OCD Treatment for Teens and Young Adults
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a serious mental health condition that is typically diagnosed in adolescence. It can cause extreme distress and interfere with every aspect of a young person’s daily life.
To achieve long-term healing from OCD, young people need treatment that provides relief from obsessions and compulsions, while addressing underlying causes and co-occurring mental health conditions. Without this full-spectrum care, young people are vulnerable to relapse.
Newport Healthcare’s specialized OCD treatment incorporates Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy, considered the gold standard of care for OCD. Clients’ treatment plans also include psychiatric care, medication management, other evidence-based modalities (such as EMDR and Attachment-Based Family Therapy), experiential activities, and academics/life skills education.
Signs and Symptoms of OCD
It’s not unusual for young people to experience some degree of obsessive thinking, or a strong desire for things to be a certain way. But if you or your loved one suffer from diagnosable OCD, you know that this disorder is deeply painful and upsetting.
People with OCD are unable to turn off their obsessive and anxiety-producing thoughts. The only way they can attempt to control these obsessions is by engaging in ritualistic behaviors known as compulsions.
By repeating a behavior a certain number of times, ordering things in a very specific way, or otherwise obeying a set of rigid rules, they attempt to keep the anxiety of OCD at bay.
What Are OCD Obsessions and Compulsions?
OCD obsessions are unwanted and disturbing thoughts, images, or urges that create extreme anxiety. Even if the person with OCD knows that their fears are irrational and extreme, they are unable to stop the obsessive thinking.
To cope with their obsessions, a person with OCD engages in compulsions, also known as rituals. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or thoughts that a person with OCD engages in, often multiple times a day, to relieve anxiety.
Common OCD Obsessions
A teen or young adult with OCD may obsess over things many of their peers also worry about, such as embarrassing themselves at a party, failing a final exam, or being abandoned by a romantic partner or friend.
But for young people with OCD, the intensity and frequency of the obsessive thoughts are much more extreme.
Common OCD obsessions include:
- Fear of being unsafe or getting sick
- Aversion to germs or dirt
- Taboo thoughts about sex and violence
- Aggressive thoughts toward oneself or other people
- Worrying about your or a loved one’s safety
- Concern about environmental contaminants, such as asbestos
- Obsession with household chemicals, such as cleaners and solvents
- Being afraid they will blurt out obscenities or insults
- The need to have objects arranged in a particular way
- Dread of hurting someone by accident
- Inability to discard useless or worn-out possessions
Common OCD Compulsions
People with OCD engage in compulsions as a way to prevent the feared outcome from occurring. They may feel brief periods of relief after performing these rituals, but they receive no pleasure from the compulsive behaviors.
In general, OCD compulsions fall into one of four types of OCD behaviors: checking, contamination/mental contamination, hoarding, and rumination/intrusive thoughts.
Examples include:
- Repeatedly checking switches and locks—e.g. that a door is locked or oven is off
- Checking one’s physical condition or body parts again and again
- Rereading or rewriting assignments or other work
- Repeating routine activities, such as going in and out of a door
- Excessive handwashing
- Arranging and ordering things in a very specific way, such as eating foods in a specific order
- Repetitive cleaning of things or of oneself
- Compulsive counting
- Doing tasks in multiples, such as opening a door or closing a door three times
What Causes OCD?
There are a variety of factors that increase the likelihood of OCD in children, teens, and young adults, including:
Underlying trauma
Research shows that young people who have experienced childhood trauma, such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, or the loss of a parent, have a higher risk of developing OCD.
Genetics
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, individuals whose parents or other family members suffer from OCD are more likely to develop the disorder.
Brain abnormalities
Research shows that OCD may be linked to abnormal structures or function in the frontal cortex and subcortical areas of the brain.
Types of OCD
There are many different subtypes of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Here are a few of the most common types.
Take a Quiz
If you’re experiencing symptoms of OCD or seeing signs of the disorder in a loved one, take our quiz to learn more and get recommendations and next steps.
When to Get Help for OCD
If OCD compulsions and obsessions begin to interfere in your life or the life of someone you care about, talk to a doctor or a mental health professional. Your family doctor may be a good place to start.
Symptoms of OCD in teens and young adults likely won’t get better on their own—and they may get worse or lead to other problems if untreated. Because OCD is so distressing, it creates a higher risk of anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts.
The staff didn’t learn my case file, they got to know me—my interests, hopes, dreams, adventures, quirks, jokes, and how much of me was being consumed by my OCD. My clinical team and peers became my Newport family, and it was in my relations with them that I found the strength to start decoupling myself from my OCD.
Andrew K.
How to Find Out If You or a Loved One Has OCD
If you or a loved one has any of the OCD obsessions or compulsions listed above, a full assessment by a mental health professional is the first step to take. An assessment will likely include the following exams and tests to inform a comprehensive diagnosis:
Physical Exam
The doctor may do a physical exam and ask in-depth questions about the patient’s health to determine what may be causing OCD. In some cases, OCD symptoms may be linked to a medical issue, like PANDAS.
Lab Tests
A doctor may conduct a blood test called a complete blood count, or test to rule out physiological or hormonal issues that might cause obsessive-compulsive symptoms.
Psychological Evaluation
A doctor or mental health professional may inquire about your thoughts, feelings, and behavior, or give you a questionnaire to fill out, to gauge the severity of the symptoms.
Healing is closer than you think
Our OCD Treatment Centers for Youth and Young Adults
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy is at the core of Newport’s OCD treatment approach. ERP is a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that helps to reduce compulsive behaviors. In the last few decades, the development of ERP has shifted the success rates of OCD treatment from poor to very good. In ERP therapy, individuals gradually face their OCD obsessions without using compulsive behaviors to deal with their anxiety. Over time, they learn to trust that the anxiety will lessen without the compulsions. In addition, they learn skills for controlling the habitual compulsions.
Newport Healthcare’s teen and young adult OCD programming incorporates 4.5 hours of ERP therapy each day, as well as daily exposure homework. Alongside ERP, clients engage in a wide range of other modalities to support their overall well-being and help prepare them for life after treatment.
Treatment for OCD Spectrum Disorders and Related Conditions
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is often accompanied by a range of other conditions that commonly occur alongside OCD, called OCD spectrum disorders. Therefore, Newport Healthcare’s teen and young adult OCD treatment addresses the following disorders alongside OCD:
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Social anxiety
- Body-focused repetitive behaviors: dermatillomania (skin picking) and trichotillomania (hair pulling)
- Specific phobias
- Panic disorder
- Body dysmorphia
- Misophonia—extreme sensitivity to sounds, such as chewing, tapping, etc.
Multidisciplinary care to create long-term healing
What Our OCD Treatment Includes
Psychiatric and Clinical Care
- Exposure and Responsive Prevention (ERP) therapy: 4.5 hours of ERP therapy each day, five days a week, in both group and individual formats, plus daily homework
- Psychiatric care and medication management
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help address both the underlying causes and the symptoms of OCD
- Attachment-Based Family Therapy, so families can learn how to support their loved one without unintentionally reinforcing their obsessive patterns
Experiential
Modalities
- Mindfulness and meditation to help balance the nervous system, including yoga and reflection exercises
- Creative art therapies, including music therapy and art therapy, to enhance self-expression and process trauma related to or underlying depression
- Adventure therapy to empower young people to handle challenges and master new skills
- Community service, as doing good for others is proven to increase life satisfaction and well-being
Academic, Career, and Life Skills Support
- Accredited academic component for teens, and assistance with college applications and admission
- Support with career planning, resume building, and planning next steps
- Life skills training, including daily skills for independent living
- Executive functioning support, to enhance emotional regulation, organization skills, and self-awareness
Are you or a loved one struggling with OCD?
Get in touch today to schedule a complimentary call with one of our admissions experts and explore next steps.
Our Team of Experts
At Newport Healthcare, obsessive-compulsive disorder treatment is delivered by a team of experts, including therapists trained in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy, the gold standard of care for OCD. Our care teams also include psychiatrists, nurses, dietitians, teachers, and more.
Our philosophy of care is based on a foundation of compassion and unconditional love, and informed by research—including our own ongoing outcomes studies. The Newport Healthcare team is passionate about making a positive difference in the lives of young people and their families.
From Our
National Director, OCD and Anxiety Program
While OCD can be debilitating and cause immense distress and suffering, it is also treatable. With the right support, people can heal and move forward. If you are suffering from OCD or know someone who is, reach out for help. You are worth it.
Meredith
Hettler
,
LMFT
Where to Find Our OCD Treatment Centers
Newport Healthcare’s specialized residential OCD programs for ages 12–18 and 18–35 are located in California and Virginia. We also offer an OCD treatment track for young adults at our outpatient location in Connecticut. Our telehealth OCD program includes individual ERP sessions, group therapy, and psychiatric care.
In addition to our specialized programs, we provide care for anxiety and OCD at our locations across the country. Our programs are located in Northern and Southern California, Connecticut, Maryland, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, Washington State, Utah, and Wisconsin.
Frequently Asked Questions
To address OCD effectively, young people need treatment with a mental health professional who can provide tailored therapy, such as Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy, for their specific type of OCD.
There are various levels of care for teen and young adult OCD treatment, including residential treatment, outpatient care, telehealth, and weekly therapy. An assessment with a clinician can help determine the appropriate level of care, depending on the severity of the symptoms and whether co-occurring issues like substance use disorder are also present.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy is the gold-standard treatment for OCD. ERP is a behavioral therapy in which clients are gradually exposed to situations that trigger their anxieties and obsessive thoughts and behaviors. Over time, they learn healthy coping skills to use when they’re triggered instead of reverting to compulsive behaviors.
Newport Healthcare offers free assessments with our clinical experts. We can help identity the type of OCD and recommend the most impactful option for treatment and recovery. Contact us today to schedule an assessment at no charge.
Signs of OCD in teens include frequent handwashing, trouble sleeping due to unwanted thoughts, repeatedly checking that doors are closed or lights are off, and rechecking or redoing homework.
