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September 17, 2025 3 mins

Did you know that autistic people are more likely to experience OCD — but it’s often misunderstood or missed completely? In this episode of The Aspie World Podcast, I break down the connection between autism and obsessive-compulsive disorder, how to spot the signs, and what you can do if you think you might have both conditions.

Many autistic adults live with undiagnosed OCD because the traits can overlap or get mislabelled as “just autism.” Understanding the difference can reduce anxiety, improve coping strategies, and help you get the right support.

  • The key differences between autistic repetitive behaviours and OCD compulsions

  • Why autistic people are more prone to OCD than neurotypical individuals

  • Signs you may have OCD alongside autism

  • Strategies for managing obsessive thoughts and rituals

  • Where to find help, diagnosis, and effective treatments

Whether you’re an autistic adult, a parent, or someone trying to understand yourself better, this episode gives you the tools to recognise symptoms and get support.

  • Autistic adults who suspect they may also have OCD

  • Parents supporting autistic children with obsessive behaviours

  • Teachers, carers, and therapists working with autistic individuals

  • Anyone curious about the link between autism and OCD

Understanding how autism and OCD overlap can be life-changing — it’s the first step to getting clarity and building better coping strategies.

🎁 FREE Download: Get your Autistic Adult Bulletproof Brain Starter Kit and learn science-backed strategies to reduce anxiety, manage overwhelm, and build unstoppable confidencewww.bulletproofbrain.org

If this episode helped you, please:
Subscribe to The Aspie World Podcast so you never miss an episode
Leave a review — it helps us reach and support more autistic adults
Share this episode with friends, family, or anyone exploring the autism and OCD connection

You deserve clarity — and with the right knowledge and tools, you can take back control of your mental health. 💙

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Who This Episode Is For:Resources & Support for Autistic AdultsLet’s Stay Connected

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Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
The connection between autism and OCD and do they differ?
Let's talk about it right now. Let's jump in guys.
Welcome back to the ASP world. My name is Dan and I have autism
and ADHD and actually in fact, have OCD too.
So it's my life's work, my life's mission to make videos to
help educate and change the lives of millions of people.
And I won't rest until I have helped as many people as
possible on the autism spectrum increase potential, reach their

(00:21):
full potential and goals in lifeand be the people they want to
be. Don't just exist.
Let's just like, let's live, let's live together.
It's been awesome, so if you want to join me on this humble
journey and help me be a part ofthis team so I can help you and
you can help me drop me a subscribe on this video by
clicking the notification bell down below and you can follow me
on social media to see my videosevery single day, I upload 4

(00:41):
videos on all social media platforms that's including
Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, threads, everything you
can think of guys. I want to talk about autism and
OCD. Now this is something that has
been on my mind for a while. I suffer from OCD and I suffer
from many mental health issues, but I also have autism and ADHD.
Now there are two types of kind of like an OCD within autism.

(01:01):
OK, you can have OCD as a separate diagnosis and you can
have autism which comes with more of a a compulsion to do
stuff. Now I want to talk about these
two separately, but first I justwant to do a small disclaimer.
OCD can be very damaging to someone's mental health.
I mean, for me it, it was very, some of the darker sense of my
life is because of OCD and it really does spiral and becomes

(01:22):
the thing that grows on you and I don't like it.
And so if you're having issues, OCD therapy is really, really
good for it. And if you want to use a therapy
that's easy and helpful to use, I use Better Help on my iPhone,
which is basically just an app that you download.
The link is down below in the description of this video,
Better Help. And they can talk to you on your
phone via text or video or voiceand they hook you up within 24

(01:43):
to 48 hours with a therapist andyou can pay through the app.
It's amazing. It's absolutely amazing.
So definitely check it out. If you're struggling with mental
health, OCD is on its own something that is happening
because you're compulsed to do it, like you have a negative
impact if you don't do it. So say say The thing is you have
to turn all the lights off in the house 2 times like on and
off 2 times before you leave thehouse.

(02:03):
That is an OCD compulsion and the reason for doing that you do
not enjoy doing those things. You feel like you have to do
those things otherwise somethingterrible will happen to you or
your life or somebody in your life.
That's OCD in in general, but OCD within an autism spectrum
disorder where they have a compulsion to do stuff where
they like do the same thing overand over again, like turning the
lights on and off. They will actually have pleasure

(02:24):
from doing those things because it's a routine.
They like to follow through withthe routines.
And I did a video all about routines and why routines are
important. Now, when you're following a
routine because you find comfortfrom it, that's OCD for an
autism, which is just more of a compulsion to do those things
because you enjoy it. Whereas if you were doing
something that you didn't enjoy,but you had to do it, that's
true OCD. Now, a lot of people think OCD

(02:44):
is just like cleaning, you know,terribly cleaning and being,
being a germaphobe, which sometimes it can be, but it's
also more than that. It's a, it's a, it's a routine.
It's a repetitive action that you have to take every single
day. You have to always do these
things in order to actually achieve some or some sort of
kind of stability in life so that nothing dangerous happens
to anybody. And that's what that's what's
going on in your mind. That's what's going on in your

(03:05):
life all the time. Now there is a connection
between those two and because autism comes with mental health
issues and OCD sometimes and a lot of time is Co occurring or
coexisting and Co diagnosed withautism.
Now if you have anything to add,pop in the comment down below or
read every single one and I'll see you guys in the next video.
Peace.
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