Is there such a thing?
I'm now refusing medication because I believe the doctor just wants to put me on them and it will all be fine but its not a long term solution so when I came off them again I'd be back to square 1. He told me therapies won't work but I told him what I need is somebody who is aspergers trained that can teach me the coping skills I so clearly need so he is looking into it....
Hi,
I heard from my social worker today, she has phoned the health centre and said there are post diaganostic services I can access and counsellors who specialise in aspergers which is all good (although slightly daunting!!!). Tomorrow I should find out the finer details of what, when, who etc. Just got to wait for PCT funding now - given it took them 6 months to sort it so I can get a diagnosis so could be in for a long wait!!
Hope said:Thanks for the advice Scorpian 0x17. I Will do some research. I know there is a guy called David Moat, who specialises in hypnosis and other therapies for people with AS, as well as being an expert on the condition. Privately, he is very expensive. He often gives talks to my local autism charity. But maybe the NHS can pay him?
Yes, yes they could. I can tell you for a fact that he takes NHS referrals. Whether he does so in your area is a different matter. But I know he does in mine.
Jon said:[quote][/quote]
Ultimately there is no cure for Asperger's.
Medication can help.
Hi Scorpion0x17,
How do you think medication can help?
I'm not saying that there's a particular for of medication that will help everyone on the Spectrum, just that some individual's particular symptoms may be help by medication and may help them lead a more productive life.
from The Imp of the Perverse
I hope you don't mind Easy but I have to disagree with you slightly. I think some form of deliberate slowing down by contemplation or meditation may suit some people, for those suffering real anxiety and also OCD, concentrating on one's breath, which is a form of meditation practice, might be completely unsuitable. I know of one person who has Aspergers, tried mediation, focused on their breath and then found it hard to re-establish normal breathing without feeling anxious. The simple awareness of breathing became a further source of anxiety. This can be amplified even more if one reads about deeper mediatation, where a number of breaths per minute is often casually mentioned as well as a time-limit for meditation practice. An anxious person with OCD could easily become fixated on this and so defeat the purpose completely. I have also read about one other person who lost control of their natural breathing mechanism completely and became totally scared when falling asleep as they were frightened of stopping breathing when unconscious. Meditation is also problematic because some of those who will offer to teach it can have ulterior motives, so on that point I would agree with Easy about keeping this sort of thing private.
Hope...I would suggest you try something milder, a form of contemplation, just sitting, focusing on an object or a thought or a maxim that you like and just try to isolate yourself with the latter. Forget about breathing...just try and maintain a singular focus on SOMETHING to make you aware of how your anxious thoughts crowd in but I would suggest only doing this when you FEEL like it. Don't force it.
I messed around with meditation for a few years and it had both good and bad points but my OCD was past me at the point, though the anxiety was still there. I think you are right about CBT, you seem too bright for that to be effective and anyway the success rate is not as great as some, in the media anyway, would have us all believe.
I think you mentioned exercise a while ago...does that not have any effect at all? I've become more active recently and it's allowed me to cut down on Diazepam use substantially (and easily, despite the doctors telling me how addictive is it, I find it isn't at all). A last thing, you may sound desperate to be rid of anxiety but I would take some comfort and hope from your obvious can-do attitude to trying to beat it. You're still young, you may find it lessens as you find your way in life a bit more (yes, I'm being deliberately optimistic...).
Hi Mazloveshoes. I have considered medication, but for me, the idea of taking medication itself is a source of massive anxiety. Not because of any stigma (I could not care less) but because I am scared of the side-effects that can occur.
My anxiety is there all the time but is particularly bad during the night-time because, when head hits pillow, I have no ditractions at all and I am left with my own thoughts.
I think the reason why CBT has not worked is because it is actually too logical and rational. As a rational, logical person I know that my anxiety is irrational, but I can't stop the anxiety!. And this is because the anxiety is so entrenched and beyond reason. Therapy, therefore, has to look at the unconscious/automatic thought processes as opposed to telling me what I know alreaady. And this is why I think that meditation might be of use, but the NHS will not fund it and I cannot afford to go private.
Hello Hope,
I am not AS but have suffered with anxiety in my life, i think it can be one of the worst things, it's very frightening. I have a beautiful 14 year old Aspie son who has suffered with anxiety since the age of 8. I have always been very anti drugs so he has had every type of therapy you can imagine since he was 4 1/2 to try and make life better for him. There's no doubt it has helped, not cured of course, but helped him socially, sensory wise etc. But it didn't help with the anxiety. A few months ago, desperate to help him, we conceded and he was put on Sertraline. I have to say it's helped him soooo much! The anxiety has reduced and his sleep has improved more than i can tell you. If you had a headache you would take a tablet; if you had epilepsy you would take a tablet. There is no shame in it and why suffer if you don't have to. Anxiety is a terrible and debilitating thing, not to be under-estimated. I now think, try it and if it doesn't work for you, then you stop taking it.
I wish you the best of luck Hope xx
susie163 said:Now there's an idea Jon.... I'm back on it, relunctantly, sure they prescribe it cause it's the only thing they can offer. Maybe we should set up a "refuse to medicate/find us another option" action group, have a march or two. Actually, although I was half joking it's something to think about.
.....maybe a post on this forum seeking a 'show of hands' for those who believe that we are being fobbed off with medication?
Thanks for the advice Scorpian 0x17. I Will do some research. I know there is a guy called David Moat, who specialises in hypnosis and other therapies for people with AS, as well as being an expert on the condition. Privately, he is very expensive. He often gives talks to my local autism charity. But maybe the NHS can pay him?
The GP is looking into and will get back to my social worker so I will have to wait till Tuesday to see what he has found out then hope the social worker will help me to push the funding through. The anxiety is holding me back from being able to achieve what I know I can!
super-meg said:So what can I do about it?
Research. Find out if there's a therapist in your area that specialises in treating those on the spectrum. Then pressurise your GP into getting you referred to them. Your GP may need to apply for special funding through the PCT, and this can make some reluctant to do proceed (my GP certainly was), but insist that they do it. You have a legal right to treatment that is appropriate, and cost is not an acceptable reason for your GP not to pursue that treatment.
And, to respond to Muckworm's point: It's not neccessarily about curing the Asperger's. That's impossible! For me it's about learning better strategies, and coping mechanisms, and ultimately to be happier, and less lonely.
Drug and go ~ GP
Try to fit NT's cognitive standard ~ Therapy
ASPERGERS FOR ASPERGERS,,, there should be an official list, no some half-hodged systems of luck. The NAS should call for specialist treatment centres,, main stream is bullshit, it does not KNOW THE CONDITION. I've spend 4 years drugged up 3 years Therapy,, the NT model does not work.
I've have had lots of troubles and blame the aspergers for not being able to have the life I want to or feel like I should have.
I have worked but due to the aspergers/anxiety things didn't work out, I have the work ethic and really want to be working again soon but the anxiety needs to be dealt with first and the GP just says I've been through all the therapies so he is stuck as what to do with me :/ but now since the diagonsis I realise they wouldn't work because they were based around finding a root casue which now I know there wasn't it was the aspergers.
Anxiety effects pretty much everything I do constantly feeling like I'm been jugded, always expecting the worse and change. I think there must be more support avalible to deal with these so I can cope and be happier myself without being drugged up, I jsut don't know where to look!
I am speaking only for myself but I find it hard to seperate my anxiety from the rest of my condition. I hate my anxiety, I want it cured, and it makes me very unhappy to think that I will have to live with it for the rest my life. What sort of life is that? The NHS are not doing their job properly if they can't provide the right therapy. I don't care too much about my social issues, but my rigidity, need for routine, problems with uncertainty, all lead to painful symptoms in the form of anxiety. I have thought long and hard about this, and I know that Aspergers can't be cured and that Aspergers is not all negative. But for me, the negatives of this condition far outweigh the positives, and my life is being ruined by the anxiety. Like I said, the social side of AS does not bother me, the special interest side brings me pleasure, but the anxiety side causes pain. I believe my anxiety can be as good as cured. If I did not believe that, I would probably have developed depression by now. It is the only hope that keeps me going.
I don't want medication or therapy - I want people to accept that I am autistic and that it makes me different to them (NT's).
I am who I am and I feel I have a lot to offer society and I don't want to be 'cured', I want to be accepted for who I am and respected and loved.
