Dealing with Compulsive Children

Compulsive children often do things that do not make sense. They may talk incessantly, lie about matters that are of no consequence, wash their hands over and over, count items, ask the same questions time and again or do any number of compulsive things. This irrational behavior can make you, the parent, feel frustrated and exhausted. Gemma Bailey, a hypnotherapist, NLP Master Practitioner and Life Coach based in Markyate, St. Albans, says, “…compulsion means…a psychological and usually irrational force that makes somebody do something, often unwillingly.”

This is what you are up against when raising a compulsive child. It is called obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD and is the fourth most common mental disturbance in the United States. The child literally feels driven to do the compulsive behavior. They worry a lot and often feel that “something bad” may happen if they do not go through certain ritualistic behaviors. Unfortunately, children with OCD spend so much time doing these compulsive rituals that truly important things, or things they really want to do, do not get done. The cause of OCD is uncertain, but it does run in families. One in 50 adults has OCD.

The prescribed treatment for OCD is typically a combination of medication and therapy. The medication helps brain chemicals work properly, while therapy deals with the behaviors themselves. If the child can learn to take responsibility for the behavior, he or she can effectively say “no” to doing it, but this takes time and a lot of practice. Overcoming OCD is difficult, because the impulses are strong and have been ingrained in the child’s behavior over a number of years. This is where parents can make a big difference. By encouraging your child several times daily, you can help him conquer OCD.