Published on 12, July, 2020
I suffer from chronic depression, as well has having been diagnosed as on the autistic spectrum. I have been re-referred to a psychiatrist, who tells me that a lot of my current problems are caused by anxiety, and I need to resolve the issues that are making me anxious before they can help me further.
The trouble is, I don't actually feel anxious, never mind be able to identify what it is that might be causing it. I've tried suggesting various things that could be causing it to the psychiatrist, and the only response I get is along the lines of "well I can't tell you what's affecting you". Can anyone suggest any way out of this impasse? Or if I can indeed be said to be "feeling" something, if I've only got someone else's word for it that I'm displaying the symptoms?
I'd be interested to know how much the psychiatrist you saw knows about and has experience of anxiety. It seems a very odd way to treat you when it is well documented that depression and anxiety often occur with asd. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rPD_yzMHJls I found this interesting and helpful.
And just found this
https://www.autistica.org.uk/what-is-autism/signs-and-symptoms/anxiety-and-autism
Cant believe how insensitive the psychiatrist you saw was. Didn't they know we find it hard to separate and identify what's happening with ourselves?
Ladynicotine I don't know how to help just feel appalled.
Thanks for the Autistica link - something for me to read through which might help. I'm not sure if it's patience with them, or simply don't have the energy to argue about it any more, but this info might give me somewhere to start from.
I know what you mean. It's hard to scrape up the energy to stick up for ourselves. I had a report which said I was ok going out , no evidence I was anxious enough because I wasn't getting mental health support. Now I will have to justify that if I decide to reply and might have to use the link myself .