Depression and Anxiety w/ Asperger's

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People have been trying to pin GAD on me for as long as I can remember; but when I look at me and I look at other average people, I just don't see much difference in the anxiety they seem to feel and the anxiety I feel. Sure, I'm bad at reading their faces; but I can read their words just fine, and my level of anxiety seems entirely normal, especially since it doesn't interfere with my doing what I want to do. Isn't that the diagnostic threshold? If there's no impairment, there's no diagnosis. Just because I wear my heart on my sleeve and people can see that I'm anxious during a psychological interview that may change my life doesn't mean I'm always that anxious.

Technically, I'll admit I've had an anxiety disorder--two specific phobias--but these are so common in childhood that really it shouldn't count. Besides, they were extinguished because I deliberately exposed myself to the source of my fear. I used to be extremely afraid of dead bodies. I'm taking an anatomy class now. That's not the action of an anxious person.

The psychologists still seem to want to pin it on me, though, and worse, they want to medicate. No. I like my anxiety just fine, thanks. Anxiety is what kicks you in the butt so you do something instead of sitting there because you're content and happy and you haven't got anything to spur you to do anything about what you don't like in your life.

Why can't they tell the difference between healthy anxiety and the pathological type that makes you freeze up?

I have neither. But I do have quite a bit of social anxiety but nothing label-able

I was prescribed Zoloft, but I only took it once. The doctor said people with asperger's tend to be very sensitive to medications, and that's how I was. The first day I took it, my anxiety was so bad that I couldn't even leave the house-- I was in a completely manic state. So, after the first day, I stopped taking them. I see my psychiatrist again soon and I'm sure he'll try and prescribe me a different medication for anxiety and my depressive states, but I don't think it's worth it because I'm trying to avoid stressful situations and highly doubt that I'd commit suicide at this stage in my life.

I've also got social phobia, and quite badly too. I often go to pieces even just trying to talk to a friend.

I tried a number of medications, some with horrible side effects, before finding a combination that works well for me: welbutrin and dexedrine.

Depression, OCD, PTSD.

(OCD is probably the only thing I have a totally "official" diagnosis of - I've just been verbally told of the others, AS included.)

As the entire world knows I have those (anxiety and depression) along with schizoaffective disorder.

GAD, OCD and Agoraphobia.

I voted no because I haven't been diagnosed but I've suffered from both major depression and social anxiety.

For 10 years I also got diagnosed with depression,anxiety, and OCD. Now my doctors found out that I actually did not have any of these disorders, but the traits where all related to the Asperger's. The Asperger traits of talking about my interests and doing all of my rituals are actually relaxing for me(cause of the Asperger's), and not stressing(just like the typical OCD traits.) My depression was not actually depression but me feeling helpless,low esteem, and self-confidence issues because of my diagnosis, I was put into a group home and was not living my life the way I wanted to, as an independent person, not being over protected by my mom and/or group home agencies. As for anxiety, it was not actually anxiety, but more because of my aspergers because I have a lot of sensory issues and did not feel comfortable in a lot of environments, especially with people. Also, I had fears(not anxiety) that people would be mad at me if I did not please them, and I ended up doing things and putting myself in situations that I can not handle with Asperger's and as a result, I crashed.
I ended up on medications and it turned out I did not even need them. i was just misunderstood by everyone around me because they do not know Asperger's well. Because I was diagnosed with a disability people thought I was not capable of doing all the things that I can do to take care of myself, even though I am excellent at taking care of myself. At the same time because I am intelligent, people thought that I can cure and/or do all of the things that I can not do because of my Asperger's.