OCD, Tourette's and Asperger's

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Hi, I'm new here.

All my life I've been different and felt like an outsider. I had little things as a child such as rocking back and forth, throwing tantrums whenever I heard sad music, snorting and sniffing a LOT, sighing/yawning tic (though I never knew what a tic was until recently.) I worried a lot about diseases and germs (quit eating meat when I was 5 b/c of the Mad Cow Disease scare.) My dad was always an outsider himself -- so instead of getting psychological help for us, I think my dad rationalized our problems away (my brother and I) as normal.

Long story short -- I'm in the process of being diagnosed. I'm seeing a psychologist who agrees I present with symptoms of OCD (what I originally thought I had.) However, I've been reading about Tourette's and Asperger's and believe I have symptoms of those as well. I took an online Autism Spectrum test (Wired) and scored 39.

Is it common to have all 3 of these disorders? I just don't see how my social problems and lack of understanding social protocol could truly be from the OCD, especially since I NEVER remember feeling comfortable with my peers socially. And it's not like I'm convinced I have everything I read about, otherwise I'd think I was Bipolar and ADHD.

1. A lot of people have more of a certain syndrom mix and certain disorders are very high co-morbid.
I also have a syndrom mix, but I really see them more as one thing in me, because I notice how they interact with each other and sometimes it is hard to tell for me if it's maybe my bipolar traits or my autism why I have mood swings right now, for example.
And very often people on the syndrom mix don't have every disorder they have in a fullblown way, from some of them, they might just have a "dash".
So, I have just a dash of Tourette, with a view tics. They are clearly there, but most of the time they don't bother me.

A bit more than 6% of people with ASD also have Tourette, so far I'm informed. So, the two together are more common.

With OCD and ASD it gets difficult, because of the autistic routines. So, usually just if the OCD gets really strong and you suffer because of them you diagnose the two together. Otherwise those OCD-traits very often are just seen as part of the autistic routines. But in the end, it is also in the opinion of the doctor who diagnoses you, how he/she sees it.
Diagnoses are also a bit a matter of opinion and not 100% exact sience, espessially when it comes to comorbidity.

You could also diagnose me some stuff in addition, but it wouldn't help me at all.
Diagnoses are supposed to help, that's the most important thing about it.

So I never got diagnosed my Tourette-traits for example. I know I have them, also my psychiatrist knows this, but she is not an expert in it and so I would had to get diagnosed from an expert. I thought about it, when they were more sever under stress and so on, but then I decidet, I don't really need a Tourette-diagnoses. It wouldn't help my and I most of the time don't suffer because of it.

But I got diagnosed my autism and I'm under bipolar-suspicion (right now I'm just dx with depressions and we'll see, it's still not clear if I have it, but I more and more belive so).
So it's a matter of opinion how you deal with certain traits and so on.

Thanks for the information.

I guess I'm confused because I've felt more sure of the OCD than the Asperger's. I have obsessions with sex (particularly jealous thoughts) that I don't see any explanation for besides OCD -- and they really do often take up hours each day.

BUT many times I simply enjoy order and organization. I have "compulsions" that don't seem tied to any particular fear. I get obsessed with specific topics like how medicines work or building pipe organs (or, right now, personality disorders) and am stuck on that topic for maybe months. No fear involved -- reminds me of Asperger's.

I also have MAJOR trouble taking verbal directions. I feel like I need everything written down or mapped out (preferably both.) There's a feeling like I have to already know something BEFORE learning it. O.o

Oh well -- I may be obsessing over the details too much. I think you are right. The diagnosis, whatever it is, should help.

Well, then you have clearly OCD.

I for example also have some anxiety and OCD-traits, but they are not strong enough for an own diagnoses, so they are just seen as part of autism, so that I don't end up with the whole ICD-10 or DSM-IV in the end as diagnoses.

Diagnoses are supposed to help.
So if you have the need that a AS-diagnosis would help you to understand yourself better or for another reason then go to an autism expert(!) to get diagnosed.
But if you think: I don't need it, it's just a part of who I am.
Then don't get diagnosed.

I just want to say, think about it.

I decided to get some of mine checked up and others, like the Tourette, not and I live good with this decicion.
Diagnoses help you, yes, but they also label you.

Oh, I wanted to add:

OCD-traits are more common in people with ASD and also in people with Tourette.

So, the combination would make sence actually.

Obsessions and compulsions in children with Asperger's syndrome or high-functioning autism: a case-control study.

Autism and ADHD symptoms in patients with OCD: are they associated with specific OC symptom dimensions or OC symptom severity?

Leola,

You may want to look at electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure
as it is a common denominator for ICDs, Schizophrenia,
Autism, Epilepsy, Bipolar and other conditions.

EMF is man-made radiation from power lines,
appliances, computer, cellphones and technology devices.

EMF Guy

Thank for the additional information. At this point I'm just waiting to see what my psychologist says. If I don't like it, I will consider getting a second opinion (but I won't just like or dislike it based on what I want to hear. I'm going to see what my husband thinks as well.)

It makes sense that OCD traits can be common with ASD. One guy on YouTube who claimed to have ASD said that when he's in the car, he's constantly adjusting the AC vents because he's hypersensitive to them. I thought: That's me!!

As for the EMF -- I don't know. My mom had Graves' disease and was taking radioactive iodine while pregnant with me, which she had to stop upon finding out she was pregnant. But she was already at least several months along.

This could have had effects on me.

I have a moderate case of tourettes, autism, very strong OCD traits, and am very easily distracted.
The distraction can largely be based on the Autism, but my compulsions get worse with anxiety. My stims and compulsions often meet up, for example I pace in 8s.
A lot of people with Tourettes are OCD, and Tourettes in autism is very common comparatively.

I have Asperger with mild tourettes and moderate OCD

My OCD is mainly unreasonable thoughts on hurting others. I'm not so bothered by repetitive compulsions.
E.g. if I help my familymembers with woodcutting, there will be at least 80 % chance of me getting thoughts on attacking my familymembers with the axe

I have asperger's, bipolar disorder, a stammer, and OCD. So yes, psychological conditions can stack. [I've never been a germaphobe though; I've always been more anal about little details - is the picture off a bit, am I going to be at least half an hour early for whatever I need to be at {and at school it's the breakfast line opening, so I try to get there at 6:45 AM every day and panic if I get there at 7:30 which realistically leaves me plenty of time to get my things together], do I have 100 percent on that test or did I get a 99 because that would piss me off, is my money all neat and organized in its little shoebox, etc...

I also have PTSD from some incidents being bullied [I have lots of flashbacks about it] and I have a lot of visualizations of retaliating should it happen again. [I'm pretty sure because I'm daring it to happen it won't happen.]

I also almost all the time need to come much earlier than requiered. Especially if I have to take the bus or the train
Is this problem OCD ?

I have all three of these disorders. During my assessment for Aspergers, I was also tested for OCD. Apparently my OCD scores were so high, that I was given a seperate diagnosis. I was diagnosed with Tourettes at age 10.

I have Aspergers + OCD. The psychologist who did my testing explained to me that she felt a separate diagnosis for the OCD was warranted as my repetitive behaviours + associated anxiety and self harm were beyond the range of expectation for Aspergers. It was a shock to me. I had never considered the possibility. Although now that I have read more in depth description of what OCD entails I cannot honestly argue the diagnosis.

Considering previous posts, there definitely is a connection between these things. I have all 3, like you.

Ive been informally diagnosed with OCD and I definitely have some sort of ASD (probs PDD NOS as opposed to aspergers). Its a nightmare. Right now my skin is crawling from the stress of trying to navigate the outside world. I had to take 20 mins or so to just shutdown sitting stock still with only my wrist and eye sockets move so that I can browse the forums.

When im stressed both my OCD and ASD symptoms ramp up into high octane mode. I have to terminate this post as a I feel sick but yep I can imagine that having all 3 is a pain

I don't have tourettes, but I have OCD and social phobia, in additon to AS. Aspergers was the last diagnosis that I got, but I still kept the other ones. My psychologist and I agreed the other problems weren't just symptoms of AS, but rather seperate diagnoses.