How to Manage School as a Teen with OCD

As a parent of a teen with OCD, it can be difficult to watch them struggle to manage their symptoms while also keeping up with school life, homework, and expectations from peers. They may feel lonely through this time, and it can feel like no one understands what they are going through.

There are ways for them to balance school while also managing OCD symptoms. Parents are a key part in helping them manage! Below, we’ll discuss some strategies to overcome worries and stress so that your teen can feel confident and succeed at school.

Managing Homework and Stress

You may have noticed that while your teen is completing their homework, they may become obsessed with a particular assignment, even if it has already been completed or submitted. Their obsession surrounding assignments can be strong. There may be a lot of anxiety around assignments, and they may feel that they can not let go of thoughts related to their work, even if they are in the past. As a parent, you can help by letting them know that these obsessions do not need to be acted on. Encourage them to not engage these thoughts and compulsions so they can keep moving forward. 

Time management, when they have many assignments to complete or tests to study for, can be another thing your teen might struggle with. The anxiety of all these things to do may overwhelm them to the point where they may spend long amounts of time on an assignment when it is not necessary. If you see your teen struggling with this, try to help them plan out their schedules and their to-do lists, so they can see everything they need to get done in front of them and decide which ones are a priority. 

Some common things to watch out for that your teen may be doing when completing homework are actively erasing and re-doing parts of the homework, engaging in compulsions before they can get started on their homework, and taking a long time to complete the work.

Communicating with their Teachers and How they Can Help

Your teen’s teachers may notice some symptoms of OCD your teen is struggling with in class. It’s important to keep open communication with trusted school staff and teachers so they are aware of your teen’s OCD and can help support them accordingly. 

Discuss with your teen’s teachers about OCD and where your teen may struggle. Ask for their input on their observations of your teen during class. 

OCD can look different in every teen, depending on their obsessions and compulsions. For example, if your teen’s obsession involves a fear of germs and contamination, they may be protecting their desk or locker, even when they know it is clean, or avoiding contact play with others. 

Your teen’s teachers may notice a variety of signs from your child. As a parent, it’s important to talk to the teachers on how to best respond to these situations when they arise and discuss ways to make accommodations, such as giving extra time to complete assignments or tests.

Self-Care Strategies

Managing the stressors of school alone can be difficult for any teen, but while managing their OCD symptoms school can seem impossible. It’s important to communicate with your teen to take time to care for themselves and use coping strategies to reduce stress.

For example, when seeing your teen trying to resist a compulsion, you can offer a strategy of redirecting their attention or focus to something else, like going for a walk. Not only does this help resist the compulsion but it can help clear their head so when they come back, they feel more ready to tackle tasks from school. 

Discuss with your teen about setting some time for relaxation or practicing mindfulness. This can help bring your teen to a calm state when they are feeling overly stressed or anxious. Also, let them know that you are there to confide in them for open communication, so they can feel less lonely during their highly stressful times.

When to Seek Help

If you feel that your teen is struggling with managing their school stressors, including anything mentioned above, and you are unsure how to help, it may be time to have a discussion with your teen on support through therapy. 

You can contact us here to book an initial consultation or appointment with a therapist for teens to discuss your teens worries, obsessions, and compulsions. Our team is here to support you and your child through OCD symptoms so that they can feel secure, accomplished and successful at school and beyond. Let’s get in touch!