Trinitonian July Online Issue

PARENT FEATURE
How is OCD treated?
OCD can be treated with medicine and
therapy. For kids who need medicines,
doctors give SSRIs (selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors), like Zoloft, Prozac
and Luvox.
Therapists treat OCD with cognitive
behavioural therapy – which is a talk-anddo
therapy. Here kids learn about OCD and
begin to understand it better and how to
handle the symptoms. They learn that doing
rituals keeps OCD going strong, and that not
doing rituals helps to weaken OCD. Learning
these skills helps stop the cycle of OCD.
Part of treatment is coaching parents on how
they can help kids get better. Parents learn
how to respond to OCD situations, and how
to support their child’s progress without
giving in to rituals.
What can parents do?
1. Talk with your child Talk and listen to your
child and show love and support. Say
things like, “I notice you worry about you
saw on television or that you think you
broke something,”. Say that something
called OCD might be causing the worry.
Tell your child that a visit with a doctor can
help find out what is going on. Reassure
your child that this can get better, and that
you want to help.
2. Make an appointment Look for a child
psychiatrist or psychologist in your area…
someone who specialises in Cognitive
Behaviour Play Therapy would be
beneficial.
3. Take part in your child’s therapy
Overcoming OCD is a process. There will
be many therapy appointments, and it’s
important to go to them all. Learn as much
as you can about the disease.
4. Get support for you There are lots of
resources and support for parents and
families dealing with OCD. Knowing
that you’re not alone can help you cope.
Sharing success stories with other parents
can give you hope and confidence.
22 | The Trinitonian