Published on 12, July, 2020
My current psychiatrist says I am autistic and has referred me for assessment (I'm 51).
I have suffered recurring depression all my life, and now recognise some of this is due to autistic burnout.
His diagnosis is ?Bipolar II .
Is this a common autistic co-morbidity?
My main issues with depression is low self esteem, perfectionism, inability to socialise/make friends (loneliness, not enjoying being with crowds or no interest in 'usual' social things). I just feel useless/a failure having tried so hard to fit in and failed.
How do I find out if any of my issues are because of autism, and how do I drag myself out of depression if they are?
Sorry to be miserable :-(
TIA
Hi and welcome to the community!
Please don't worry about expressing your emotions here - you're among new friends and we're here to help, if we can.
NAS94953 said:Is this a common autistic co-morbidity?
According to the NAS, "We do not know how many autistic people have bipolar disorder. Some studies estimate between 5 and 7%, compared with an estimated rate of 1% in the general population. More research is needed."
NAS - Autism and bipolar disorder
NAS94953 said:How do I find out if any of my issues are because of autism, and how do I drag myself out of depression if they are?
You might find this resource helpful - it includes a section entitled "Why might autistic people experience depression?":
NAS - Depression
I also strongly recommend reading the wealth of information in the diagnosis hub, which includes advice covering assessment, diagnosis, and after diagnosis. At this particular point in your journey, you might find this to be a good starting point:
NAS - What can I do while waiting for an autism assessment?
NAS94953 said:I have suffered recurring depression all my life, and now recognise some of this is due to autistic burnout.
There's also a separate article that covers autistic burnout, which might perhaps also be a timely read:
NAS - Autistic fatigue - a guide for autistic adults