Mental Health treatment for people with AS.

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I have depression and anxiety comorbid. Are they treatable? What has worked for other people with AS?

I'm not enjoying life at all and i'm very very isolated. I need to find a way out here.

Yes. They are treatable. But, mood pills and such are dependent on the individual person. What may work for me may not work for you. But, yes, those two things are very treatable. Perhaps you should speak to your general doctor and go from there.

So i can just have AS and not be anxious or depressed all the time aswell? I assumed it was mainly reactive depression( i'm poor at social relationships and having no one around you is no fun) and reactive anxiety( I must avoid social situations because i'm crap at them) that i'll never be able to get rid of. I was on anti-depressants as a teenager but maybe i need to try a different brand.

Medications *might* help to a point in relation to depression and/or anxiety at least for a while, but improvements in those areas can/will/should diminish the reactive elements of one's overall challenges.

My depression and anxiety is so bad that i can't get into a position to even begin to help myself like some others here seem to be able to. With the social thing i assume the best way of learning is by practice? I don't know, i find that trying and failing isn't really too beneficial to my self esteem.

I do not recall what we might have talked about in the past, but you might discover a good doctor and a therapist or coach can help in the social areas.

For me the answer was SSRI meds coupled with CBT. After 6 years I stopped the meds and didn't go back to where I once was. The CBT is the key, but the meds make the transition much smoother.

I never did get better at the social thing with practice, instead I learned how to live without it. It wasn't so much that I wanted to be social as much as I wanted to be "normal". Once I learned to accept myself as I am I no longer felt bad about the lack of social interaction outside my career and my spouse.

Normally, I would just suggest Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression & Anxiety, but since you are having problems with motivation, it would probably be best to talk to a doctor about medication. I have found when you mix AS, Anxiety, and Depression together, there isn't always a simple answer. Our bodies are so different and that it may take a few medications before you find the right one. Don't let that discourage you. I ended up on Lamictal for awhile which is a mood stabilizer. In lower doses, it can help relieve depression & anxiety symptoms. It's great for a quick lift out of deep depression. Once you start feeling better, you can focus on putting CBT to use (and it really is useful!). I also found that meditation, fresh air, and exercise greatly improved my entire situation.