Autism Anxiety Overload

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Autism Anxiety Overload

The renowned autism expert Tony Atwood is fond of putting it this way: “Autism is anxiety looking for a target.” Autism and anxiety go hand-in-hand. Autism affects a person’s ability to communicate with others or to understand the world around him, and that’s bound to cause anxiety and panic sometimes. view article

I've been strictly against underage drinking/drug use for years, to the point of almost being militant. I don't like the idea of not being in control and I hate the thought of interacting with people who aren't 100% in control of themselves.

That being said, the past two days I've been "forgetting to breathe", both while awake and in my sleep. I've only been able to sleep about 3 hours a night, and then I'm up all day with shortness of breath and aching lungs because I keep realizing I'm no longer breathing and need to take deep breaths. I went to the hospital last night at 4 AM for help and the doctor basically said I was faking it since "the body doesn't just STOP breathing" and turned me away. I'm already on anti-anxiety meds and I've been on vicodin on occasion for back pain, but it's too strong for me, so I've finally decided to try a little pot. I am at the end of my rope and I can't live my life like this...either it's a medical problem (which the doc denies) or it's anxiety (it doesn't feel like it, since it's persistent and exists even when I'm so relaxed that I'm almost UNCONSCIOUS), but if it's anxiety and nothing I'm taking helps and no one has any other solutions, I need to try something else. I hate that I reached this point, and I'm disgusted that I have to abandon principles I've had all my life, but therapists don't help, meds don't work, and "natural" remedies (reading a book, exercise, hot bath) don't work.

Anything else about autism I could handle A-OK...the social ineptness, the sensory overloads, the learning disabilities, etc...but the anxiety is what is making my life miserable and not worth living.

it is called daytime apnea

I had it for years. . still have it, too. I would go along in my day to day and suddenly startle others by drawing in my breath sharply. "oh, what was THAT?" they say "oh, it's just me. . I forget to breathe now and then."

yeah, you can 'forget to breathe' and if you were being anxious at the same time it must be a real fright! I use a C-PAP machine for sleeping and it actually helps me to breathe normally during the day too. And as for the people in the Emergency Rooms. . .

here is some info. Hope you get treatment!

Merle
What Is Sleep Apnea?

The term Sleep Apnea (sometimes spelt apnoea) is based on the Greek word "apnea" which means "without breath." People who suffer sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during sleep. There are three types of sleep apnea, the most common of which is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Obstructive Sleep Apnea occurs when the airways become blocked. The others are Central Sleep Apnea, which means the problem is in the brain (the brain "forgetting" to tell the body to breathe) and Mixed Sleep Apnea, which is a combination of both Obstructive and Central Sleep Apnea.

http://talhost.net/sleep/apnea.htm

ARE YOU SERIOUS??????

When I went to the doctor last night he said there was no such thing as the problem I was having, so told him that meant I was either faking it or I wasn't in the emergency room sitting and talking to him right now...he kept trying to get me to do a sleep test (which I plan to do) and when I told him that was great for night time but what did he suggest for my "daytime apnea" (just a phrase I made up on the spot) he again assured me there was no such thing.

Is your Daytime Apnea CAUSED by anxiety?? The reason I'm going to try some marijuana is because one of the doctors and my mom seem to think it's a case of anxiety. I know with anxiety attacks you get the pounding heart, sweating, feeling like you're going to die...I don't have ANY of that. And it doesn't just last a few minutes like normal anxiety attacks do either, it's lasted for days so far. Plus, I'm more relaxed than I've been in years...this is the first time I don't have a really heavy weight dragging me down. I know anxiety attacks don't have to make sense, but if it's strictly physical (I know I'm not dying/no sweating/whatever), could it possibly BE anxiety, since that's a MENTAL thing?

What else did your doc say about daytime apnea? Causes?? I'm so so so so so thankful you told me this, I felt like I was going crazy, and if it's an actual condition and not just the result of some extremely long anxiety attack due to anxiety I don't even HAVE at the moment, I have absolutely no intention of smoking pot.

it is called daytime apnea

I had it for years. . still have it, too. I would go along in my day to day and suddenly startle others by drawing in my breath sharply. "oh, what was THAT?" they say "oh, it's just me. . I forget to breathe now and then."

yeah, you can 'forget to breathe' and if you were being anxious at the same time it must be a real fright! I use a C-PAP machine for sleeping and it actually helps me to breathe normally during the day too. And as for the people in the Emergency Rooms. . .

here is some info. Hope you get treatment!

Merle
What Is Sleep Apnea?

The term Sleep Apnea (sometimes spelt apnoea) is based on the Greek word "apnea" which means "without breath." People who suffer sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during sleep. There are three types of sleep apnea, the most common of which is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Obstructive Sleep Apnea occurs when the airways become blocked. The others are Central Sleep Apnea, which means the problem is in the brain (the brain "forgetting" to tell the body to breathe) and Mixed Sleep Apnea, which is a combination of both Obstructive and Central Sleep Apnea.

http://talhost.net/sleep/apnea.htm