Hello everyone,
As posted elsewehere I have just had my formal diagnosis of ASD. One thing that came from my assessment is that I have a high level of anxiety which I have always known. It seems to be my natural state. It was mentioned that, although anxiety is not a diagnostic of autism and not a trait, a lot of my anxiety might stem from it. This was suggested from sensory sensitivities to social issues. Obviously I would like to try to reduce and tackle my anxiety in light of my diagnosis. Therefore I have been reasearching anxiety and autism and trying to learn new techniques to help.
Unfortunately most of my findings online and in books tend to say "yes anxiety is caused by being on the spectrum. ASD people are more likely to suffer anxiety" but do not suggest any solutions to try. This is what I am after, things and information I can try out to see if they work for me. And others who are interested.
Firstly things I currently do include meditation and CBT techniques but these require a lot of effort on my part and do not always work. I can often feel anxious without knowing why I am feeling anxious, which make CBT difficult (how can you rationaly think about a problem if you are not sure what it is?). I am current reading a book about CBT and aspergers to see if the techniques are different for those on the spectrum. It's called "Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Adult Asperger Syndrome" by Valerie L.Gaus. However I have only just started this. If anyone has any other book suggestions that deal with anxiety and ASD that would be great
I read that anxiety can be reduced by carefull planining of ones life but that can be difficult as my life can change quickly - a free weekend can fill up in an evening. However, I try to prepare myself best I can. Also I read that making sure that the things you do have definite benefits for you. Anxiety can be caused by doing activities that you see as meaningless and pointless. So if you have to do something like this, try and find benefits to it, no matter how small.
Sensory input is another suggestion. As mentioned before in a post, I love walking in wet weather and the joy that brings to the senses but as I am sure you will appreciate I can not do this all the time. I know a wet muddy walk will calm me down when I am very anxious but I can not put this into practice easily, only when I have free time. I like water and long baths but these things take time. Does anyone reduce their anxiety through sensory input in a way that is quick and accessible? I know everyone is different but I would love to hear any ideas for a quick sensory input for the reduction of anxiety?
Reducing bad sensory environments is another area but I think I can handle this one. There does seem to be a lot of avilable information on this which is excellant.
Stimming is another thing discussed on the internet in great detail for calming those on the autistic spectrum when stressed. However, I am not sure I have any proper stims. When anxious I can get fidgety, pace up and down, rub my feet together but these activties do not seem to reduce the anxiety, as be just a part of it. When some autistics talk of stimming they describe it as essential to calm them down. Can a person learn stims to help reduce anxiety? I hope this does not offend anyone, I am just thinking outside the box. From what I have seen they are favoured by some autistics as a lifesavers when dealing with the world. What are your thoughts on this?
Finally I have read that indulging in special interests are ideal for reducing anxiety. I have many of these and I must admit they do help. I have thought of them in the past as a distracting technique. However, they all require time and must be done quite continuously - as soon as I stop doing them, whatever I have been worrying about may return. Although some physical symptoms may be reduced. Any thoughts on Special interests being used to reduce anxiety? Part of this is that I like talking about various subjects which would be a massive help to calm me down but its impossible to engage people on the subjects I want to talk about. For example, I might want to talk in length about the last season of Dr Who to someone when I am feeling stressed (to calm down) but if I try this the other person will not carry on the conversation. So it does not really work in reality. This is a shame as this could be a big help. Reading this back it sounds a little arrogant - why should another person listen to someone talk about a subject they are not interested in? I am aware that there is this side to it also. What are peoples thoughts on all this?
Since my diagnosis I have become more aware of my levels of anxiety- rather then just thinking I am anxious or becoming anxious. My thoughts have changed to "I am becoming anxious, if I do not do something soon it will be a problem" or "I am at this level of anxiety, I can afford to go a little more anxious but then no more". I think this is knowing my limits. Do others recognise their anxiety limits? I am aware of social anxiety more and how I can avoid this - so instead of doing two things in a day, just do one for example.
I know this is a long post but I would love to hear your thoughts, suggestions and opnions on anxiety and more importantly how you deal with it. I want to try new techniques and see if I can improve myself and my quality of life. It does have a major impact on me as I am sure it does for others. Hopefully by sharing ideas those who suffer anxiety might be able to reduce it.
Wellington
