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Autism? Anxiety? Or both?

andi

Hey hey, 

does anyone else find that they cannot relax/got to bed without checking everything a certain number of times? If im the last to leave I have to check I’ve locked the door by pressing the handle 3 times. And I have to check the 3, 3 times (so essentially 9times and 1 for luck because I hate odd numbers they don’t feel right) but I also have the take a photo. It’s like my brain won’t tell me the door is locked until I’ve done it so many times. I’m staying elsewhere dog sitting for family and It takes me half an hour to go to bed because I have to do all of my things before I can go. I make sure someone else checks when I’m at home but I can’t go to bed until I see them check! I feel so annoying but then I wish I could just check once and be comfortable I’ve done it. I don’t get people who can! 

  • In my case it’s shopping not door handles. If I’m going round a supermarket I often feel that I have to buy a multiple of 3 items I.e. 0,3,6 etc items and I will buy something just to get the required number of items.

    I used to go to a school of philosophy and there was / is a religion / philosophy (Zoroastrianism?) which believed the number 3 had special properties. I used to have a booklet about it which I don’t think I ever read (or if I did read it I don’t remember) but I seem to have thrown it out or misplaced it at some point unfortunately.

  • in reply to andi

    I imagine there is varying levels of ocd. The dr really shouldn’t shrug it off if you tell them it’s something that is bothering you, and maybe it doesn’t bother you right now, but it’s work noticing if it progresses any further and if it does become more of an issue for you.

    And to answer your question no I personally haven’t done this. I will sometimes get out of bed if I think I’ve forgotten to lock the door or left the hot water on,  but that’s usually because I have. So I’d just get up and deal with it once and go back to bed. 

  • in reply to andi
    andi said:
    Like people who have OCD to such an extent they simply struggle in day to day life it must be so hard for them but I feel like that wouldn’t fit me

    Remember these are both spectrums so you may have some of the traits at different levels to others.

    If you feel you are behind a door with the door knob missing then learn to carry a spare knob and connecting bar - let nothing stand in the way if you put your mind to it. It probably won't be easy mind you.

  • in reply to andi
    andi said:
    I’ve done a little research but it sounds like you can’t have both?

    https://psychcentral.com/autism/ocd-and-autism

    Autism and OCD can occur together. It’s estimated that 17% of autistic people also have OCD

    It just makes you even more special Slight smile

  • in reply to Briar

    I think they’d just shrug it off as my anxiety. It’s just doors and hobs that get me rattled. I personally feel OCD is an extreme in my case. Like people who have OCD to such an extent they simply struggle in day to day life it must be so hard for them but I feel like that wouldn’t fit me because it doesn’t feel extreme I was just wondering if anyone else was doing this as well and that I wish I could just check once and be happy about it lol Joy 

  • in reply to Iain

    I never used to have this issue that I can remember it’s only as I’ve gotten older 18 or so that it’s been like this. I’ve done a little research but it sounds like you can’t have both? I personally feel OCD is an extreme in my case. Like people who have OCD to such an extent they simply struggle in day to day life it must be so hard for them but I feel like that wouldn’t fit me. I was diagnosed at 17 (just before I turned 18) with autism because I was struggling with everything that autistics generally do, the social stuff, the need for routine, my emotional responses to things, the “robotic” persona sort of thing. My college orginally thought I was ADHD. But the OCD behaviours I don’t recall cropping up in my assessment. It started when I got my GAD diagnosis. But it’s just doors being locked and the hob being off that’s the only thing that I get so worked up about. 

  • andi said:
    does anyone else find that they cannot relax/got to bed without checking everything a certain number of times?

    sounds like OCD to me - the compulsion aspect is more than just the repetitive behaviours that come from autism.

    This diagram explains the overlap:

  • The that sounds more like OCD to me. I’d maybe ask your doctor about it.