If you think you might have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) there are a lot of people who understand the condition and can help you to stop the worries and fears. They won‘t be shocked or surprised and will have seen it all before.

You may find that it is difficult to talk about but it’s the first step on your road back to leading a worry free life. There are some options open to you. You could talk to your parents or someone else you feel close to like a teacher or aunt perhaps, even a friend. The first thing I want to say to you is that you are not alone, you are not mad and you have a very treatable condition. Specialists will help you to stop having these distressing thoughts. The adult you trust could then support you in talking to your parents or carers and finding them more information about OCD. A responsible adult will then need to contact your family doctor to ask for a referral to a mental health specialist, it’s normally Children’s and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) if you are under 18.

Did you know that you can get help without even seeing your GP? Every school has a SENCO which is a person who looks after all of the pupils with Special Educational Needs. Having OCD means you have a special educational need even if you are doing brilliantly educationally. The SENCO can get the school nurse to have a chat with you and the nurse can refer you to a therapist. They won’t let your friends know and you can talk in absolute confidence. If you are really upset and anxious about your worries and thoughts it’s a good idea to get the GP and the school nurse to refer you to a therapist because it can make the help you need come sooner.

Many young people who have OCD try to keep it a secret from everyone because they are afraid other people might think they're mad or crazy. It’s just not true, David Beckham has OCD, he can’t have drinks in his fridge in odd numbers. So if there’s three bottles of juice he has to throw one away and his clothes have to be in colour order and look at how successful he is!

Trying to get help is the best thing and the great news is that today we know so much more about OCD and how to treat it. The treatment is called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy though it may take many months of gradual improvement, at least you know you will then get back to doing all the things you want to be doing rather than the rituals OCD makes you do. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy will not hurt you but you will work with a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist who will help you to challenge and beat your fears and anxieties. Back in 1975 when David Beckham was born, we weren’t so lucky, OCD was hardly heard of but it’s different today, all you need to do is to reach out and tell a responsible adult who will access all of the help you need.

FOR THE PARENTS

It is recommended that the child visits their GP to inform them of the difficulties the child is experiencing. The GP will know the appropriate health care professionals where the child can be referred to if they feel this is necessary. Occasionally GP’s may think it is a phase or not a problem and you may have to insist that a referral is made. If the school also have concerns this will lend a substantial amount of weight to your request for outside intervention. The school nurse can independently refer the child to a mental health specialist without the GP, though referrals from both are preferable.

Make sure that you let the your child’s teacher know of their difficulties and ask to speak to the school’s SENCO. The SENCO’s role is to help and support all pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and OCD comes within that remit even when the child is extremely bright. You might find it useful to print out the entire children’s section from this site and share it with the teacher.

Remember, it’s not the child’s fault and there are people who can help. Don’t blame or criticise the child for their compulsive behaviours but support and reassure them. Don’t blame yourself either, parents can’t cause OCD, it just is! Don’t forget about setting aside some relaxation time for yourself as it can be exhausting to parent a child with OCD.