Inspirational Therapy for Oppositional Defiant Disorder

ODD Treatment Oppositional Defiant Disorder is a condition that causes children and adolescents to exhibit hostile and defiant behavior towards authority figures. Our team at Inspirational Therapy LLC can help individuals with ODD and their families manage symptoms and learn healthy coping strategies.

Why Inspirational Therapy?

Our team of licensed professionals has extensive experience and training in evidence-based therapeutic intervention. We take a client-centered approach, tailoring treatment plans to meet the unique needs and goals of each individual. Our goal is to empower our clients and their families with the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively manage symptoms and improve overall well-being. We also have a proven track record of success in helping individuals with Oppositional Defiant Disorder and other behavioral disorders.

Overview

If your child or teen has continual and constant patterns of irritability, arguing, anger, is defiant or vindictive towards their parents or other authority figures in their lives then they may have oppositional defiant disorder ODD Treatment.

It may be difficult dealing with a child or teen that is showing these symptoms but there are therapists and other mental health professionals to help.

Behavioral treatment of Oppositional Defiant Disorder ODD Treatment entails learning skills in order to help build positive family communication, a stable environment and how to manage unwanted or inappropriate behaviors. There are many types of therapy that may be needed such as medications to treat any related mental health disorders.

Symptoms

It can be difficult to recognize the difference between an emotional or strong willed child and one that has ODD Treatment. It is normal for children to develop oppositional behavior during certain stages of their development.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder usually will start during the preschool years. Sometimes ODD Treatment will develop later on, but mostly before the early teens. The behaviors stemming from ODD Treatment can cause extreme impairment in functioning such as school, family, work or social interactions.

The Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), published by the American Psychiatric Association, lists the criteria that must be met in order to receive a diagnosis of ODD. The DSM-5 criteria encompasses emotional and behavioral symptoms that last at least six months. Some of the criteria is as follows:

Angry and irritable mood

  • Loses temper often
  • Annoyed with others and does not like to be touched
  • Is constantly resentful and angry

Argumentative and defiant behavior

  • Deliberately annoys and upsets others constantly
  • Regularly blames others for their mistakes and inappropriate behavior
  • Argues with adults and anyone in an authoritative position
  • Does not follow or comply with adults’ rules or requests

Vindictiveness

  • Regularly spiteful or vindictive
  • Has shown vindictive or spiteful behavior at least two times in the past six months

ODD can vary in severity:

  • Mild: where symptoms happen only in one environment, such as school, work, home or when with peers/friends.
  • Moderate: symptoms occur in at least two environments
  • Severe: when symptoms occur in three or more situations

Some children will only show symptoms while at home, but as time goes by this will extend to other situations, such as while with friends or while at school. If your child is showing heightened symptoms of ODD Treatment, then contact Inspirational Therapy LLC at the earliest.

Causes

There is not a specific known cause for ODD. Contributing factors may be genetic and environmental factors:

  • Genetics: The brain function and possible neurobiological differences in the way nerves, a child’s temperament or natural disposition can contribute to ODD.
  • Environment: parents that lack supervision, exhibit harsh discipline, abusive or neglectful.

Problems

Children and teens with ODD may have issues at home with their siblings and parents, in school getting along with teachers, and at work with supervisors and any other authority figures in their life. Research’s conducted by our professionals at Inspirational Therapy LLC in Post Falls suggest that children with ODD may struggle to make and keep friendships and relationships.

ODD may lead to the issues as follows:

  • Impulsivity problems
  • Suicide
  • Abusing alcohol and drugs to self medicate
  • Antisocial behavior
  • Poor performance at work and school

Many children and teens with ODD can also have co-occurring mental health disorders, such as:

  • Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
  • Depression
  • Conduct disorder
  • Anxiety
  • Communication and learning disorders

Treating these co-occurring disorders can help to decrease ODD symptoms. Other mental health issues must be addressed so that treating ODD can be possible because every mental health problem can greatly contribute to ODD symptoms and cause more problems.

Diagnosis

A psychological evaluation will be done by a mental health professional, therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist. It makes it more difficult to differentiate between other mental health disorders, it usually will occur along with behavioral and other mental disorders. Therefore, consulting with a professional at Inspirational Therapy LLC in Post Falls is must.

The child’s assessment will more than likely encompass an evaluation of:

  • Their overall health so any other issues can be addressed
  • Family interactions and situations
  • Presence of co-occurring disorders, learning or communication disorders
  • The intensity and frequency of behaviors
  • Behaviors and emotions across many settings and relationships
  • What techniques have helped, or what has not helped in coping with the problem behavior

Treatment

Family-based interventions is a primary treatment for oppositional defiant disorder, oftentimes it can entail psychotherapy and training for the child and the parents. Treatment usually will be for several months or even longer, depending on the child and how much effort the parents make towards positive change.

Medication itself is not used for ODD unless there is another mental health issue that must be taken into consideration. If the child has co-occurring disorders, such as ADHD, depression or anxiety, medication can help to reduce these symptoms.

The main treatment for ODD at Inspirational Therapy LLC in Post Falls entails:

  • Helping the parent to develop strong parental skills: a therapist or mental health professional can help the parents to develop parenting skills that are positive, consistent, and less frustrating for the child. The child with ODD will more than likely be a part of this process, so everyone in the family system can help to develop the same goals to cope with the issues. It would be helpful to have other authoritative figures be a part of this process if possible.
  • Parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT): the therapist will coach parents while they interact with the child as a way to teach them how to handle situations that are stressful. A technique is used to help the parent to get into a habit of giving the child positive reinforcement which will reinforce good behavior. The parents learn ways to be a more effective parent through different techniques, which will help in decreasing the problem behaviors.
  • Individual and family therapy: individual therapy can help the child learn how to cope appropriately with their anger and then communicate the reason behind their anger if age appropriate. Family therapy at Inspirational Therapy LLC in Post Falls can help the members to develop communication and develop healthy relationships while learning how to work together.
  • Cognitive problem-solving training: this type of counseling can help the child to learn to recognize and change negative thought patterns that often lead to behavioral issues. Collaborative problem solving, in which the child and parent work together to find solutions that work well for both and that can help to improve ODD related issues. The parent and child can work on a behavioral chart together, coming up with rewards and consequences regarding behavior.
  • Social skills training: the child will benefit from this type of therapy because it helps the child to become more flexible and learn how to socialize with their peers in a positive manner.

A part of training the parent at Inspirational Therapy for Oppositional Defiant Disorder can result in:

  • Making sure to give the child clear instructions and then following through with consequences when needed and then becoming more consistent.
  • In order to reinforce desired behavior the parent should give their child positive feedback and reinforcement when they do something good and give the child compliments about the characteristics that are positive.

Parents need to practice consistency and patience in order to develop the necessary skills to deal with their child diagnosed with ODD. Parenting a child with Oppositional Defiant Disorder is very challenging and stressful at times but through learning different coping techniques and strategies parents can help their child/family to deal with the stress and symptoms more appropriately.

Take it one day at a time and work together, pretty soon everyone in the family will see positive changes.

Welcome to Inspirational Therapy:

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