Anxiety can manifest in many different ways for teens. Some may start sweating and trembling when they get overwhelmed by worry or uncertainty. Others have changes in their sleeping or eating patterns. It’s also possible for teens to focus on rigid routines as a way to reduce their anxious thoughts and feelings. Those routines can lead to obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder. It involves completing repetitive behaviors (compulsions) in response to unwanted thoughts (obsessions) that keep popping up in your head. A teen with OCD can have many different compulsions and obsessions, as they stem from a specific fear that causes anxiety. For example, an obsession with a fear of germs can cause a teen to excessively wash their hands. 

By learning about possible causes and risk factors of OCD in teens, you can gain a better understanding of the root of the symptoms and the treatments that can help.

5 possible OCD causes and risk factors in teens

Just like most mental health conditions, research hasn’t determined specific causes of OCD in teens. It’s often the result of combined factors, such as brain function, genetics, environment and life experiences. However, there have been several potential causes and risk factors discussed in the mental health space for teens developing OCD. 

Here are five possible reasons you may develop obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms:

1. family history — There has been research showing variants of genes linked to OCD that can be passed down, according to research from Psychiatric Clinics of North America. It’s possible that a person can inherit the risk of developing OCD. The heritability of OCD and similar disorders is approximately 50%. 

2. home environment — Every family is different, which means so are the environments that a teen grows up in. You might develop obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms as a response to how you grew up. If you live in a chaotic home, perhaps with many siblings or needing to move a lot, compulsions provide a sense of control. However, the opposite can also be true. If you live in a controlled environment with many rules or traditions, OCD can come from a fear of making a mistake.

3. learned behavior — As a teenager, you’re trying to figure out who you are and who you want to be. That often means turning to the people around you, specifically adults, to see what is “correct.” If you see a person in your life carrying out repetitive behaviors, you may start to mimic those patterns. Learned behavior is also linked to the two previous points. Teens who see their family members perform compulsive behaviors may start to perform those behaviors themselves. 

4. trauma — You may experience or witness difficult, scary or life-changing events or circumstances throughout your life, with some of those experiences possibly occurring before adulthood. You may experience trauma such as assault, neglect or a car accident. You can also struggle to deal with significant life changes, like a parental divorce or the death of a grandparent. OCD symptoms can stem from your anxiety about the uncertainty of the future and fear of the unknown. Compulsions can provide a sense of predictability.

5. infection — It’s possible that developing a strep infection can lead to OCD symptoms in teens. A sudden onset of OCD has been seen as a symptom of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS), according to Harvard Health Publishing. You might be diagnosed with PANDAS if you experience OCD symptoms following a strep infection. It’s believed that the antibodies affect the part of the brain that helps learn behaviors or habits, called the basal ganglia.

Find treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder at Embrace U

If your obsessive-compulsive disorder isn’t treated, the compulsions and obsessions can affect your overall quality of life. They can interfere with your ability to carry out daily activities and maintain healthy relationships. A large part of treatment is getting to the root of your anxiety.

You can talk to a therapist to understand the potential causes behind your OCD symptoms. You can learn how to adjust the thought patterns that contribute to your compulsions and learn strategies for coping with your obsessions. However, you may find that you need further support beyond regular therapy sessions. That’s OK. That’s what we’re here for.

At Embrace U, we provide intensive outpatient therapy programs for adolescents aged 10 to 18 who have OCD symptoms that they are having difficulty managing with other treatments. Treatment includes a combination of therapy, family counseling and medication management.

Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.