The answers to the following questions may be indicators of a teenager struggling with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: - Have you noticed your teen wash or shower much more than anyone else in the family?
- Has he or she acquired skin rashes from too much washing?
- Does your teen’s bathroom routine take an unusually long amount of time (hours) and consist of certain rituals?
- Have you noticed your teen being anxious about shaking hands with others or using bathrooms in public places?
- Does he or she keep his or her room very clean?
- Does your teen have an irrational fear of acquiring a disease like AIDS?
- Does he or she repeatedly ask you to check if his/her breath stinks or if there’s something in between his/her teeth?
- Do you find your teen repeatedly checking things?
- Have you noticed that your teen is constantly worrying about little things like leaving keys or parking too close to the curb?
- Is there a precise order to many of the things in your teen’s room?
- Does your teen get unusually upset if the order of things in his/her room gets changed or altered?
- Have you noticed a compulsion in your teen to save old wrappers or notes?
- Have you noticed him or her counting and re-counting things?
- Is your teenager highly superstitious?
- Does he or she repeat him/herself a lot?
If you have answered yes to many of the questions mentioned here and have noticed these traits in your troubled teen, then he or she may likely be suffering from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Seek the opinion of a mental health professional for a proper diagnosis. |
