First time posting

[Marley223]

What is the best treatment for a 15 yr old with OCD and anxiety? Would it be CBT? Any recommendations? Thank you.

[80_Zil_ian]

From my experience, it is important to search for a doctor alongside a therapist. The doctor will evaluate if you need medication, and the therapist will start your therapy. In many cases, which I think can be even more efficient, both work together, having regular conversations about your progress and treatment. Nowadays, at least in my country, there are doctor offices with both professionals.

[Marley223 in reply to 80_Zil_ian]

Thank you for this advice

[deValentin]

"Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is a first line treatment for OCD. ERP is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that involves providing psychoeducation to the patient, helping the patient confront fears or discomfort related to their obsessional thoughts (exposure), and having the patient resist performing compulsions (response prevention).

...

Overall, about 50–60% of patients who complete ERP treatment show clinically significant improvement in OCD symptoms and treatment gains have shown to be maintained long-term."

This a quote from an article "Exposure and Response Prevention in the Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Current Perspectives" written in 2019 by Clara Law and Christina L Boisseau in Psychol Res Behav Manag.

Not much has changed in 5 years. ERP is still the gold standard treatment for OCD. It's sometimes used in combination with SRIs (serotonin reuptake inhibitors), but if medication is used alone, OCD symptoms often return after medication discontinuation.

[Marley223 in reply to deValentin]

Thank you very much for taking the time and helping us!

[Natureloverpeace]

I’ll just add onto what deValentin said by suggesting that you check out ocdaction.org. It is a great resource from the UK with a lot of useful information. The NHS in the UK puts restrictions on the delivery of treatment for OCD that gets in the way of people getting the appropriate help. I know somehow who reached out to OCD Action to get help with this.

ERP has evolved to be more than just an habituation model although some providers use the old school version of it which isn’t as effective. It is now supplemented with either ACT(Acceptance Commitment Treatment), Mindfulness or Inhibitory Learning, or any combination of these. The outcomes are better when this supplementation is used. The percentage of people that go into recovery varies widely. It depends on how recovery is defined as well as the skill level and training of the therapist. Many therapists claim that can effectively treat OCD but they haven’t received the appropriate education and training to do so. OCD Action may be able to guide you in finding an effective provider.

SSRIs are the first line of medication used in OCD but the dosages are different than what is usually used in other mental health conditions so it’s important to find a psychiatrist who knows about medication prescribing specifically for OCD. Sometimes the SSRI will need to be supplemented with another medication.

[Natureloverpeace]

If you are having trouble finding an OCD Specialist in the UK whose delivery of ERP isn’t being restricted by the NHS, beyondborderscbt.com may be able to help. Beyond Borders CBT offers evidenced -based treatment for OCD and Related Disorders in certain states in the United States and various countries around the world. They offer services on a sliding pay scale.

You may find publications and videos by Natasha Daniels helpful in providing some basic information. She is an OCD Specialist who works with children.

[Marley223 in reply to Natureloverpeace]

Thank you. I will look her up ☺️