OCD Youth is a service for young people with OCD and related conditions, run by young people with OCD and related conditions.
Living with OCD can be incredibly difficult, and we know that being a young person and having to navigate mental health services can be at times confusing and frustrating. OCD Youth is here to provide young people who are affected by OCD with the information, support and community they need to get better. We do this via our Youth e-Helpline, Youth support groups and our online community. We also work to raise awareness of OCD and campaign for change, so that OCD can be more quickly recognised and treated.
YOUTH E-HELPLINE
Our Youth e-Helpline is here for anyone between the ages of 14 and 25 who is affected by OCD or a related condition (such as BDD or a Body-focused Repetitive Behaviour). Whether you live with OCD yourself, or are concerned about a friend or family member, our Youth e-Helpline volunteers are here to support you!
You don’t need to have a diagnosis of OCD to get in touch. In fact, about half of the young people who email us are unsure about whether they have OCD or not. Our Youth e-Helpline team is made up of volunteers who are mostly young people with OCD themselves, so they really understand the challenges of living with OCD when you’re young. As we are not medical professionals, we won’t be able to diagnose you, but we can chat to you about how you’re feeling and offer you support and information about OCD and how to access the recommended treatments. OCD can be exhausting and isolating, but it really can get better!
Get support today
Youth Support Groups
We know how isolating and challenging living with OCD can be. Sometimes having the chance to talk and listen to others who have similar experiences can make a big difference in how we’re feeling. That’s why we have an online Youth support group for young people living with OCD and related conditions. The group is peer-led and facilitated by young people with OCD themselves, so everybody has a good understanding of OCD, which ensures the space is accepting, comfortable, and non-judgemental. The group currently meets on the first and third Thursday of the month at 7pm. You can find out more and sign up here.
Get Involved
OCD Youth is for young people with OCD and related conditions, run by young people with OCD and related conditions – so there are always plenty of opportunities to get involved and make a difference! If you’d like to become an OCD Action Youth Volunteer, you can read more about our current volunteering vacancies below.
We are looking for young people aged between 18 and 25 to join our Youth Engagement Panel! If you’re interested, have a read of the role description and fill in the form below to apply.
Would you like to use your social media skills to help raise awareness of OCD? We are on the look out for:
- Young people (aged between 18 and 30) with graphic design or illustration experience to help us produce engaging visual content for OCD Youth.
- Young people (aged between 18 and 25) who would be happy to produce regular video content talking about their lived experience of OCD for our digital channels.
If you’re interested in the above, we’d love to hear from you! All you need to do is send through an example of your social media work and a few sentences on why you’d like to volunteer for OCD Youth to youth@ocdaction.org.uk.