My daughters 16 keeps washing hands won't flush toilet won't turn lights off doesn't want people in her room she says she can't relax if she don't do it
Worries mum need advice?: My daughters 16 keeps... - OCD Support
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Worries mum need advice?
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eyesdown500
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Hi..having OCD for 25 years on and off and studying this unfortunate health illness it may be that she has a form of OCD. When it rears its ugly head unless you perform certain rituals you cannot relax as it will constantly be in your head until you have completed the short term reassuring task. However it does not last and without seeking professional help it may continue. Please explain to your daughter that there is help out there.
Best of luck.. x
Hi, I am also 16 and suffer from severe OCD myself. I know most mums don’t want to find out their child/children have something like OCD. At least that is the way my mum is but, just giving your child the right support and sitting them down to talk to them about this helps them a lot. There is so many options for someone with OCD. In my example I went to a psychologist and am now being put on OCD medication (antidepressants) maybe your daughter would work well doing that. I hope this helped.
I was in a similar situation, but as the 16 year old. My advice would be to talk to her, approaching the subject carefully. It's very difficult to get people to get help if they won't acknowledge the problem or if they refuse to help themselves. Try not to chastise her for her actions, as if it is OCD then she probably doesn't want to be doing these things either!
I'd be wary in 100% assuming it's OCD, as at this age it can sometimes be a short 'phase' (I really hate using this term as it is often used to invalidate mental illness, however it IS very occasionally the case, and the behaviours will stop after a period of time) that will pass on its own. If she appears to be unhappy and/or anxious, however, I would try to get her some kind of help or support to prevent the problem getting any worse. Waiting lists for therapy can often be very long, so I would recommend getting a self-help book if you are expecting to be waiting a long time for an appointment, to try and reduce the anxiety if even only a small amount. You could also direct her to message boards such as this one where she can get support from others going through similar issues.
I hope this was somewhat helpful, and good luck! 
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