Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a psychological condition that impacts between 1-2% of the US population. People with OCD have unwanted thoughts, feelings, and fears that are called obsessions. Obsessions cause anxiety and to alleviate this distress, the person engages in external or internal behaviors called rituals.
Body-focused repetitive behaviors, or BFRBs, are a lesser known set of disorders categorized under Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). These include pulling, picking, biting, or scraping one’s hair, skin, or nails. In order to be considered a BFRB, the behavior must persist despite efforts to stop. Females are more likely to seek treatment for BFRBs and these disorders typically begin in late childhood and early adolescence. Patients describe increased tension and anxiety and then a sense of relief, pleasure, or drop in anxiety when engaging in the BFRB. Many patients do not seek treatment for BFRBs because of shame or embarrassment.
Repetitive behaviors and thoughts often occur in children and are typically based on age. Preschool-age children may have preoccupations and routines around meals, bedtimes, and schedules. School-age children often create routines around rules to games, sports, and school. Children of all ages may collect objects, have repetitive interests or hobbies. These thoughts and behaviors are developmentally normal and can often help children manage stress. So, how can you tell if your child is experiencing normal childhood behavior or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?
OCD is a psychological condition that impacts between 1 and 3% of children. The average age of onset is 10 years old, however children as young as six can be diagnosed. These children have unwanted thoughts, feelings, and fears that are called obsessions. Obsessions cause anxiety and to alleviate this distress, children engage in external or internal behaviors called rituals.
This is an uncertain time for many people. Between concerns about our own health, loved ones’ health, and finances, there is much unknown and many of us are remain worried. Some of these worries may be helpful in that they motivate us to make proactive choices, practice good hygiene, and plan accordingly for the days ahead. Our children have even less control their choices, and may also be very worried as their everyday lives have radically changed in a very short period of time. Below are a few tips to consider with your own family and may be helpful to support your children and directly address their concerns.
Throughout pregnancy and postpartum many women hear messages from well-meaning friends, family, and strangers regarding how they “should” look and feel. A pregnant woman “should” glow with happiness, “should” feel joy and excitement, and “should” begin nesting and developing maternal feelings and bonds towards her unborn and newborn child. For many women, their pregnancy and the postpartum period looks and feels very different. In fact, approximately 11-20% of all women experience an onset of Depression following the birth of their child. This statistic does not take into account the many women who experience depression after the loss of a child (miscarriage or stillborn) or the significant number of women who likely do not report depressive symptoms due to shame or fear that they will be considered an unsafe or unfit parent. In recent years, several celebrities and women in positions of influence have come forward to disclose their own personal struggles with Postpartum Depression and have begun to lift the veil of shame on this disorder. Even with increased awareness in the community and the health care field, and effective therapy to treat Depression, only 15% of women who experience postpartum depression seek and receive help in the form of therapy or psychiatric care. Continue reading