My son had many behaviours that indicated autism, but we never had him diagnosed. He had few friends, couldn't even order food in a restaurant until he was fifteen (he would whisper his order in my ear), and he couldn't keep a job. That was then, this is now and it's completely different. He overcame almost all of the behaviours that made his life more difficult. He's the most stubborn person I've ever met, so he did this on his own, refusing therapy. So, he did mindfulness. Mindfulness benefits everyone, not just people with disorders. It's about thinking about your thinking when you are "in the moment." It's about assessing your feelings, thoughts and behaviours, before you act on them. It's tricky, but doable.

My husband can get all anxious over throwing out a shoe box. Not meaning to mock him, but...it's a shoe box. So I say to him "is anything horrible going to happen to you if you throw out that box." He ponders, then says "well, no." Then I say, "then it's probably okay to throw it out." This is me doing his mindfulness for him. Then he throws out the box. His brain someone tells him "it's wrong" to throw out the box. Most people would simply throw it out or not, he has to consult me, in case there's a dire need for a shoe box in our future. And he dug it out of the recycle bin to begin with. So people can and do have these irrational thoughts that bring them unwarranted concern.

Mindfulness is very helpful, especially to people who have OCD and anxiety.