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Autism and Related Conditions Resources: Connections, Challenges, and Care
Autism often exists alongside other conditions, known as co-occurring conditions, which can affect physical health, mental well-being, and daily functioning. Understanding the relationship between autism and these conditions is essential for providing comprehensive care and support. This resource page delves into the most common co-occurring conditions, such as social anxiety, ADHD, OCD, and more. Here, you’ll find insights into how these conditions interact with autism, strategies for management, and resources to help individuals and families navigate these complex challenges with confidence and compassion.
Recent Articles
BPD vs. Autism: How Are They Different, and Can You Have Both?
Maybe you’ve been told you're “too sensitive.” Or “too rigid.” Or that you overreact to things other people brush off. Somewhere along the way, you might have even been handed a label, borderline personality disorder (BPD), and it explained some of what you were going through, but not all of it.
Autism and borderline personality disorder (BPD) can look similar from the outside. Both can involve intense emotions, relationship difficulties, and reactions that may seem confusing to other people. But they have different underlying causes, and telling them apart matters. If autism is mistaken for BPD, you may end up getting support that doesn’t address what’s actually going on.
According to the CDC, autism is a neurodevelopmental condition present from early childhood. BPD is a personality disorder that tends to develop later, usually in adolescence through early adulthood, according to a clinical review of BPD. The two conditions have different origins, but some of their day-to-day symptoms can look similar. Understanding those differences can help you find support that actually fits your experience.
This article covers what autism and BPD have in common, why the two can get confused, whether you can have both at once, and what support looks like.
Alexithymia and Autism
Everyone will, at some point in their lives, find themselves at a loss for words when describing how they’re feeling. When it occurs on occasion, it’s human nature. However, if the challenge to name or express emotions is a prevailing theme in someone’s life, it may be a sign of alexithymia. While primary alexithymia is relatively uncommon, the odds of having alexithymia traits are much higher in autistic people.
OCD and Autism: Understanding the Differences, Overlaps, and Support Options
Having autism and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can be confusing for people with both conditions, especially because there are so many similarities between OCD and autism. It can also be a puzzle for people trying to figure out if they have autism or OCD.
However, overlapping traits, such as repetitive behaviors, can sometimes lead to an overall misunderstanding of the support people with these co-occurring conditions may need. This is mainly because although the characteristics of both autism and OCD are alike, the underlying reasons behind those behaviors are rather different.
As with autism, people with an OCD diagnosis are considered neurodivergent because they respond to the world differently than neurotypical individuals.
No matter where you are in your journey toward understanding OCD and autism (whether you’re considering an evaluation or have recently received a diagnosis), this article unpacks the differences between these conditions, as well as where they overlap. In addition, we’ll discuss understanding what it means to have both autism and OCD, as well as the supports available to you.
