Dear Becca,

While some of the behaviors you describe do sound like they may be related to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), it is always a good idea to be assessed by a mental health professional to be sure that it is OCD and not a related, but different, anxiety disorder.

If, in fact, you do have OCD, there are a variety of effective ways to treat it so that it will be less of a problem on a day-to-day basis.

Without knowing the relationship between you and your parents, there are several strategies that might be useful in letting your parents know about your concerns. The first, of course, is working up the courage to discuss it with them. You can explain the fact that you’ve learned ways to compensate for it or cover it up and share with them that you’d like to seek help to improve it.

If this first approach doesn’t feel comfortable, another option is to talk to a trusted adult, either in your family or at your school. At school, this might be the principal, guidance counselor, or a teacher. You can explain your concerns and enlist their help in talking to your parents with you.

A third option is to let your parents know that you want to talk to a psychotherapist and that you’re uncomfortable sharing with them the reason why you want to see someone. When you meet with the counselor you can share your concerns and ask for their feedback as to whether or not you seem to have OCD. The therapist can then assist you in putting a game plan together in terms of additional treatment and help you devise a plan to approach your parents.