As the school year approaches, you might feel anxiety increasing, sadness creeping in, and uncertainty taking over. The end of summer break evokes a range of emotions for everyone, and it is essential to acknowledge and address those feelings as the new school year begins.
If you have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), these intense emotions arrive with a bundle of difficult OCD symptoms. Because OCD is so widely misunderstood, you may not recognize some of the symptoms that tend to spike when school starts. You might struggle to complete assignments, make new friends, follow specific rules, and feel as though you’re falling short of expectations—all without realizing that OCD is to blame.
Let’s take a look at how OCD might take over as you start school, and what you can do to manage your symptoms.
How can school affect my OCD?
OCD is easily worsened with stress, and when placed in a high-pressure environment like school, obsessions (intrusive thoughts, fears, images, sensations and/or feelings) can get worse as well. These can vary greatly, but some may be more closely related with the school environment: fears of contamination and germs, obsessions with doing everything perfectly or “just right,” fears about harming oneself or others, obsessions with numbers and counting, obsessions with checking, or excessive doubt and dread.
If any of these obsessions sound familiar, you may also notice some of the following compulsions (physical or mental behaviors done in response to obsessions) interfering in your school day.
Compulsions that might get worse as you begin the school year
Here are some common ways OCD might show up more once school starts:
Fear of germs and contamination
- Avoiding using the bathroom
- Sanitizing hands or materials repeatedly
- Refusing to touch shared materials (athletic equipment, lab equipment, art materials, etc.)
- Refusing to eat in the cafeteria or at school in general
Obsessions with perfectionism or things being “just right”
- Re-reading paragraphs
- Re-starting assignments
- Taking extra time on tests
Obsessions with checking
- Checking backpack or locker repeatedly
- Checking appearance or clothing repeatedly
- Seeking reassurance, repeating questions
Fear of harming yourself or others
- Avoiding sharp objects (pens/pencils, utensils, art/lab equipment)
- Isolating from peers
- Checking for reassurance that you didn’t hurt someone
Obsessions with numbers and counting
- Taking a certain amount of steps to class
- Avoiding assignments or problems that have “dangerous” numbers
- Touching or tapping rituals
Fear of discarding materials
- Hoarding school materials
- Stashing “contaminated” materials to avoid spreading germs
- Maintaining a “magic” number of items to prevent something bad from happening
Obsessions with religious and moral rules
- Fear of accidentally cheating or plagiarizing (might ask for reassurance)
- Avoiding answering questions in class out of fear of lying
- Fear of saying something offensive in front of others
Find the right OCD therapist for you
All our therapists are licensed and trained in exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), the gold standard treatment for OCD.
How OCD can impact your school life—and how to get help
Visible or not, obsessions and compulsions can create problems in school. Whether it’s an inability to focus, feelings of loneliness, trouble staying on top of your grades, or making it to class on time, you might feel that it’s hard to stay in control of your life.
OCD might even get you into trouble at school. Perhaps you compulsively check your phone for bad news, and your teachers take it away from you. Or, maybe your step counting often makes you late to class, and you end up in detention. Whether or not your OCD symptoms land you in trouble, it’s important to seek help to get them under control.
If you do experience any of the compulsions listed above or something similar, it may be worth speaking to your counselor or teachers before the school year to let them know what you’re dealing with. They can direct you to the right support, such as an OCD specialist, to help you manage your symptoms.
Professional help aside, consider speaking to trusted friends and family so that they can create a strong support system for you.
How teachers can support students with OCD
If you’re a teacher, you may wonder how to support a student with OCD in the classroom. It can be challenging to spot OCD immediately, so you may feel a bit out of your depth.
The best thing you can do to support someone with OCD is not to provide accommodations. “The reasons why we don’t want to provide accommodations at school for OCD are that they can make the symptoms worse,” says Tracie Ibrahim, LMFT, CST, NOCD’s Chief Compliance Officer. “Accommodations don’t teach the person how to deal with their struggles.”
Some examples of accommodations that can actually worsen OCD include:
- Giving extra time on tests/exams
- Extending deadlines for larger projects
- Offering extra help on assignments
- Offering prepared notes
- Allowing the use of phones or other devices to stay in contact with parents or caregivers
If you know your student has OCD and you want to support them without providing accommodations, reach out to their parents for assistance. They can educate you on the signs of OCD and what you can do to support the child’s treatment. “Sometimes, teachers help track compulsive behaviors and can send home a report so that the [student’s OCD] therapist can get a better idea of what’s happening,” explains Ibrahim.
Ultimately, the goal is to empower students to confront OCD with the support of their whole team—teachers included.
What parents can do for children with OCD
If you’re a parent, you also probably want to know some ways to help your child with OCD. You want to start by creating an open and comfortable atmosphere for your child to talk to you about their OCD experiences and specific symptoms.
Parents should also avoid requesting accommodations or providing reassurance for their child’s OCD while they’re in school. While asking for a private room, extra time on a test, or requesting a private bathroom in college may seem helpful, these actions can actually exacerbate their symptoms. Instead, inform your child’s teachers and counselor about their symptoms and what they can do to avoid feeding into your child’s OCD.
And if you haven’t already, it’s important to seek professional help for your child’s OCD. Specialized therapy can help you and your child identify triggers and symptoms, and develop a personalized treatment plan that helps them take back control from OCD.
“The number one thing that we do when we’re working with kids is identify what you’re doing that keeps OCD loud—which tends to be all of those accommodations,” says Ibrahim. “A therapist can help parents understand what types of responses are more helpful, which are typically ones that don’t give reassurance.”
She also notes that talking openly about any anxiety or nervousness tied to the start of a new school year can be helpful, since those feelings often trigger a spike in OCD symptoms. “Ensuring that the student has the tools they need to successfully manage their OCD symptoms can be done by using the skills they learn in therapy,” she says.
Tips for anyone to combat OCD misconceptions
Another way OCD easily hides in school is through harmful stereotypes. The phrase “I’m so OCD” is heard among teens frequently, and this creates the idea that OCD is an unproblematic quirk. Sometimes, the condition is even made out to seem desirable, or perceived as beneficial or practical.
Ibrahim emphasizes the importance of educating others about the realities of OCD, explaining that it goes far beyond stereotypes like handwashing or neatness, and can be debilitating. She adds that moments when people say things like “I’m so OCD” can be used as opportunities to correct misconceptions and raise awareness.
Getting help for OCD
Exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy is the most effective treatment for managing OCD symptoms in the long term, including in school. In ERP, you work with a trained specialist to gradually confront your fears, accept the uncertainty and fear you feel, and resist engaging in compulsions.
“ERP teaches people a variety of skills to use in response to OCD triggers, so that they can get through the activities of the day without feeling so overwhelmed or fearful that they interrupt their ability to be successful in the classroom and school environment,” explains Ibrahim. “ERP allows students to take control over their OCD instead of allowing the OCD to control them.”
If you’re a parent of a child with OCD, consider bringing ERP to your child’s attention. Reach out to a licensed therapist with experience and specialized training in OCD and ERP.
ERP can be intimidating at first, and many people are hesitant to get started. But the temporary discomfort of therapy is well worth the long-term relief it brings. Don’t let your fear of facing OCD conquer your desire to heal.
Bottom line
OCD can make school especially challenging, but with the right support from teachers, parents, and therapists, students can learn to manage their symptoms and thrive in the classroom and beyond.
Key takeaways
- OCD symptoms often worsen with school-related stress and may be misunderstood or go unnoticed.
- Well-meaning accommodations can unintentionally fuel OCD, which is why structured support and evidence-based treatment are more effective.
- Parents and teachers play a vital role in helping students identify triggers and avoid reinforcing compulsions.
- ERP therapy empowers students with practical tools to face OCD head-on and regain control of their lives.
