My young adult son is developing OCD
Somehow his science knowledge, as a biology major (and resulting work in the lab) has made him germophobic. He’s washing his hands much too much and it is impacting his social life — he is very uncomfortable shaking hands, he wipes down doorknobs, etc.
While he is home from college, I’d like to get him some immediate help. Can anyone recommend a therapist (and psychiatrist would be even better, if a prescription was advised) who specializes in OCD. Or is that a job for Cognative Behavioral Therapy?
I know no one in this world, and would greatly appreciate some leads. Thanks!
Jul 2, 2018
Parent Replies
Sorry to hear about your son. With OCD, the fears are irrational and the attempt to offset them leads to compulsions that only serve to reinforce the obsession. Your son’s study of science would normally serve to quell fears of contamination—i.e. if contamination were so prevalent and lethal, we couldn’t survive most germs. Yes, it sounds as if he needs CBT because he clearly has anxiety if not OCD (which requires a specific form of CBT know as ERP—exposure and response prevention therapy). I recommend you check out the International OCD Foundation website that lists psychologists and therapists by city. My son has OCD and he’s been to many Bay Area therapists and psychiatrists. I personally recommend Mark Balabanis PhD (Oakland) for therapy and Eric Arnold MD (Berkeley) for medication.
My much younger son saw Emily Berner for OCD. She was great with him for CBT, and I know she works a lot with teens/college students: http://sfbacct.com/emily-berner/
Good luck. I know how scary this is as a parent.
I’m so sorry to hear you and he are going through this. It can be terrifying to see your child go through this-it’s like they become an entirely different person. I highly recommend Dr. Amy Jenks at the Bay Area OCD and Anxiety Center in Orinda. She uses a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy called Exposure-Response-Prevention. She worked wonders for my son who also had germ/handwashing compulsions. He was 9 when he went into therapy and was in remission a year later and has been symptom free ever since (he is now 12). Wishing you all the best!
My child was suffering with OCD symptoms years ago. A combination of an SSRI and CBT helped her a lot. I hope he gets some relief.
I wanted to suggest that if the son is developing OCD by excessive hand
washing because he is concerned with "germs' it might be a good idea to
share with him the 'scientific fact' that bacteria comprises a large part of
our natural world and that we need not be fearful of the fact that bacteria
are what allows us to be alive.
I would say that he needs to be given space to learn more about how we live
in balance with nature there is nothing to fear. That bacteria have the same
life force as all living things. Life force is life force. Perhaps looking for a native elder who also has a western education in science who is very calm and wise to explain it to him and help him internalize peace with the living world.