irrational and extreme and have no basis in reality.

Children with OCD experience obsessions, compulsions, or both. They are often irrational and extreme and have no basis in reality.

OCD usually manifests itself between the ages of six and nine. The disorder can appear as early as the age of five. Young children have a different experience with the disorder than adolescents and adults. A young child may not realize that their thoughts and fears are exaggerated or unrealistic and may not fully understand why they are compelled to perform a ritual. They only know that it makes them feel “just right,” if only for a moment.

Obsessions and Compulsions

Obsessions are unwanted and unpleasant thoughts or images that repeatedly enter your mind. When you try to fight them, you often feel anxious, which makes the obsessions even stronger and harder to stop.

Compulsions are actions or thoughts that you feel compelled to repeat, often until they feel “right.” Compulsions are behaviors that are performed in an effort to reduce the amount of stress or anxiety brought on by obsessive thoughts. They are frequently time-consuming and often only provide temporary relief from anxiety.

Common obsessions include:

• fear of contamination
• fear of causing harm to someone else
• needing things to be balanced or in the right order
• intrusive thoughts or images that may be violent, blasphemous, or taboo

Compulsions commonly involve:

• checking things repeatedly—this could include checking the oven is off, looking up health symptoms online, or making sure you have your keys on you
• cleaning things excessively
• counting to a particular number or going through a sequence of numbers
• carrying something out in a particular order, pattern, or a certain number of times
• asking people for reassurance or to check things for you



OCD can make you feel afraid, disgusted, depressed, or ashamed. You might worry that your thoughts mean you’re going crazy or that you’re a bad person. It’s important to know that OCD is nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed of. There are several effective ways to treat it that can make it easier to live with.

OCD symptoms are not always obvious. Compulsions can be very subtle, so you may not notice when your child is engaging in them or may not recognize that a specific behavior is a compulsion. Other signs may be invisible, such as when a child mentally counts to a certain number.

As children grow older and realize that some of their fears are irrational or their behaviors are unusual, they may make greater efforts to hide their OCD symptoms from their parents, teachers, and friends. Children with OCD may be able to hide their symptoms in certain situations, such as school, only to explode at home due to the enormous effort it takes to keep their compulsions hidden.

Additionally, OCD can be confused with other disorders. Obsessions and compulsions are common among adolescents with OCD, which can make it difficult for them to focus in class. Because a child’s OCD isn’t obvious, a teacher might notice that the child is having trouble focusing and assume that they have ADHD. OCD is also often mistaken for anxiety. Children with OCD are more likely to develop depression if left untreated.

OCD can affect a child’s academic performance, social interaction, and even physical health. Therefore, it’s critical to spot the early symptoms of OCD and get them the right treatment.