• Replies 7 replies
  • Subscribers 80 subscribers
  • Views 1732 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Anxiety and Autism- Help!

The Riddler

Hi, this is my first post on this, or any forum. I am 44 and currently awaiting an official assessment/ diagnosis. Although I pretty convinced it's a thing.

I have struggled with anxiety for a while and been treated for this. However, what I want to know is how prominent is anxiety as an issue to people, particularly adults, with aspergers? I really struggle with social situations and this increases if there is a possibility of any sort of confrontation or debate.

Anyway, if people could share their thoughts and experiences it would be really helpful.

Thanks.

Parents

  • I don't know what the official statistics say, nor how accurate they are (standard anxiety screening tools aren't necessarily going to work for autistic people) but I would guess that more than half of autistic people have some level of clinical anxiety that causes difficulty in daily life.

    I have had quite a bit of talking therapy for anxiety and depression and it's been partially useful, but I only got my diagnosis in July so I'm only just getting some suitable therapy: unadapted therapy, like regular CBT, is often unhelpful and might actually make things worse. I thought I was getting panic symptoms in places like supermarkets so my therapists gave the standard CBT advice that if you stay in a situation when you're panicking, the anxiety will subside as you discover that the situation is safe.

    Unfortunately what no one figured out was that I was actually experiencing sensory overload which was causing symptoms that looked like anxiety. But by staying, I was just getting overloaded more. Now I can make decisions based on avoiding or reducing the sensory overload, but I don't unlearn rules easily so I've got to practice with my new understanding before it will feel okay.

    I find uncertainty really anxiety provoking too. I don't have a way of dealing with this yet. Some theories suggest that autistic people struggle to predict unfamiliar events. Actually I think what is going on for me is that I'm predicting many possible outcomes and events, and becoming overwhelmed by trying to work out how to respond appropriately to all of them in case one of them happens.

  • in reply to Invisiblewoman

    I also should have said that my anxiety (and depression) and lack of response to conventional treatments like medication and standard talking therapies were what led to me seeking diagnosis.

Reply Children