The Better Behavior Show with Dr. Nicole Beurkens

Episode 45: What Parents Need to Know About OCD

Jan 15, 2020

39:52

My guest this week is Dr. Tamar Chansky, a licensed psychologist and founder of the Children's and Adult Center for OCD and Anxiety in Plymouth Meeting, PA. She is the author of numerous books on the treatment of anxiety, including the popular Freeing Yourself from Anxiety Series: Freeing Your Child From Anxiety, Freeing Your Child from Negative Thinking, and Freeing Your Child From Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Dr. Chansky is the creator of the educational website: worrywisekids.org. Her most recent book, Freeing Yourself from Anxiety: 4 Simple Steps to Overcome Worry and Create the Life You Want is for anyone suffering from everyday worry, an anxiety disorder or depression.

In this episode, Dr. Chansky and I discuss how parents can distinguish symptoms, understand and address their children who may be or who are suffering from OCD. Children suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder vary in symptoms from outward obsessive actionable displays to internal incessant thoughts. OCD is often mistaken for anxiety-related symptoms. OCD treatment is possible and highly effective. To learn more about OCD treatments and Dr. Chansky click here.

Episode Highlights What is OCD?

There are two components
Intrusive thoughts that you don’t want to be there
- The brain isn’t sending the signal that something is finished
Compulsions – what a person does to try to quell that thought or get rid of that thought

Treating OCD

Depersonalize the content and separate from the content to feel more empowered that this is not something you need to think about
Exposure and ritual prevention is the treatment of choice and very highly effective
Relabel what’s going on, give a name to this process

How long does it take to treat?

Some progress can be made within the first month
On average, treatment can last 4-6 months

Why reassuring kids with OCD doesn’t work

That attempt to soothe actually can add fuel to the fire by teaching a kid or teaching their brain that these are serious thoughts that they need to pay attention to instead of teaching the kid that these are not serious thoughts

Why do kids develop OCD?

There is a genetic component
To put it simply, the brain is in overdrive

PANS or PANDAS and OCD

1/3 of kids with OCD tend to have PANS or PANDAS
If you see a very obvious and sudden onset of OCD symptoms, testing for PANS and PANDAS is a good first step

Where can people learn more?

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