Organized Chaos - Volume 6
Going To College With OCD
by Lori J. Kasmen, Psy.D.
The Anxiety and Agoraphobia Treatment Center
Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
You've made the decision to move away from home to go to college! Congrats!! As a teen with OCD, you will be faced with unique challenges and wonderful opportunities. College is the start of many new relationships,new friends, professors, roommates and, perhaps, a new therapist. If you're already in treatment, your current therapist can help you to make the transition to a new therapist. If you are not currently in treatment with a therapist trained in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for OCD now is a great time to get the treatment. Experts agree it is most effective for OCD! You may want to consider the school's proximity to the CBT-trained providers when making your college selection. The OC Foundation is a great resource to help you locate a CBT-trained therapist. If there are not CBT trained therapists near your school, most schools have college counseling centers that provide free therapy. Counselors that are not trained in CBT for OCD, may be willing to learn. Many CBT-trained therapists are willing to consult with therapists wanting to learn to do CBT for OCD.
Once you've made your decision about schools and lined up a therapist lined up, you may want to schedule some sessions with that person during the summer before your freshman year. This alleviates the stress of having to adjust to a new therapist while you are adjusting to college life. Your old therapist and your new therapist can help you with another important task: BE PREPARED. Think about OCD triggers that may arise at school and plan on how you will deal with them. Then plan how you will deal with all of the things that you don't have a plan for. Think about how and with whom you will share information about your OCD. Remember that three of every 100 kids has OCD-this means that there will most likely be other kids at your school with OCD. This is a great opportunity to meet other kids with it! You may even want to speak with your college counseling center about starting an OCD GOAL group on campus.
A teen diagnosed with OCD, under a set of rules and regulations called IDEA, may be entitled to additional support or accommodations at college. This can help to keep things manageable. Depending on your situation, this can include financial, academic and/or counseling supports. You can check with your high school counselor, special education department, current therapist or college's student support office. It may have a different name at other schools but would be the resource for students with learning disabilities.
