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Do most people with Asperger's have OCD symptoms?

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I do. In fact I suffered badly with OCD until I got it under some kind of control but I've never seen figures to show whether it's more prevalent among those on the spectrum than neuro-typicals.

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This is kind of how I see things.

 

I had an appointment about a month or so ago to see a psychiatrist and we talked for about half an hour, we had never met before and he had very little information on me. And at this point he bends down and gets a book out of his bag, thumbs throught it and opens it at a page and hands it to me. I look at the book and its opened on the Obsesive Compulsive Personality Disorder page and below the banner headline there are some symptoms and he asks me what I think.

 

I tell him some of these things apply to me some don't so I randomly open it at another page and read a few things and some apply and some don't, I asked him would he care to do this for himself at which point he declined.

 

A bit later he offers to write me a prescription for some drugs he wants me to feed into my body and again I get out a list of similar drugs which haven't worked for me I have proof of that from my own life and ask why should this other one should be any better. He tells me because they work for people with OCPD, so I ask why does he think I have OCPD and he says the book says so.

 

My point is I am getting on with my life and the OCPD label doesn't make the slighest difference to me on a daily basis. I am not taking any drugs because I left the prescription with him he can use it for someoen else. At the end of the day I have a few things in my life which I need to get a healthy handle on but I am doing ok. I tend to see them as 'my' things and as such 'I' can work out how 'I' might deal with them.

 

The thing is with these label things I find the people who hand them out are not very keen to have the book turned on them so to speak and ask questions of themselves. And when I won't take a bag of sweets from them, they are a bit reluctant to try them for themselves. Now I am not saying labels and sweets are a bad thing for everyone rather they are not for me, just think they are thrown around too much and make a lot of people confused.

 

I thing which works best for me is my mirror. I look at myself each day and think, right what shall we work on today. I think when we spend too much time looking for stuff or listening to people who don't really know us we can get our heads in the wrong place.

 

Just a few personal thoughts.

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Interesting topic

 

OCD tendencies are not a "trait" of Aspergers per se but a trait of anyone on the autistic spectrum. So a person with ADD/ADHD type disorders, Aspergers or dyspraxia for example may exhibit OCD tendencies. But then someone with OCD tendencies might not necessarily be on the autistic spectrum

 

I

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I would say lot AS / HF ASD do get aspects of OC thought patterns/ behaviour/s in one way or another impacting in their everyday life making it more challenging / difficult more of battle to fight and face head on ! I think can fit in with anxieties / fear also and also become something more on it's own too! Can be complication to work out what causes what AS against OCD type situations or opposite other way round ( like chicken and the egg) I can get easily paranoid quickly over social situation turns into something completely different strange weird in my head spirals right out of control becomes so deep intense emotion / feeling I can't clear get rid of can't focus concentrate on anything but until I know I'm ok I'm safe protected until stop feeling panicky scared afraid not nice get stressed bad also when have " bad off day" I tend have obsessive behaviours I can't help but do carry out if dont do it feel something scary bad will happen to me! So strange way makes feel inside scared of doing facing challenges as don't know what will come out of it! I have to remind self talk myself out sometimes if too fixed I can't ! :(

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I sometimes feel like going mad crazy with way it gets you traps you into way of thinking believing OCD voice within is right and should win the battle the fight do tiring draining to fight against it! Also for "us" following strict structure , rules, patterns Is life line to our lives helps function day to day more orderly so I say all of us have some OCD type pattern there in background just some show up stand out effect our lives more than others!

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Im always worrying about everything normally about losing things so always checking I have important valuables such as mobile phone/ work and house keys I panic thought worries me all day plays on my mind i also get scared someone going burgle or attack me!

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I think the odds of having ASD and OCD are equal to that of someone without ASD (NT) having OCD,the difference is someone who has gone to get a diagnoses of ASD may have been assessed or just given the dx of OCD at the same time,or following the dx. Whereas someone who is NT may never be assessed for anything and as such may assume the behaviour is "normal" I know plenty (at least 15) people who display many OCD symptoms but may not have enough to get a dx or just may not wish to have one if its not presenting a real problem in their day to day life.

 

Also many of the OCD symptoms overlap with ASD behaviours so it may also be hard to distinguish whats what. My eldest son is a bit OCD but he is NT and one of my ASD boys also has symptoms but the other does'nt, so as I say I think the odds are the same.

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Im always worrying about everything normally about losing things so always checking I have important valuables such as mobile phone/ work and house keys I panic thought worries me all day plays on my mind i also get scared someone going burgle or attack me!

phone or keys - that might be OCD on top of ASD

 

attack - that might be an anxiety issue, but not a symptom of OCD (it could be, if YOU'd do the attacking)

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I have a time obsession and a hoarding/spending problem but the latter is more under control.

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first time on forum hubby was diagnosed in summer with asd /aspergers he is 51 hav a son 23 also asd/ aspergers finding it hard hubby also has ocd he up cleaning home at 4am every day life can be lonely but i love him even though he never shows affection r emotion was just awarded middle rate dla care/low mobility he does desserve this but think son is more severe but dont want him 2 lose his middle rate should i reapply he has been on dla 4 about 4 years nowxx

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i have obsessive compulsive thoughts/behaviours routines ... find hard to break free especially when feel trapped so alone ... and in a corner so really can empathise in this situation!

 

XKLX

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Mine tends to be around time, hoarding and spending also compounded by depression.

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I have O.C.D (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). It used to be really bad but now how O.C.D I get varies from day to day. I kinda get an edge from it (I know, weird) but it makes life really difficult. I lack motavation now and my psychiatrist says it's because of my depression. Does medication lower your O.C.Dness? and if I come off my medication, will I get my mojo back ? - mojo being O.C.D. Questions, questions, questions. I need answers, answers, answers.

 

P.S - 'Answer' is such a funny word. Tee-Hee.

 

Halla!

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I think so, but if I come off my meds, will my O.C.Dness return?

 

That's the question...

 

Duh. Duh. Duh. (Ooh, the suspension is killing me)

 

Sorry, that was a bit random.

 

Halla!

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How bad is your OCD ?...really...be honest.

 

How badly does it affect your life?

 

What sort of things do you do?

 

Perhaps taking stock of these things might help with solutions...?

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Does your OCD consist or constant questions and answers? Or do you have other OCD traits as well?

 

I've heard probiotics can help with OCD to an extent (if the OCD is caused by an overgrowth of bacteria).

 

i have OCD and i wish mine would go away as well. Mine consists of excessive hoarding and requiring more reassurance than others. Also cramming in 2 activities at once throughout my day when i can. My time obsession is quite severe at times (excuse the pun) and hardly there at other times.

 

As your psychiatrist thinks you have low motivation depression you might wish to try strawberries. i know it sounds strange but their high histamine content raises histadine levels, it may cause excessive sneezing though.

 

1 book i found helpful was called 'breaking free of OCD' it is a young persons book.

 

Manify i think 'Halla!' is the original posters name. i know it sounds unusual but my cousin is called Halla so now i know of 2 Hallas in this world. :-)

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Thanks for the advice guys , I will have a go at your suggestions . : )

 

Halla!

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I do, and normally I can cope with them, but when I'm under stress they can be debilitating. They all seem to be linked to my quasi-magical thinking and a fear of loss.

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i like things to stay the same?

 

i.e. i like patterns. i get used to patterns in my behaviour and other peoples behaviour and they become comfortable :-)

 

and when they suddenly become different, it's uncomfortable :-(

 

...when someone doesn't act the way they use to, it's awful. it's like my world has crashed, until i get used to the new way they are.

 

but re: ocd... i know quite a few aspergers folks, and no.... i've not seen any ocd behaviours in them.

 

I'm not disagreeing with anyone else who thinks different to me.. I'm just chipping in my bit to the subject (and its okay if no one else agrees :-)

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I'm the same with patterns and routines. I don't like change at all, and my awareness of the passing of time is weird too (not to me but to others). I sort of live in my own time and in my mind very much - always have done and I'm very happy with it. When I'm with others or in busy places, I have to switch this off. I can't always do this for long, but it depends on who they are or where I am, or the amount of noise, brightness, heat, etc.

My OC traits are very many and they just come automatically many, many times a day. I've had them since early childhood and many others have been added since. When under great stress or being bullied, other people notice, and they can turn into shaking, lots of crying without warning and violent tics. There are certain rituals I must do when travelling to protect me and my cats, and certain places where I must do certain weird things such as touch stone lions, owls, etc. A lot of the more recent OC traits arose after my mother's death, and I think they all seem to be related to protection against loss or misfortune.

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