OCD or Stimming

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Hello everyone, I’m trying to figure out if what I do is OCD or stimming.

A list of my behaviors...

-Teeth grinding when driving over road marks. Click my teeth when Car becomes symmetrical over the road markings
- finger tapping. I tap out patterns with my fingers to try and find the most symmetrical one. Also count each finger movement up to what ever number sounds right
- organizing room until things feel right
- body dysmorphia issues. Will look at mirror for hours to figure out right position for body and how things would look best
- replay songs dozens of times
- intrusive obsessional thoughts
- teeth grinding to music
- rearranging things on desk or tables
- often concerned about having body parts in right positions
- sometimes repeat words or phrases out loud or in head. Minutes to sometimes half hour. Usually very negative things like “you should kill yourself”
- snippets of songs will repeat in my head
- will click my teeth while counting the clicks. Trying to find the most symmetrical clicking pattern
- hypochondriac- think I have everything
- constantly need to distract myself - watch YouTube, instagram, read things. When doing homework need tv in background
-used to be afraid of being gay
- used to be afraid of being racist towards black peoples
- used to be worried people thought I was trying to have sex with girls I wasn’t
- used to think people would think I was a pedophile
- always think I’m doing things WRONG
- skin picking
- Counting in my head “1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4”

The only ones that I’m really are not sure are stimming is the finger tapping.

What do you guys think? OCD or autism?

At first glance, I share a lot of these, so I'll comment on each individually (for the record, I'm not diagnosed with OCD but have strong suspicions that I have it).



This sounds more like OCD. Closest thing to this that I do is the avoidance of 'cracks' in pavements.



Finger tapping in itself is probably more classical stimming, but the involvement of patterns is perhaps more OCDish.



Things 'feeling right' sounds very much like OCD from my own knowledge.



Yes, I do these kinds of things. In particular, I observe my neck and observe how 'bony' it looks (I'm thinner right now than I have been in the past) and only look away when it looks the most 'bony' (i.e. when my head is at the right angle). Again, sounds like OCD.



Definitely something that I do, but probably not OCDish in itself. One common trait of those on the AS is having fixed or special interests, thus those on it are more likely to be able to listen to a given song an endless number of times without getting bored. OCD would be more likely perhaps if certain routines are included, such as always starting the song at a certain point, or skipping a certain section of the song.



More like a classic OCD symptom. I often have these, often involving a past situation or conversation that I didn't find enjoyable. Often it will involve having a 'debate' in my head, with me thinking certain thoughts in order to drown out the other thoughts, if that makes sense.



Teeth grinding in general is a fairly common thing, but probably more in line with AS stimming than OCD.



If done to 'feel right', then it's more OCD.




This sounds like OCD.



Seems like OCD too. Over the course of my life I've gone through phases of having to go through a routine of thoughts while lying in bed at night, in order to get myself to sleep.



Depends on the severity; most people probably experience this to some extent.



Counting routines are more OCDish.



Went through a bad period of this myself, around ten years ago. Just one example - I was convinced that I had bone cancer based on one of my shoulder bones sticking out more than the other. Hypochondria is a condition in itself, but can overlap with OCD as far as I'm aware.



Many or most people do this to varying degrees. If anything it's more associated with ADHD than with OCD or ASD.



These, grouped together, all sound like OCD too.



Could be either.



Again, counting routines seem more OCDish.



Overall, these traits (from the extent of my knowledge of the subject) sound more in line with OCD than with ASD. Obviously professionals would have a more informed opinion.

I can identify several things you mention that I do or have done in the past. Finger tapping has been a regular thing for me since I was a child or fidgiting with my hands. I was trained out of it by being told off at various work places. I used to also regularly bounce my legs up and down while in school or college but after being told off so many times I stopped doing it. I just assumed it was nurves. I never knew it was stimming. I tended to donit when listening to teachers take lessons etc rather then when I was actually writing. In other words, when I was listening. I believe it is stimming though maybe someone can confirm this? The same goes for rapping my fingers up and downnon a desk. My mum also does this. She also doodles with a pen and paper when on a phone as it helps her concentrate. However, for me I don't multitask like she does. I have to place things in my mind in order and do them one at a time. I just don't do hints. They don't compute.
Someone mentioned avoiding cracks in pavements. Yes. Used to do this. Also a compulsion to step on every drain or manhole cover in the pavement while walking down the street. It has taken a long time to get out of this habbit (Especially the manhole cover and drains bit) and as long as I don't think about it, I don't do it! I used to do it automatically. Taken years to train myself not to!

A lot of those behaviors overlap, but there is no real reason why it has to be OCD or stimming...it could be both.

More severe OCD can sometimes be helped by Inositol or SamE. Less severe cases are similar to stimming in that actions taken create a sense of control that can offset anxiety.

You should definitely read up on Pure O or pure obsessional OCD as you symptoms sound familiar to it

https://www.intrusivethoughts.org/ocd-s ... /pure-ocd/

Thank you for taking the time to reply with so much detail.

The finger tapping is the only one that really concerns me. But like I said it’s always been about counting and finding the most symmetrical pattern.

I bounce my legs a lot too but I notice a lot of the men in my classes do the same thing. Seems like we’re more restless and get bored easily.

I sometimes doodle in class. I notice a lot of people will doodle when bored or listening to something. Not sure how much that means.

Not sure if doodling helps me focus or just helps me pass the time when I’m incredibly bored.

I realize this. I know OCD is common among aspies.

I’ve heard of this. I’ve always been curious what I’m supposed to do about my kind of ocd? How do I fight it? It’s not like I obsessively check to see if the ovens still on so what do I do?

I’m really confused about all of this. I either have Aspergers and my entire life has been a lie

or...

I have OCD and the paranoia and obsession about being aspie is another symptom of my mental illness and it is destroying my life and ruining my relationships with people.

Some more information about the finger tapping. I notice the SECOND I start thinking about if I have Aspergers I will automatically start tapping my fingers and counting in my head.

This happens with a lot of my negative obsessional thoughts. Suicide etc...

I sometimes will count when in deep thought about something I’m trying to learn.

For anyone interested, this video is REMARKABLY accurate when it comes to the way my mind works.

The counting, hypochondria, is amazingly accurate. I used to even check my temperature throughout the day.

https://youtu.be/ufqFO5B1vQY

It's possible to have both dude.

You really need to a specialist to accurately diagnose you.

OCD is treatable