What Are Some Treatment Options for ODD?

Managing the behavior of a teen with ODD can be both challenging and frustrating for parents. Treatment options for ODD are generally based on your teen’s age, and the severity of the ODD symptoms. Some sufferers are unable to tolerate certain types of therapies. Therefore, most Behavioral Modification Specialist recommend a combination of both medication and psychotherapy to treat ODD.

2 Effective Treatment Options for ODD

Therapeutic programs aren’t guaranteed to cure your teen of ODD. But, combined with the use of effective medication, you can help your teen learn to manage the symptoms of ODD. Here are some basic facts about these two common treatment options off ODD:

1. Medication for ODD – So far, the FDA has yet to formally approve medication designed to treat ODD. However, Behavioral Modification Specialists specializing in ODD have used various prescription medications for treating some of its symptoms. These medications have also been effective in treating symptoms of other mental illnesses, including depression and ADHD.
2. Therapeutic Programs for ODD – Psychotherapy is one form of treatment used to help teens with ODD. It’s designed to assist them develop more effective problem-solving and coping skills. With therapy, your teen can learn to control and express anger in healthier manners. Here are four types of therapeutic programs used to treat symptoms of ODD:
   1. Behavior Management Plans – Contracts are developed between teens and their parents. They identify punishments and consequences for negative behaviors and rewards for positive ones.
   2. PMT or Parent Management Training – This is a specialized therapeutic technique designed to help parents learn to alter the behavior of their teens in positive manners.
   3. Family Therapy – Oftentimes, ODD symptoms are a direct result of dysfunctional family issues. Family therapy will help you and your family members learn to communicate and interact with each other better.
   4. d.      Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy – This is a one-on-one therapeutic treatment option for teens with ODD. The goal is to help reshape your teen’s cognition, or thinking, in order to improve his/her behavior.
   5. e.       Anger Management Therapy – Can be a very effective treatment option for teens struggling with regulating anger and other emotions. Mainly focusses on consequence recognition, trigger identification, problem-solving, goal-setting, learning to relax, etc…

Therapeutic Treatment Options for ODD Symptoms

In order to effectively treat your teen for ODD, she/he must address all the factors behind the negative behaviors. In some cases, these teens would like to act and react in more positive manners. However, they become frustrated with the negative feelings. This leads to difficulty with expressing themselves emotionally.

If this what you’ve been noticing in your child, your teen would benefit greatly from therapy which helps her/him learn about emotions. This type of therapy will empower your troubled teen by helping him/her understand responses to certain emotions better. In time, your teen can learn how to express feelings verbally, as opposed to physically.

If you’re concerned about your troubled teen, HelpYourTeenNow.com is here to assist you. Contact us to discuss Options for Teens with ODD today.

To learn more about how to parent a teen with ODD, follow the link.