Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Emmet gets very upset at how everyone is eating lunch. There is a proper order to eating lunch, and Emmet wants everyone to follow that order. Gulliver explains that his friend has OCD and how they can help support him.
OCD
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder is when worries or thoughts become obsessive.
- People with OCD perform rituals or repetitive behaviour in order to decrease their anxiety.
- The ritual helps temporarily, and then reinforces the obsession- increasing the anxiety.
- Accommodating symptoms strengthens the disorder, not the child.
- Be patient- it’s not their fault.
- Find support groups, work with your child’s school and seek medical assistance to help your child learn to cope. Parents and families are not alone. Seeking help for your child is a good thing.