Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Autism Treatment Center
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and autism are prevalent mental issues and their frequency increases as more modern diagnostic tools appear. With the prevalence rates of 2,3% for OCD and 1% for autism, tens of millions of people all over the world are suffering from these conditions. That’s why it’s vital to spread the information about them. If you or your loved ones have symptoms of OCD and autism, don’t hesitate to get timely help from URP Behavioral Health.
People with obsessive-compulsive disorder are often shown in movies or TV shows like eccentrics fixated on cleanliness. It’s an overly simplified description. Actually, patients with OCD are chased with intrusive thoughts called obsessions. They can be about anything, like contamination, obsession with symmetry, harming yourself or someone else. Such thoughts raise significant anxiety or distress. Attempts to deal with them bear the name of compulsions. They are specific rituals or routines with which a sufferer tries to get temporary relief.
There may be even more myths about autism than about OCD. It’s a complex neurodevelopmental condition with a wide range of manifestation severity. That’s why it’s called autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There is a diverse variation in symptoms and severity among people with the condition. Usually, symptoms include social communication problems, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors. As you can see, some of them overlap with OCD manifestations. Therefore, it’s crucial to know the similar symptoms of these mental issues for proper diagnosis and relevant support.
Similar Symptoms of OCD and Autism
Autism and OCD have a lot of similar traits. It seriously complicates diagnosis and treatment processes. Even specialists may have difficulties identifying which disorder is responsible for a patient’s condition. Among their overlapping symptoms are:
- Repetitive behaviors. It’s a primary manifestation of both disorders. However, the origin is different. Repetitive behaviors for OCD patients (compulsions) are a response to intrusive thoughts about specific subjects. Autistic people perform such patterns because of attempts to manage anxiety or sensory overload.
- Resistance to change. OCD and autistic people are inflexible in their routine changes. It creates significant distress and may even cause an aggressive reaction.
- Sensory sensitivities. Both disorders are known for heightened sensitivity to sensory stimuli. Different kinds of them can lead to distress, which sufferers need to manage somehow.
- Social struggles. It's no wonder that social interactions are very challenging for the patients. Expressing their feelings is hard, and empathizing with others is a struggle, too.
- Co-occurring conditions. Adding to their mental issues, people with OCD and autism often experience anxiety, depression, and other accompanying mental health issues.
Each of these conditions is life-altering in itself. But things get much more complicated when there is a comorbidity of obsessive-compulsive disorder autism disorders. It causes greater functional impairment for patients. Daily life, diagnosis, and treatment become a challenge as well. Symptoms of these conditions are more closely intertwined. That’s why making the correct diagnosis and prescribing a proper treatment is much harder. It also may lead to higher levels of anxiety and other co-occurring conditions.
Causes of Autism and OCD
Scientists don’t know for sure how autism and OCD appear. Yet, it has been established that several factors influence these conditions’ occurrence. We talk about genetic, environmental, neurobiological, and psychological aspects. Genetics plays a crucial role in both disorders, mainly through heritability factors. Genetic mutations can also impact the appearance of autism. Environmental agents are infections (particularly during pregnancy), mother’s health issues, and stressful events. One more key factor for autism is neurobiology. It can be about abnormalities in brain circuits involving serotonin. At the same time, psychology is an essential predisposition for OCD through maladaptive coping mechanisms.
Difference Between Autism and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
These disorders have many overlapping symptoms. And there is even a high risk of comorbidity with OCD in autism or vice versa. Yet they are separate mental conditions with many distinctions. These differences are the following:
- Origins of the disorders. OCD is a mental health disorder and has an obsession-compulsion mechanism. Patients with this condition find themselves in a vicious circle of intrusive thoughts, anxiety, and attempts to deal with it. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder. It leads to social-emotional reciprocity, nonverbal communication problems, and restrictive behaviors.
- For OCD patients, it’s unwanted thoughts causing significant distress and leading to compulsive actions. People with this condition realize them as harmful but struggle to combat them. Autistic patients handle with significant effort any interaction activities like comprehension of social cues, maintenance of relationships, etc. For them, repetitive behaviors are prerequisites for comfort.
- OCD develops in late childhood or early adolescence. Stress or traumatic events may provoke it. Autism is revealed at a very young age. It often occurs before the age of three.
Diagnosis of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Autism
Clinicians diagnose these conditions using the DSM-V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition). It determines the proper criteria based on which specialists identify a mental issue. Some essential symptoms help make the diagnosis of OCD. For instance, it may be the appearance and duration of obsessions and compulsions. Professionals also consider some exclusion criteria. They need it to ensure they don’t indicate the physiological consequences of substance abuse or other conditions.
Other criteria should be applied to autism spectrum disorder. The following symptoms are typical for such conditions. Social communication difficulties, restricted and repetitive behaviors, or activities have shown themselves since childhood. Significant impairments in a patient’s routine life are also present. The examination for exclusion criteria should also be carried out for ASD. The goal is to ensure there is no confusion of it with other mental issues like intellectual disability and others. To get an accurate diagnosis, contact specialists from URP Behavioral Health. They help you even when you have a complex case of OCD and autism comorbidity.
Treatment for OCD and Autism
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
It’s a first-line treatment for both mental issues, but especially for OCD patients. It has two main techniques: Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Cognitive Therapy (CT). The first includes placing a person in a stressful situation. Then, specialists encourage them to drop the accompanying compulsive behaviors. CT focuses on identifying and rebuilding negative thought patterns. It’s important because it leads to anxiety and compulsive behaviors.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Unlike CBT, this therapy aims to help a patient accept his thoughts and feelings instead of fighting them. Such an approach helps enhance mindfulness. It also urges the patient to perform valued behaviors.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a highly effective therapy for treating both anxiety and OCD. It focuses on identifying and altering negative thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to anxiety or obsessive-compulsive cycles. CBT helps patients: address irrational thoughts and fears, develop healthier coping mechanisms, and break free from compulsive behavior patterns. CBT is commonly used alongside medication to improve overall treatment outcomes and provide lasting benefits for managing anxiety and OCD symptoms.
Medication
Drugs complement and strengthen therapy methods for better effects. Specialists prescribe for OCD sufferers antidepressants, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), in the first place. Autistic people are usually prescribed antidepressants, stimulants, and antipsychotics. Drug choice for them depends on associated health problems.
Psychotherapy
Many other therapy approaches can achieve positive results for both disorders. Inference-based therapy, habit-reversal training, and decoupling can also help in OCD treatment. Autistic people may benefit from educational interventions, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, etc. These might help particularly for OCD in autism treatment.
OCD and autism are among the most widespread mental issues. They both come with difficulties for patients and, what’s worse, can be comorbid, complicating diagnosis and treatment. Despite this, you can get the necessary support from the treatment center URP Behavioral Health.
Let us guide you towards healing
We know that seeking treatment can be overwhelming, but our staff is here to make the process as smooth as possible. We’re available 24/7 to address any questions or concerns you may have.
