OCD - a guide for parents and carers
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition where a person has obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours. Having OCD can be very upsetting, exhausting and get in the way of everyday life, but treatment can help to keep it under control. This guide explores more about the condition, similarities and differences between OCD and autism, and support options.
What is OCD?
“Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) has two main parts: obsessions and compulsions.
- Obsessions are unwelcome thoughts, images, urges, worries or doubts that repeatedly appear in your mind. They can make you feel very anxious.
- Compulsions are repetitive activities that you do to reduce the anxiety caused by the obsession. It could be something like repeatedly checking a door is locked, repeating a specific phrase in your head or checking how your body feels.” Mind
OCD can affect men, women and children and it usually starts during early adulthood.
Autistic people suggest that obsessions and compulsions in OCD are an unwanted and intrusive element in their life, whereas autism is seen as a positive part of their lives.
Overlaps and differences between OCD and autism
There are overlaps between autism and OCD. Many behaviours are found in both:
- compulsive like behaviours
- restricted and repetitive behaviours
- fixation on routines
- ritualised patterns of behaviour
- resistance to change and restricted interests.
However, for autistic people, repetitive behaviours are often soothing and a source of enjoyment (for example stimming and intense interests). But if you have OCD, the obsessions/compulsions are intrusive and upsetting.
To give an example, an autistic person or someone diagnosed with OCD may repeatedly flick a light switch on and off. The autistic person may be doing this because they like the sound of the switch and the visual feedback when the light flashes on and off. The person with OCD may be doing it because they believe that unless the light switch is flicked on and off 15 times, something bad will happen to their family.
The overlaps between autistic traits and OCD symptoms may lead some professionals to dismiss OCD symptoms as autistic traits, leading to under-diagnosis of OCD in autistic people.
Support with OCD
If you think that your child has OCD, let your GP know about your concerns. They may want to refer them for an assessment.
You can also visit our mental health support page for more information about seeking help.
There are various treatment and support options if your child has OCD:
Therapy
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends psychological treatments for OCD:
- cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
- exposure and response prevention (therapists encourage patients to tolerate anxieties without performing their compulsions).
Research shows that CBT can be useful for autistic patients when therapists adapt their communication and approach to make it more autism friendly, for example allowing time for processing information or using written or visual information.
Medication
NICE recommends the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), more commonly known as antidepressants, for OCD in adults. SSRIs commonly prescribed for OCD include:
- Paroxetine
- Sertraline
- Citalopram
- Flouxetine
- Fluvoxamine
Inpatient treatment
Your child may need intensive inpatient treatment in hospital if you have significantly intrusive thoughts and compulsions.
Charities offering OCD advice
Other than the guidelines outlined by NICE, there is no specific advice for autistic people with OCD, but there are several charities that offer general help and information, such as OCD Action, OCD UK and Mind.
Useful links
Personal accounts
The following accounts may share information and experiences that you may find distressing.
