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Autism and low mood

NAS38589

Hi,it’s my first time on here and looking for some support.

My don is 11 with a diagnosis of Autism and ADHD.He is in main stream school and was diagnosed at age 5.Heis suffering with low mood and often says he doesn’t want to be here anymore.He struggles to get to school 5 days a week as he gets drained mid week.

When he gets down he thinks of all the bad things that could happen at school with his peers although he has a good group of friends 

Out of school he worries about me leaving the house incase I have an accident or kidnapped.

He is also very worried about climate change as there have been lots of talk about this at school.

He is also saving up as he doesn’t know how he will cope to pay his taxes as an adult as school have been discussing finances.

Due to sex education and the age he is his peers are talking about sex which he is finding disgusting.

He is the youngest of 4 children and we are a very open family and he knows he can come to me with any questions.As a result he comes to me about everything and explains all his emotions and worries to me.

I try to answer everything and to explain things from other angles but I just don’t know if I’m handling it right.It becomes so hard for me not to get down when he is so sad and I can’t take it away.

Any advice will be appreciated,thanks in advance Ailsa.

  • I assume his school are aware of his autism so is the support team there aware of his anxiety and pessimism?

    I think a therapist would be the best way for him to be taught to look at the balance of a situation rather than just the potential negatives, and the school should be able to help with access to such a person.

    When he comes up with only negatives on a situation it may be worth trying a visual technique where you get a sheet of paper that you tell him is where you are going to write down everything important about a subject he is anxious about.

    Get him to put his thoughts (the negatives) on the right of the page. On the left of the page you ask him about the positives then get him to write them down. In the top middle ask about the facts that are neither positive or negative and at the bottom center ask about what can be done about it.

    Sometimes capturing all that info can make him create a better value judgement about it.

    Things like climate change are scary, but you can probably say something like "well if we can't stop it. how can we live with it" and look at where the positives are - eg more sea to let fish grow in (more food), the poles, Greenland, Iceland become habitable and possibly farm-able. More water means more carbon capture in the sea water etc

    Teach him to research and analise a subject so he can draw an informed opinion on it - excellent life skill to have.

    It all takes time and effort but it sounds like he may be getting this from you as it is, so it will just be redirecting his energy in a more positive way. Soon he can do most of it himself and you get to help him fill in the blanks.

    Just a thought - it sounds like he is smart enough to enjoy it.