increased depression and suicide rates in autistic adults

Depression is even more likely to affect those in the autism community than it affects neurotypicals and the non-disabled, because of the lifelong torture that people with autism go through on a daily basis. And people on the autism spectrum also have a high suicide risk, according to medical research and proven psychology articles. Which is why as someone with Asperger syndrome I find myself wondering if I will continue to suffer from depression and have thoughts of suicide for the rest of my life.

There was this group of ASD and Asperger Syndrome adults who had either contemplated suicide or considered doing so after being diagnosed at a clinic, because they ended up suffering from depression. I also heard about one autistic man who eventually committed suicide. I don't want to end up amongst those people - even though I won't be able to break free from my severe depression.

Parents
  • I think poor mental health is common across all ages of people with autism. trigger warning for suicide, self harm and ED.

    Personally i have Asperger's and am currently under section 3 of the Mental health act in a adolescent psychiatric unit. I have attempted to kill myself 15 times in just over a year. i have been self harming (as in cutting and scratching)  for over 2 years. I have also struggled loads with my eating and it got to the point where they were seriously thinking about tubing me. I was first suicidal when i was 6, and i am now 16. So i have majorly struggled and hide my mental health problems for at least 10 years if not 13 (because of trauma when i was three). I was only officially diagnosed on the 27th of November, so 12 days ago. i also have multiple physical health problems, including chronic pain. this means that i am even more suicidal. at least i'm off 1-1 at nights now though!

    I'm gradually learning how to stand up for myself, and that self care and preservation is not selfish. you cant help others when your so ill you aren't eating, drinking, sleeping or functioning at all. 

    i think that depression is something i will always struggling with but i believe you have to learn that you have to do stuff on your timeline, when you are ready, do what's best for you. not try and conform to boxes we will never fit.

    my best advice is scream as loud and for as long as you can until you get the help and support you need. just don't stop bugging them. get multiple people to bug the people who need to get their buts moving. this is what we had to do/ my parents/ other professionals.

    please just never give up.

    i can't promise things will get better, but i can promise that through this pain you will grow and learn so much, that you can use for good. to help and heal.

    hope this helps

  • I like your advice about screaming loud.

    One of my mistakes in life is not complaining or asking for help until it's too late.

  • yeah that's what happened with me. and like i tried screaming for about 2 years but then everything just got too much and i like was shut down for 6 months straight. so yeah they didn't really realise that i was still really bad, until i went missing and the police found me, shut the motorway, put on a drip ect. and then tried to run away during my MHA assessment, bad idea!

    so yeah everyone around me was pretty shocked but yeah at least im diagnosed now. even though i have stuck on a psych ward.

  • A difficult pericipice to be sat on then

  • yeah same, or just too much stressful stuff, whether its good or not. i am also really bad at the min so if left alone with out distraction i will try to hurt myself.

  • Borderline.

    Too much bad news in any short space of time can send me over the edge.

  • And.. how are you now?

Reply Children