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Unsure If I Have Asperger's or Just Anxiety

NAS62412

Hi all.

I have an appointment with a doctor tomorrow because my situation is causing me great distress. I have problems with anxiety, namely OCD, but I am finding it increasingly difficult to speak to people. Since a young age I have been incredibly quiet and I can often sit silent if there are people there I don't know. I used to do this a lot as a child and a teen but have tried to force myself out of this although it's tiring and extremely difficult, it feels forced.

I have always had very few friends but over the past few years I have none anymore and I am unable to make new friends. I make people feel awkward and I have no idea why, I am unable to make conversation or keep it flowing and if I'm honest, I'd much rather just sit on my own quietly but that isn't acceptable in society it seems. People always tell me how I'm very methodical, analytical and have to keep to structure. I have issues deviating from a schedule or how I perceive something should be followed. I'm extremely anxious all of the time and this is affecting my life incredibly.

I have never approached a doctor about my suspicions relating to Asperger's as I'm not too sure if it actually is Asperger's or possibly just an anxiety issue. 

Can anyone shed any light on this at all? Are there symptoms or traits I should consider before I bring this up to my doctor? My job is extremely social and this is causing me severe concern as it is detrimental to my role.

Thank you.

Parents

  • I'm sorry to hear you're struggling at the moment. When I first saw a mental health assessor, I was referred for both mental health support and an autism assessment (I'm still waiting for the assessment). I've been through therapy for anxiety and I'm currently in therapy for OCD; both have helped me hugely with improving my mental health. It's absolutely possible to have autism, anxiety and OCD together. It's still worth chatting to your GP, or your counsellor, if you'd like to pursue an autism referral.

    The NAS website has a good overview of autism symptoms, so it may be worth writing down examples of how they apply to you - you can then share these with your GP or counsellor.

    I hope you find therapy helpful and get the answers you're looking for.

Reply

  • I'm sorry to hear you're struggling at the moment. When I first saw a mental health assessor, I was referred for both mental health support and an autism assessment (I'm still waiting for the assessment). I've been through therapy for anxiety and I'm currently in therapy for OCD; both have helped me hugely with improving my mental health. It's absolutely possible to have autism, anxiety and OCD together. It's still worth chatting to your GP, or your counsellor, if you'd like to pursue an autism referral.

    The NAS website has a good overview of autism symptoms, so it may be worth writing down examples of how they apply to you - you can then share these with your GP or counsellor.

    I hope you find therapy helpful and get the answers you're looking for.

Children
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