Obsessive-Compulsive Behaviors (OCBs) are typically associated with Asperger's syndrome (AS) and are often a major obstacle to making improvements.
Yes, healthcare professionals can misdiagnose OCD as autism, and vice versa, due to an overlap of symptoms. A 2021 study looked into the childhood diagnoses of adults later diagnosed with ASD. Researchers noted that children with autism might have symptoms mistaken for other conditions, such as OCD.
At first glance, autism and OCD appear to have little in common. Yet clinicians and researchers have found an overlap between the two. Studies indicate that up to 84 percent of autistic people have some form of anxiety; as much as 17 percent may specifically have OCD.
OCD is viewed as neurodiverse in origin because it satisfies the primary criteria of a neurodivergent disorder – people with OCD have a brain that processes and behaves differently from what is considered typical.
The bottom line
OCD can manifest in four main ways: contamination/washing, doubt/checking, ordering/arranging, and unacceptable/taboo thoughts. Obsessions and compulsions that revolve about contamination and germs are the most common type of OCD, but OCD can cover a wide range of topics.
What causes OCD? Experts aren't sure of the exact cause of OCD. Genetics, brain abnormalities, and the environment are thought to play a role. It often starts in the teens or early adulthood.
Presentation. Primarily obsessional OCD has been called "one of the most distressing and challenging forms of OCD."
Autistic symptoms and OCD can look similar
For example, people with autism and people with OCD may display repetitive behaviors, obsessive behaviors and severe anxiety. Both children with OCD and children with autism can become very rigid and resistant to change.
While OCD was once classified as an anxiety disorder — and patients are often anxious about their behavior — it's now seen as a separate mental illness.
Is OCD classified as a disability under the ADA? Yes, OCD is listed by the Social Security Administration (SSA) as a disability that qualifies for Social Security disability benefits.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are two different mental health conditions. OCD involves obsessive thoughts while ADHD makes it hard to focus and involves hyperactivity and impulsivity.
Asperger's Syndrome, a form of Autism Spectrum Disorder, is a developmental disorder. Young people with Asperger's Syndrome have a difficult time relating to others socially and their behavior and thinking patterns can be rigid and repetitive.
These include the obsessive preoccupations and repetitive behaviors found in body dysmorphic disorder, hypochondriasis, Tourette syndrome, Parkinson's disease, catatonia, autism, and in some individuals with eating disorders (eg, anorexia nervosa).
Obsessions and compulsions are both common in adults with high-functioning ASD and are associated with significant levels of distress.
In AD, individuals may have obsessive thoughts surrounding a restricted area of interest, but these thoughts do not likely cause a marked level of anxiety or distress as they do in OCD. Lastly, compulsive behavior in OCD is completed with the intent to minimize anxiety.
Unlike people with autism, people with Asperger's syndrome retain their early language skills. Perhaps the most distinguishing symptom of Asperger's syndrome is a child's obsessive interest in a particular object or topic to the point of exclusion of any other.
The inheritance pattern of OCD is unclear. Overall, the risk of developing this condition is greater for first-degree relatives of affected individuals (such as siblings or children) as compared to the general public.
It's an important scientific insight, but it's not a diagnostic test. The fact is, the vast majority of the time, a brain scan in someone with OCD looks completely normal.
A person with OCD tends to struggle with social situations, even if they are not worried about hiding their symptoms from others. The condition is closely linked to depression and anxiety, making it hard to interact with others.
“OCD symptoms can intensify during times of stress or when you feel like life is getting out of control.” People with OCD regularly experience extreme, yet unnecessary, worry. Obsessive and uncontrollable thoughts can interfere with life to the point of serious disruption.
OCD is chronic
You can get it under control and become recovered but, at the present time, there is no cure. It is a potential that will always be there in the background, even if it is no longer affecting your life.
Obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD, is an anxiety disorder which, like many anxiety disorders, is marked by low levels of serotonin. Serotonin, a type of neurotransmitter, has a variety of functions that make a deficiency a serious and anxiety producing issue.