Is it a lot harder?

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Do you find as an aspie things that piss you off or annoy you can take longer to shrug off in day to day life? You know like thinking about or dreading about things too much a lot more than NT people do? Is this kind of thing synonamous with mood disorders?

Is thier medication for overthinking etc.......?

Last edited by Jamesy on 26 Feb 2011, 6:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Most definitely, for me. I think about things, dread things, 24/7. Even my mad dreams suggest that I'm thinking intensely while asleep. That's when I can eventually get to sleep, because my thoughts keep me awake. So there is no end. I assume this is the same issue, or something similar.

As for medication, I don't know. I wouldn't think so. Or at least my thinking would be too powerful for the meds to work.

Anything else to subdue the symptoms other than medication? i hear yoga could help but i don't know?

Are any specific type of foods which can also relax the body and mind? green tea could help although i find that it can actually aggrivate levels of anxiety and stress.

here are some steps that i have taken which have made the symtoms less extreme and i do feel kinda more satisfied with my train of thought at the moment (although thats probably because i have not got a job at the moment and have not been put in stressful situations)

healthy diet
taken very strong Omega 3 fish oil tablets (which help fight anxiety and depression also good for mental as well) i have less anxiety after taking the tablets and i find that my pattern of thinking has improved but still far from satisfactory.

i probably need to include more exercise in my life if i want to have a healthier state of mind and though.


HERE IS A MESSAGE TO ALL YOU ASPIES HERE IF YOU WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH TAKE VERY STRONG OMEGA 3 FISH OIL TABLETS.

i read up part of our brains that control thought are 'impaired.' i think this knda all relates back as well too 'small' things being big things to us aspies. basicly a small issue to us would be the equivilant of an NT person having all his money stolen from his bank account. we just can't really switch of our minds which makes life harder

The only thing that stopped me from self destructing was intense exercise. Before I exercised I felt like the world was on top of my shoulders. The endorphin release changed my state of consciousness and the worries almost magically disappeared. The drive to work-out and the drive back were like experiencing two different worlds. Unfortunately after about age 45, I stopped getting the major endorphin release and started to have to cope on my on. I miss those endorphins. But, they were a great coping mechanism for 32 years.

Obviously this doesn't work for everyone; Many people with aspergers have an aversion to exercise because of traumatic General PE experiences, and some do not have sufficient health for intense exercise; even walking can be a tremendous help in altering mood. Often an alteration in mood, as a result of exercise, leads to a different way of thinking.

Placebo effect?

I don't get what you mean about exercise? Sure it can make you feel more optimistic and in a healthier state of mind temporarely but lets say you worked out at the gym in the daytime then you go out in the evening and you find yourself dealing with stressful things and you will find the exercise has little effect in your coping stratergies. the endorphins you get from exercise will not always help you for dealing with stress depending on what enviorment your on.

Although that said is there a certain amount of exercsie you need to do to improve your mental heatlh dramaticly?

I personally find 'running' is a lot more effective than cycling or even walking in terms of improving mood. walking in a crowded hall defenintly does not improve my mood either.

What do you mean PLACEBO effect?

Oh I get i 'think' my mental health is improving with the tables but that is just nothing more than positive thinking

I agree with aghogday; finding the motivation to be active can be a real challenge, but when I can bring myself to go to the gym I find I sleep better and my moods are a little more balanced. i probably will never play any team sports, but I run, bike and kayak. With each of these, it's really easy to see small improvements in a short period of time, for example running a little farther in the same amount of time.

I tend to have busy thoughts at bedtime, which can interfere with my ability to fall asleep. Besides working out, I would also recommend trying the old home remedy of warm milk with honey. Some people use melatonin tablets (available from your pharmacy) at night to help them sleep, but I dislike taking supplements if I can get the same result out of my diet. Honey stimulates melatonin production in our brains, which helps tell our bodies that it's time to sleep. (plus it tastes good!)

I take melontonin tablets.

working out can help as well but belive me its only a temporary stress buster.

I take melontonin tablets.

working out can help as well but belive me its only a temporary stress buster.

When I was young I exercised in the evening. The benefit was always temporary, a cycle of stress, relief from stress, more stress, relief from stress, etc. I think a temporary relief from stress is all anyone can hope for in life. If you stay stressed constantly with no relief, your body and mind doesn't get to recover and can start to break down.

I ran to about age 28 and found that to be the most effective means of endorphin release. I ran on average about 3 miles. I worked out with Nautilus equipment to the point of fatigue between one to two hours and found an endorphin release through this also. Also used a treadmill. I also walked after I exercised about a mile at home.

Other than endorphin release, exercise also releases serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin, all beneficial for mental health. Perhaps the most important part is it burns off the adrenaline that builds up when you are doing a sedentary job and are under stress.all day without moving much (typically office work). If adrenaline is not burned off you will normally have a higher heart rate at night; also can be a contributor to panic attacks. And again stressful thoughts often accompany a body that is full of stress hormones (adrenaline and cortisol) from a hard day at work or school.

As far as how much exercise you do and the effect on your mental health, each person has to try different exercise programs to judge what works for them. For, instance if a person is horribly anxious going to a gym, that not going to work very well for them. I was certainly not born athletic and didn't feel I fit in very well at the military gym I went to, but I worked on base and got the benefit for free; I was too cheap to pay for somewhere more comfortable for me.

Another interesting thing about endorphin release in the evening a few hours before you go to bed. Your dreams are more likely to be positive, even to the point of flying in dreams, etc.

Regarding placebo effect; not something to be discounted. Research shows that about a third of the population benefits from this phenomenon. Measurable increases in dopamine release have been seen in research. Research is sketchy, but if you do a search on google you may find some interesting information. The positive health effects of Omega 3 has been documented. If a person were also to receive a placebo effect from believing it was going to help them, in addition to the clinical benefit, it can't be anything but good, regardless of what underlies the positive placebo effect.

Also, some people do take antidepressants like paxil to slow their mind down from going to bed. The problem with constant stress is the adrenaline burns off serotonin. The adrenaline in itself can cause speeding thoughts. The anti-depressants are thought to increase serotonin and slow the mind down.

Back when people did physical labor at work this wasn't as much of a problem because they burned off adrenaline through their physical labor. It is no wonder so many people are depressed in the world today. It is not a normal human function to sit in one place and be stressed. It is also not a normal human function to sit in one spot and receive vicarious excitement through playing video games, watching horror movies, football games, etc. Both activities build up stress hormones in the body.

I recently saw a study where people where more likely to have a heart attack when their favorite football team lost. Another study showed where some 20 year old video game professionals had the lung function of a 60 year old smoker. Of course we're talking hours and hours of constant video game playing, but without exercise it can take a serious toll on overall health, and perhaps lead to a shorter life span.

so playing video games for hours can shorten your lifespan?

great so that means i should not get my excitement by doing my hobbys on my laptop

Last edited by Jamesy on 26 Feb 2011, 8:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Research has shown that playing video games can be beneficial for increasing hand eye coordination, and for some even reducing anxiety. These professional gamers are an extreme example, but the study that showed the effect on their respiratory system didn't bode well for their general health.

Research has proven stress can kill. It is not possible to pinpoint any single cause of stress. The folks that had a heart attack watching the football game, only prove that the stress of watching the game was the straw that broke the camel's back. Chances are the camels back was close to breaking from a lifetime of accumulated stress.

Interestingly, extreme exercise, like marathons has been shown to have a damaging effect on the heart muscle similiar to the effects of a heart attack. Fortunately these marathon runners are healthy, so the heart muscle repairs itself.

Moderation is the key. Life is like riding a wave. Each of us has to find our own balance. There is so much out there to try, if we keep searching for ways to stay balanced. Youth is the time to find what works; the benefit is quality of life. Lifespan means very little, without quality of life.

The fact that you enjoy it is great. Stress is an unavoidable part of life, both good and bad. Not enough stress is also considered to be bad for your health. Good ergonomic practices are extremely important for computer usage. It is not a huge issue when you are young, but your body will thank you for it later.

This is not always related to the stress hormone issue, but extremely important for the the neck, back, eyes, shoulders, wrists and hands. The disadvantage to laptops is many people tilt their head down to use them and do not find a good ergonomic position to use their hands.

When a person tilts their head down it is the equivalent of thirty percent more weight on the neck. Same issue with texting on a cell phone. It can eventually lead to carpal tunnel syndrome and problems with the neck, etc. There is a lot of good information on good ergonomic practices if you do a google search. Most people don't worry about this until they start feeling the pain in their neck or numbness in their fingers or thumbs. One of the most important things is taking breaks on a regular basis.

If you go through a lot of stress can you compensate by getting A LOT of exercise by using a running machine for example?

nothing better after a hard day at work than coming back home and hitting the exercise machine then taking a nice hot bath

Absolutely; it can burn off the adrenaline; allow you to sleep better; your body recovers and rebuilds and your ready for some more stress. As long as you wake up feeling ready to go; it is a good sign you are staying mentally and physically healthy. It was my religion for 32 years. The nice thing was for the most part the results were predictable; I could count on stress, getting rid of it in time to go to sleep and more stress the next day. I liked stress. It kept me motivated, focused, and engaged in what I had to do. Adrenaline does this, particularly for people with Aspergers.

The problem I encountered was when all of my coping mechanisms failed. Largely a result of reaching age 45, and the accumulation of many years of stress. Basically I fell off the wave and exercise quit working for me. I'm horrible at change; especially after finding something that worked for 32 years.

How old are now then?