Therapy series with Dr. Dubovic- Status Island thestatusisland.com #ocd #anxiety #therapy #parenting

Welcome back to Dr. Dubevic. Let's get straight to the point. We had a question a viewer sent in about OCD. His son is starting to display some OCD symptoms. Maybe you could say over what the question the viewer sent in and what's the answer for that. >> Okay. So, the viewer sent in a detailed very detailed question that his son is very smart, needs to understand everything, he's always [snorts] looking for answers. Um he's going to sleep when going to sleep it takes some time. Uh and everything has to be measured in exactly the same way. Uh the netilas yadaim has to be exactly to a certain point and even down to the kiegeluch uh in his room and if the parents put on pressure then that he needs to go to sleep or that he needs to eat or needs to get up he gets ice mensch. But at the same time he needs to be not just on time before everybody else. Um so, the question is what should we do with such a child? Now, without actually meeting the child diagnostically it's almost impossible to tell you exactly what to do. Understanding OCD and religiousness is also very um trying thing because at the same time we are Yidden and we are makpid on a lot of different things that take a lot of repetitive actions. There have been a lot of studies in this and in Eretz Yisrael and it's not easy to understand. Now, since there might be a lot of different factors involved both physically, biologically, mentally, emotionally, it really is best to take this child to a professional uh therapist or even your local uh pediatrician who has an understanding of this child and start your search for a eitzah there. >> Question a lot of people had regarding OCD. We said we're going to mention on Status Island to the professor about OCD. People had a question, how does somebody know if the child is just displaying some mishigas or when is it a concern to go see if the child should really be diagnosed with OCD? >> It's a very good question. And the short answer is if it is something that is actually disturbing their functioning in life, meaning they're taking two to three hours just to say Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad, then they should be concerned. Um if they're nervous about washing their hands and they're just washing their hands three, four times a day, it's understandable. But if they're washing their hands to the point where their skin is getting shaved and red and irritated, then you should take them to a mental health. It's not something that can be, you know, an answer can be given uh virtually.