Any other autistics who have never been depressed or on meds?

I'm the same as you, early thirties, never been depressed or medicated, I don't think that my Asperger's should lead me to depression, it's just part of who I am, not a burden to carry.

I have heard since that in autism CBT can go either way.  So some people with autism it will help and others it will do nothing for.  Or as Starbuck and I have found it made us worse.

I didn't realise there was group CBT.  I had it 1:1 and the counsellor just spent a lot of time looking frustrated with me.  When she asked me what's the worst that could happen she looked horrified at my response.  But when she asked how I got to that I did actually give her the whole logical progression from a seemingly innocuous issue to ending up dead or in jail!!!

Interesting that 'and' and 'Starbuck' you have both highlighted the routine as being a big positive.

There are actually lot of people they don't work for, both antidepressants and common NSAI painkillers. An occupational health doctor told me everybody he knows who took antidepressants (the SSRI kind) got better from it. Either is sample size was very small or rather unusual because if you read studies only about 50-60% of people tend to get better using them and about half of them also get better when eating sugar pills. So that leaves a quarter to a third of people who take them getting better because of taking them... He was very offended when I told him that, but guess he knew it. No idea what the issue with the painkillers is, maybe not the right sort of pain, perhaps if it's not caused by an inflammation and does not result in prostaglandins being produced then there is nothing for the painkiller to work on, or maybe it just doesn't do it's inhibiting thing in some people. Anyway, it's a lot more common for lots of meds not to work for a lot of people than we commonly think.

I found group CBT made me very anxious and didn't help me at all.  If anything it made me worse.  I did have a fantastic psychotherapist once though that I saw on a one to one basis.  I saw her once a week for two years and I found that she helped me to be more 'normal' and also warned me of potential predators in my life that to her seemed obvious as a threat, but I was oblivious to.  The routine was also pleasant to stick to.  She helped to build my confidence in my darkest moments and restored my faith in the world.  It is only now that I look back on it I realise just how much she helped me and I wish I could thank her for that.  

Ah yes I see what you mean now. Thanks

They work for some people - and if they work and make them feel better, then that's fine.  But a side-effect can, of course, be increased risk of suicide in the early stages of treatment.  My basic argument - for my circumstance, anyway - is that they don't deal with the causes, only the symptoms.  My proof was how much my mental health has improved since getting my diagnosis.

But they're given out so widely because 'making someone feel better with a drug' is the easy solution.  Counselling helped me, too, and CBT.  I always think talking therapies are the best.

That's why I come here

No - it's more to do with the fact that they're formulated to deal with depression by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin in the neurotypical neurology.  We don't have that.  Painkillers are for dealing with physical symptoms.

Just to pick up on the CBT: I did nine months individual psychotherapy followed by 2.5 years of group therapy some 10-15 years ago. When asked at my diagnosis what I had got out of psychotherapy I was unable to ascertain anything concrete other than I attended religiously and enjoyed going. I have since carefully thought about the psychotherapy and I would evaluate it as indeed having been useful for giving me a weekly routine, beyond that I cannot evaluate whether it was of psychological benefit or not. I just liked going there.

That's interesting what you say about the SSRIs not being formulated for autistic neurology.  Would that be the same for other meds such as painkillers?  I find that painkillers do nothing for me other than give me tummy ache.  I also had SSRIs in the past and they did nothing either.

Hi Hope

I would say that I've never been depressed.  I have occasionally been asked by others if I think I am depressed but having familiarised myself with the symptoms of depression I would say that I don't identify with it.  So no I would not say I have been depressed.

However, I have had severe anxiety with panic attacks, phobias, OCD.  I was at some point diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder.  I have since noticed that some of the 'lists' for things to look out for misdiagnosed Aspergers is a previous diagnosis of generalised anxiety disorder.  So with my 'aspie epiphany' that made a lot of sense.  

I was offered meds for anxiety but I have always been sensitive to meds, have trouble with side effects and had to stop taking them.  So I went for CBT but that seemed to just make me worse.  Then I was signed off from the adult mental health services for no reason other than they didn't know what to do with me.  I eventually had to resign from work instead as I had become too anxious to continue working there!

I think our feelings can manifest in different ways.  Some people will be depressed, some will be anxious, some will have a mixture of both, etc etc.

So, no you're not the only one.  Everyone on here will have backgrounds with some similarities and some differences.  Though the same could be said of the whole population as no one person has the same mix of experiences.

To anyone reading this thread,

If you are ever going though a tough time and feel unable to cope with distress or despair, it’s very important to tell someone about your feelings or thoughts of suicide. Call your GP and make an urgent appointment. Your GP can make sure you get appropriate help and support.

If it’s outside your GP hours call  111  to reach the NHS 111 service:   http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/Emergencyandurgentcareservices/Pages/NHS-111.aspx

The Samaritans also provide confidential non-judgemental emotional support, 24 hours a day on 116 123, or by email on jo@samaritans.org.

MIND have information pages on coping with self harm or suicidal feelings based on the experiences of people who’ve been through it that you may find helpful.

If you are very close to doing something to hurt yourself - call 999 now or go to your nearest A&E department. There should be someone there to support you and make sure you get ongoing support.

If you need help with an autism related issue, our helpline can be emailed on autismhelpline@nas.org.uk or they’re open Monday to Thursday 10am-4pm and Friday 9am-3pm on 0808 800 4104.

Best wishes,

Nellie-Mod

I suffered from depression for many years - up until I got my diagnosis.  That showed me what the root of it was.  I was depressed because I couldn't 'fit in' and had other problems, and didn't at the time understand why.  The diagnosis gave me that understanding.  Since then, my mental health has improved.  Pre-diagnosis, I took SSRIs on and off for years - but they just made me feel doped.  They're not really formulated for autistic neurology, though.  I take no meds at all now.  I have thought about investigating something for my ADD, though.

I suffer from severe depression in and off.

I've had plenty of medication for other conditions.  But I've never taken anything for depression.  I often suffer unwanted side effects and if these are worse than the original problem then what's the point?

I also don't trust doctors.

I've been offered anti depressants.  Anti psychotics, sleeping tablets.

I've had suicide attempts with tablets (paracetamol).  So is it sensible or safe to offer me sleeping tablets.

I've been falsely threatened with prosecution for claiming free prescriptions.  That did wonders for my depression!!!  If the prescription had been for anti depressants that would have made the irony complete.

I'm learning that within the support group that I attend, several fellow attendees are diagnosed autistic and something else. I may be in a slight minority in that I am diagnosed Aspergers and do not appear to have any other significant diagnosable condition, though I am fairly anxious on a day to day basis.

The one time I had clinical depression my GP offered my anti-depressants, explaining that these could be used as a tool to help me come out of the depression, and once back on a more even keel, there would be no further use for them. I declined these based on an experience with sleeping tablets, which I took once and left me feeling very woolly in the head: I really disliked being 'numbed' by the sleeping tablets and being left with a lack of lucidity.

I'm ASD and also Bipolar 2, but wouldn't say I get a lot of depression, either.  Like you, my mood is stable enough too. I probably have enough to be depressed about though - I cannot work, due to artritis and I live alone: I see my kids pretty infrequenty, as they live abroad. I can get pretty low, but I can sense it coming and have developed a skill set to dodge it. I'm also ADHD, which is inconvenient (to say the least) but does stop me sinking into depression, as I seem to have a lot of energy. You say you don't work, which helps. Do you mean you have enough time to follow your routines and manage yourself? And your single....Does that mean you don't have to manage a relationship? I can understand that, as relationships are the greatest causes of stress to me. However, I don't think you should think you're the only one. Look around this place and see how many like minded people there are. You'll see there are many individuals you can identify with. Choose whatever works for you, realise you're not the only one, and your anxiety should decrease a bit