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obsessive compulsive disorder (ocd)
OCD stands for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. As indicated in its name OCD is made up of two kinds of symptoms: Obsessions and Compulsions.
Obsessions are thoughts that get stuck repeating in someone’s head that they try to get rid of. These thoughts are intrusive and persistent, and they cause distress. Obsessions often make the person worry that something bad will happen or make them think something feels wrong. Obsessions can have to do with any topic, not just the ones people who don’t know much about OCD more commonly think of, such as germs or counting.
Compulsions are repetitive acts that people do to help themselves feel better. These might be single actions, complex routines and rituals the person feels the need to do, or even things they do in their head. Checking, counting, saying certain things, and trying to make things perfect are examples of compulsions. Children often heavily involve their parents in their compulsions, needing their parent to say certain things or do certain things in a very specific way in order to feel okay. People with OCD believe the compulsions are the only way to reduce their distress or to stop their fear from coming true.
Children and teens with OCD experience either obsessions, compulsions, or both. OCD is very impairing for the person experiencing it. OCD can consume a tremendous amount of time and energy (often hours a day), leaving the person depleted. It can distract from and/or interfere with getting places on time, finishing tasks, learning in the classroom, being mentally or physically present with family and friends, and participating in extracurricular activities. Families are often confused about why their child is consumed by these thoughts, or why their child is so insistent upon completing these actions.
Obsessions are thoughts that get stuck repeating in someone’s head that they try to get rid of. These thoughts are intrusive and persistent, and they cause distress. Obsessions often make the person worry that something bad will happen or make them think something feels wrong. Obsessions can have to do with any topic, not just the ones people who don’t know much about OCD more commonly think of, such as germs or counting.
Compulsions are repetitive acts that people do to help themselves feel better. These might be single actions, complex routines and rituals the person feels the need to do, or even things they do in their head. Checking, counting, saying certain things, and trying to make things perfect are examples of compulsions. Children often heavily involve their parents in their compulsions, needing their parent to say certain things or do certain things in a very specific way in order to feel okay. People with OCD believe the compulsions are the only way to reduce their distress or to stop their fear from coming true.
Children and teens with OCD experience either obsessions, compulsions, or both. OCD is very impairing for the person experiencing it. OCD can consume a tremendous amount of time and energy (often hours a day), leaving the person depleted. It can distract from and/or interfere with getting places on time, finishing tasks, learning in the classroom, being mentally or physically present with family and friends, and participating in extracurricular activities. Families are often confused about why their child is consumed by these thoughts, or why their child is so insistent upon completing these actions.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
(Child Treatment with Parent Involvement)
OCD is treated with a form of CBT called Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) that involves learning coping skills and then drawing on those skills. ERP involves creating a hierarchy of symptoms, and learning to face each situation without getting stuck on those obsessive thoughts and without acting on OCD urges or relying on rituals. OCD is like a brain trick making people think bad things will happen if certain things are not thought or done, and ERP helps you take back charge over your thinking, feelings, and actions.
Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE)
(Parent Only Treatment)
SPACE is a unique treatment that parents can participate in alone without their child when their child is unwilling or unable to attend treatment. SPACE is supported by research to have similar rates of effectiveness to CBT. SPACE can be used with children with OCD and/or Anxiety. Children often involve their parents in their anxiety and this treatment helps parents take steps to change their involvement in their child's anxious behaviors.
(Child Treatment with Parent Involvement)
OCD is treated with a form of CBT called Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) that involves learning coping skills and then drawing on those skills. ERP involves creating a hierarchy of symptoms, and learning to face each situation without getting stuck on those obsessive thoughts and without acting on OCD urges or relying on rituals. OCD is like a brain trick making people think bad things will happen if certain things are not thought or done, and ERP helps you take back charge over your thinking, feelings, and actions.
- Exposure involves facing the fears or concerns head on
- Response Prevention involves using coping skills to resist the compulsions and beat OCD
Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE)
(Parent Only Treatment)
SPACE is a unique treatment that parents can participate in alone without their child when their child is unwilling or unable to attend treatment. SPACE is supported by research to have similar rates of effectiveness to CBT. SPACE can be used with children with OCD and/or Anxiety. Children often involve their parents in their anxiety and this treatment helps parents take steps to change their involvement in their child's anxious behaviors.
Body Focused repetitive behaviors (BFrB)
Some children show repetitive behaviors that involve doing something to their body such as pulling hair out (Trichotillomania) or picking at their skin (Excoriation), nail biting, tics.
These BFRBs are treated using a form of behavioral therapy called Habit Reversal Training (HRT). HRT involves building motivation to change the behavior and building substitute behaviors to replace the unhelpful BFRB.
These BFRBs are treated using a form of behavioral therapy called Habit Reversal Training (HRT). HRT involves building motivation to change the behavior and building substitute behaviors to replace the unhelpful BFRB.
PANS/PANDAS
Children affected by PANS/PANDAS develop mental health symptoms literally overnight after being sick. Strep is the most common illness that those who have heard of PANS or PANDAS think of, but there are more illnesses besides strep that can trigger these reactions. PANDAS stands for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal Infections. This is the condition associated with strep. PANS stands for
Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome. PANS can be caused by other forms of infection and metabolic issues. The common thread is that both are autoimmune and cause inflammation in the brain (encephalitis). This means that the antibodies that normally attack illnesses within our body attack our own body instead, and with PANS and PANDAS the area attacked is in the brain (basal ganglia). When the basal ganglia portion of the brain is impacted it affects a child’s thoughts, feelings and behavior.
Treatment for PANS/PANDAS generally involves blood tests (to diagnose the infection), antibiotics or other medicines for fighting infections (sometimes a long course), anti-inflammatory medicine (to reduce the swelling in the affected brain areas), and cognitive-behavioral or behavioral therapy (to address the emotional and behavioral symptoms as they do not tend to resolve with medical treatment alone).
When the presentation involves Anxiety or OCD a form of CBT called exposure therapy is used to treat it. The form of exposure therapy used to treat OCD is called Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). For tics and body-focused repetitive behaviors a form of behavioral treatment called Habit Reversal Training (HRT) is used. If problem behaviors are the main presentation behavioral treatments that heavily involve the caregivers such as Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) or other forms of Parent Management Training (PMT) can be used.
Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome. PANS can be caused by other forms of infection and metabolic issues. The common thread is that both are autoimmune and cause inflammation in the brain (encephalitis). This means that the antibodies that normally attack illnesses within our body attack our own body instead, and with PANS and PANDAS the area attacked is in the brain (basal ganglia). When the basal ganglia portion of the brain is impacted it affects a child’s thoughts, feelings and behavior.
Treatment for PANS/PANDAS generally involves blood tests (to diagnose the infection), antibiotics or other medicines for fighting infections (sometimes a long course), anti-inflammatory medicine (to reduce the swelling in the affected brain areas), and cognitive-behavioral or behavioral therapy (to address the emotional and behavioral symptoms as they do not tend to resolve with medical treatment alone).
When the presentation involves Anxiety or OCD a form of CBT called exposure therapy is used to treat it. The form of exposure therapy used to treat OCD is called Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). For tics and body-focused repetitive behaviors a form of behavioral treatment called Habit Reversal Training (HRT) is used. If problem behaviors are the main presentation behavioral treatments that heavily involve the caregivers such as Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) or other forms of Parent Management Training (PMT) can be used.
Mighty Minds SRQ- OCD and Anxiety Camp
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Mighty Minds SRQ- OCD and Anxiety Camp is an exposure-based camp designed for children and adolescents with OCD (including PANS/PANDAS related) and/or anxiety symptoms that are affecting their daily lives. Mighty Minds SRQ utilizes Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and other in-vivo and imaginal exposure techniques. There will be a two-part intake process (a parent intake and a child intake) and one additional child hierarchy building session prior to the start of the camp week. The camp will take place from 9AM-2PM Monday June 10th through Friday June 14th, 2024. This intensive camp model is a great way for your child to make progress in a fun and supportive environment. Parents will also gain valuable knowledge and skills to support their child in continued progress and success, and will be incorporated into exposures during the camp week.
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Who: Children and adolescents ages 7-15 with interfering OCD/Anxiety symptoms (Diagnosis not required)
When: June 10-14th, 2024 9 AM - 2 PM Where: Parent and Child Psychological Services PLLC, Sarasota, FL Contact: (941) 357-4090 or email [email protected] ATTN: OCD Camp Cost: $2500 ($500 for the 3 pre-camp appointments and $2000 for the 25 therapy hours during the camp week |
