**TLDR: how would you help someone cope with OCD outside of talk therapy and/or medication?**
My son needs help, but talk therapy isn’t very viable with his current skills and I do not want to give medication to someone who cannot tell me about how it is making him feel.
My son is 13 and has severe autism. He is nonverbal, possibly has selective mutism. He can communicate some requests with an iPad communication app, gestures, and nodding yes or no. He is not conversationally communicative, but understands a lot and can read.
He demonstrates high intelligence, but is very inattentive and hyperactive. Stims very frequently. He is easily angered/frustrated, self aggressive (biting) and can be very aggressive towards others when angry (pinching, shoving, biting, pulling hair).What seems to anger him most are his OCD issues.
He has checking behaviors (toilet lids, trash lids, closing doors, touching corners, etc) as well as symmetry and “just so” behaviors (he wants everything in our house to be just the way he likes it.) These are full on rage inducing if he cannot “fix” them or is disrupted. These appear to escalate on and off every few months. He avoids many toys/activities because they seem to upset him too much.
We have attempted some exposure therapy type of activities but he is relentless and stubborn in his angry reactions and will not accept. His OCD is less disruptive and dramatic outside of the home setting. He also prefers not to be at home.
