AS rituals or OCD?

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One of the symptoms noted for AS is repetitve rituals is this the same as OCD, is there a specific type of OCD for people with AS. For example my OCD is taps,doors,cupboards where i will continually try and shut them even though they are already shut whilst counting 1234 in my head.

It would be interesting to hear what other people with AS do and see if a pattern emerges.

The difference between OCD and AS stims is OCD serves no purpose they are compulsions external to the body. AS stims are physical movements to "drown out" sensory overload and are repetitive and usually very simple.

Its easy to tell the difference.. OCD rituals usually involve counting or math of some kind and external "props" while AS stims dont.

The closest to OCD that AS people get is a desire to "line up" visually disorganized items but its done simply to make the scene more comfortable rather than as part of a ritual or habit.. if the AS person looks away its no longer an issue.

It sounds like you have OCD but not everyone with AS does and some with AS are confusing normal stims with OCD rituals.

AS rituals are often described as an intense interest. OCD however is accompanied by anxiety and the ritual is performed as a compulsion to alleviate symptoms of anxiety.

For example:

AS - You like the sensory input or watching the mechanics of the cupboard closing. You do not like to be interrupted, but you do not feel any ANXIETY or nervousness about not being able to close the door or count. Frustration perhaps if you are interrupted but you could go back to it later.

OCD - You feel like you MUST close a cupboard door repeatedly and count because of a feeling of anxiety. The sight of the cupboard itself does not necessarily make you anxious but it is closed repeatedly to temporarily lesson feelings of anxiety. If you walk away from the cupboard without performing the closing and counting you may become very anxious and be "compelled" to go back in order to go about the rest of your day.

Of course there are alot of other personal variables but anxiety is the factor involved with OCD. And I really don't see any reason (although this is debateable) why a person with AS could not also have OCD since they are somewhat distinct.

Yes you can have AS and OCD both Im mearly stating they are not one and the same.

I actually wrote that without seeing your response - it wasn't meant to be directed at you or anyone else personally. There was sort of a debate about OCD/AS a while ago and the idea that a person with AS could not have OCD was suggested. I just wanted to be clear that others might disagree.

Before figuring out the AS thing in myself I was thinking I had OCD. What doesn't fit is that the compulsive, repetitive things I do are without that 'superstitious' element that tends to come into OCD. These things are more habitual than anxiety-preventing. I also do a lot of my things when I'm bored, which also makes me think I'm stimming rather than being compulsive in the OCD sense. I do them when I'm overloaded too though.

I would say you can have AS and OCD as i am quite sure i have both, both things are connected to brain wiring.It is also widely reported that people with AS go on to develope OCD,tourettes.depression e.t.c.

I also know a woman who's son has AS and tourette's.

Ah no problem.

Thats just.. ludicrous. What sort of strange logic brought them to that conclusion?

Its like saying if I cook french fries I cant cook hamburgers or something the two are completely unrelated

Myself for example have AS, (did have) ADHD, and some genetic abnormality of the skin (skin cells go through their life cycle at 3 times the normal speed I forget the name).

I think it makes sense that a genetic anomaly that results in a physical restructuring of the brain makes it more likely for that person to have 1 or more other disorders as well.

I think one of the reasons people get confused about OCD and AS is the word...obsessive...AS individuals are very obsessive about their areas of interest and may feel compelled to do them(Like my boyfriend getting on the computer every 30 min(for hours at a time,to look at guitars,read about them and study every detail of every make and model(yawn)...it seems the computer is calling him and if we leave the house it is the first thing he does when we return home)...I think the main difference between this and an "interest" is the time spent on it and "if" the behavior gets in the way of doing other things that need to be done...ie...has a negative inpact on daily life.

OCD compulsions are rituals a person feels they have to perform to rid themselves of an anxiety-inducing obsession. The idea is to distract the mind from its own unpleasant thoughts.

In pervasive developmental disorders like Asperger's syndrome, an inflexible adherence to routine and intense discomfort with the unfamiliar is common. In this case, their minds handle any kind of unpredictability very poorly (especially in low-functioning autism), and so they must, for example, wear the same shirt every day, hear the same lullaby before going to bed, and keep their food separate. There is some overlap with OCD inherent to this symptom.

Autistic self-stimulating mannerisms like hand flapping can be used to tune out overwhelming sensory input or to achieve enough sensory input. Again, it can overlap with the distracting effect of an OCD compulsion.

Autistic restricted and stereotyped patterns of interest are really not like OCD obsessions. OCD obsessions are unwanted and cause distress. Autistic intense interests are just unusual and intense interests or hobbies.