How to Recognize Signs of OCD in a Teenager

With so many societal pressures forcing children to grow up too fast, it can be easy to overlook the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, in a teenager. There are ways to recognize signs of OCD in teenagers and get them help.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Notice if the teenager repeatedly washes his hands, cleans or takes multiple showers throughout the day. These are typical signs of OCD but they do not necessarily occur in every case. It also must be a habitual occurrence, not just a few spotty instances of cleaning.
2. Verify a change in activity patterns. The teenager may go from having a well-rounded life with many interests to just a few obsessive tasks. These tasks can be cleaning, studying or organizing things. If they stop hanging out with friends, going to movies or playing sports to stay home and clean, organize or study, they may have OCD. OCD focuses the mind on just a narrow number of activities.
3. Take heed when they ritually touch things. For instance, a teenager with OCD may not be able to go to bed with without checking or touching all the windows in his or her room or the entire house. This is just a random example, but keep an eye out for this type of behavior.
4. Check to see if the teenager avoids contact with other people, certain objects or animals. If they are starting to avoid the family pet or they do not want to hug anymore, this could be a sign of OCD. Be careful on this indication, because it could just be a sign of a moody teenager. It is better assess the totality of the signs.
5. Make note if the teenager repeats thing softly or silently to himself. People that have OCD often repeat counting, prayers or words in their head. As the OCD gets worse, they may actually move their lips and speak softly when they are performing this ritual.