To ask if anyone has any experience of therapy that has worked for teenager with OCD?

[deaperatelyunhappyandscared]

My dd15 has OCD, it usually involves rituals that she has to go through when showering / bathing and getting dried / hair etc.
She also gets hyper fixated on various things to do with her health and her appearance.
In the last month or so, it’s become so extreme, that her shower rituals are taking hours. She knows in her head that this isn’t “normal”, but feels that she has no control over it.
She has an occupational therapist, but it’s so difficult to get her to engage with any help, it hasn’t really made a difference. She’s seeing a psychiatrist in a few weeks to discuss the possibility of medication.
It’s exhausting for her and me, I’m a single
parent with one income and it’s becoming a financial strain. Obviously her mental
health is my first priority, so I do everything I can to try and help.
Does anyone have any experience of therapy that has been successful in the treatment of this type of OCD? Or any books you would recommend?
I know we can’t continue like this, but I’m so stuck.

My son had CBT and it helped enormously

Things have just gone from bad to worse, she’s now up all night, sleeping all day, even if I try and wake her to try and regulate her sleep pattern, nothings working. I think she’s slipping in to a deep depression. She has no motivation, won’t get dressed, won’t go anywhere, barely eating. I was trying to get her involved in decorating for Christmas, but she’s not interested. She loves Christmas 😞

@deaperatelyunhappyandscared Did you speak with CAMHS? It sounds like you and your daughter need more support.

Yeah sounds like she has got depressive symptoms.

Have you jumped up and down and shouted and screamed at CAMHS sufficiently? If so, maybe time to get a private psychiatric assessment. Xx

She has an appointment with a psychiatrist in just under 2 weeks, it can’t come soon enough! I just feel so helpless 😣

Just keep her safe and cosy, feed her stuff she likes to eat and try and get her to shower by buying her some gorgeous smellies as a care package. If you have to take her cups of tea in bed, do so, she needs you right now; it’s the little things that make the biggest difference. A hot water bottle with a fluffy cover is always welcome. Xx

That sounds so hard @deaperatelyunhappyandscared . How is she now?

I’d suggest CBT provided by a qualified CBT therapist using an evidence based intervention.

I've had OCD since I was a young child. You and she may find this book helpful

amzn.eu/d/7z8DrMX

I have OCD and frankly applying CBT to it is like throwing accelerant on a fire. Unfortunately mental health services are very poorly trained and ill equipped to deal with OCD. The crux of CBT is 'challenging' negative thoughts which any OCD sufferer can tell you won't work and will in fact make them worse. The whole point of my illness is that I fight and challenge my illogical thoughts day in, day out. If logic worked on them I'd be completely cured, unfortunately OCD cannot be reasoned with.

ERP (exposure therapy) is preferred amongst OCD sufferers.

ERP is the recommended form of CBT for OCD.. www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg31/chapter/Recommendations#steps-3-to-5-treatment-options-for-people-with-ocd-or-bdd

Hi @deaperatelyunhappyandscared
I know this thread is a year old but I was wondering if things had improved for your DD, and if so how did you manage it?
My SD is currently in a very similar situation and we are at a loss. She is under CAMHS but doesn't really do what they ask her and refuses meds, she is only 12.
No idea what we can do here.

The Nightingale hospital in central London has OCD therapists and is world-class in treating this condition. You need a referral from a psychiatrist to this hospital, but they have treatment programs and it is highly treatable.

The Priory also do adolescent mental health work and will probably be able to help your daughter. The one in Roehampton was very good.

Both of these options are private, unfortunately, although sometimes CAHMS can make a referral on the NHS.

if you can’t afford something like this, I’d suggest searching for a therapist, who has worked out the Priory or the Nightingale and works in OCD therapy, and try and organise some sessions directly without needing a psychiatrist’s involvement.

I agree, CBT doesn’t work for OCD, all out so it doesn’t get to the root of the problem. It can be a nice adjunct sometimes