Screw stigma. I’m coming out.
ERP and mindfulness are really, really effective in treating OCD.  I know, because one of my children had a crippling case and now is free of it.  I spent several months at UCLA's Pediatric Intensive Outpatient Program with him and have seen it work on about a dozen children.  The same treatment can also be used on adults.<p>ERP stands for Exposure and Response Prevention.  The idea is that you progressively expose the person with OCD to their fear(s), during which, they cannot perform any compulsions.  Eventually the brain is retrained and the OCD falls away.  For example, someone with a fear of germs would be asked to touch a door handle and then not wash their hands for as long as possible.  This is extremely hard for them.  However, this simple technique, applied over weeks or months in conjunction with therapy and meds, can reduce a person's OCD to almost nothing.<p>Another point is that the kids respond to the group setting.  They form bonds and support each other during the process.<p>The UCLA team is absolutely amazing at this: <a href="http://www.semel.ucla.edu/adc/ocd_treatment" rel="nofollow">http://www.semel.ucla.edu/adc/ocd_treatment</a><p>If you have or know a child suffering with the disorder, please look into this program or one like it!<p>If you have any questions for a parent that has been through this with a child, contact me at capitalism99@gmail.com