Are there aspies who never (or very rarely) feel depressed?

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... Because I am one. I know that a lot of aspies in their lives experience depression, and I even met some of them that did, but I've never felt really depressed in my life. When I hear that other people (not only aspies, but even NTs) who are in the same situation I was, for example, a while ago, feel depressed, I can't really understand why they are. In situations that other people consider "depressing", I actually felt nothing at all, or just anger, like when I was bullied: while most people cried about it and/or tried to get help, I solved the thing kicking and punching the bullies, and I've never had problems again. Even when I got through difficulties (even caused from my AS), I've never felt really depressed, maybe just a little sad, but usually I didn't feel nothing at all, maybe just a little of anger. Do I really never get depressed, or I just couldn't itentify my emotions well because I am alexithymic (a psychiatrist told me it could be because of that)? And also, are there other aspies who never (or very rarely) feel depressed like me?

Im not one but my best friend Jacob is... his philosephy taught to me is "smile and you shall appear happy, and thus you will become happy." put in short "smiling makes you happy"

I'm sure that I read some research that backs up that assertion.

I believe your friend is absolutely right

well, we have 3 brains... the emotional, rational, and primal...

My speciality, as a chick, used to be emotional... I didn't have anyone to compensate for the bullies to give me self confidence... nothing good to focus on... so... I tried to die in elementary school... but couldn't even go through with it... it's when I first my my primal I guess...

I did hit the bullies... too...

I had burst of uncontrollable rage, as if I became another person, as my survival instinct (very powerful) finally took over and protected myself, out of love, but against my will. Thinking being good meant being a victim with a smile, when I sure wasn't for myself.

If your speciality is rational, then primal... and like I've been for so long for my primal... you're in denial of your emotional one... it would explain.

There is actually 3 ways to react to danger...
Fight...
Flight...
And freeze... everything in your mind get frozen, all perceptions and emotions... so you can't get hurt... until you heal enough to slowly unlock and deal with what happened and process it... if you don't... you'll stay locked... like dexter... and since your primal live to protect the emotional... it will probably act out...
I think people freak out more if you are frozen than angry... because of the definition of a psychopath maybe... and when you don't care... when you are colder than ice... you are like a werewolf but with aim... so there is no running away from you...

And also... if your adrenal glands are strong... and you get lots of nutritive food and rest... you'll be able to take on a lot... depression happen when people are extremely exhausted... or in deep despair... many don't believe in their abilities at all... so they are easier to crush... than someone who doesn't need approval... you can't abuse those. You can try tough.

So many mental disease are actually a coping mechanism with an abnormal situation... psys don't understand s**t about the brain... don't trust them, they just want to class and control you...

Why do we have to be labelled as insane... because we are hurt and sensitive...
when the bully get admired and said normal...
That's just sick.

The only times I ever feel depressed, there are always logical reasons for it. I never experience depression for no reason.

For me, it is rare. About the only thing that's ever caused it is divorce. Both times it only lasted for a few months, and it wasn't daily. I get sad when close friends or family die, but not depressed.

I fight with depression on a daily basis..my life is like a cycle of very brief high's and most of it low's..just when things look to be getting better they always get worse sooner or later
I don't know if it's the AS that causes it or just the issues that surround the condition!
I would love to shake off depression as sadly it's been part of my life for too long.

No one ever does, the docs are too stupid to test... easier to cover the symptoms... and blame the person...

Turned out I have adrenal fatigue and reactive hypoglycemia...
Eatinbg cake make me want to cut my own throat from a eat to the other.

Brocolli gives me a huge smile...

And some supplements, maybe magnesium, make me laugh super giddy every now and then. When I get relief from a deficiency or something.

7 years being told that my personality is defective, denied medical care told that it,s all in my head, while I fainted in the street, could barely walk... got worst to the point that I breathing was a fight, and I was losing blood profusely...

criminal...

Mainstream medicine is completely out of its mind.

Thankfully, I've never had a problem with depression. I'm nearly always looking forward to something good, and only feel "down on everything" if I am coming down with a flu bug, or if there is some actual immediate reason (such as a loved one very sick or passing away, etc). Otherwise any sad or hopeless feelings are momentary and transient, and directly related to the immediate present situation, whatever it may be. In general, I take life as it comes, and make the best of it.

Charles

I rarely feel depressed--even when I've had major health issues.

"Logical reason" is debatable. I've been very depressed about things that an NT would think is a trivial issue. I've only been depressed for no reason once, it was for around 2 months. I started sleeping a lot when I wasn't tired, and just thought VERY negatively (more negatively than usual) in general.
Honestly, I doubt that there are many people on this planet who haven't experienced some form of depression at least once in their lives. I agree with MrXxx- there is a difference between sad about something i.e death of a loved one, and depressed. I think that death of a loved one can cause depression, but there is still a distinct difference between sadness and depression.

When it all boils down to it, my sadness this year were primarily because I went back into smoking after having quit. I know this caused the initial sadness. Getting sick down the line somewhere eventually caused a depressive episode. And then screwing up a good thing when I hit the depressive episode made it even harder to snap out. Lesson here: Once you quit a bad habit, do everything in your power to stay away.

I rarely feel depressed...in fact it's only been within the past year that I've started to feel a little depressed (and some of that has only been a result of being on antidepressants for my anxiety).

I don't know, I will cheerfully tell you I am depressed. I get pretty low, pretty sad - but if you ask me, I'm all right, thanks - and I am not lying to you, I just can't find it that fast. Then when I can, it doesn't fit with what I just said and it sounds like I am b.s.ing - so I don't bring it up. I can write about it easier - I think if another person is near me ... well it affects my ability to think generally, so I suppose this means my ability to introspect my emotions, too. I dunno.

There is a difference between mood and emotion, right? So I have been told by a therapist. Apparently depression is diagnosed when you are 'sad' for a period of two weeks or more (yes, there are other symptoms - but 'depressed mood/sadness is a big one) ... ? Is that a mood, or is that having sad emotions every day for a spell? How are moods and emotions different? How do you know?

Loneliness, poor physical or spiritual health will all exacerbate depression

Chemical exposures, dietary insufficiencies, family dynamics, stage of life[mid life and old age] excessive use of computers, excessive caffeine, alcohol, medications or drugs

I get depressed nearly all the time. I've come over a bit depressed today, and it's Christmas day. The thought of new years eve depresses me because of the thought of being the only young person that isn't out partying. Also I've got work tomorrow and the next day and all over the week-end, and I do like the job but it still makes me feel moody because I hate getting up early (that's a sign of depression aswell). Also another sign of depression is having mixed thoughts, for example, not wanting to have to go out, but not wanting to stay at home either. I don't know what I really want to do. I just wish I was just somebody else, with more confidence and more social smarts. I find life less enjoyable when you've got social issues getting in your way. No wonder depression is common in Aspies, especially when we desire friendships and are aware enough of what's going on around us and having all NTs around us that have that social instinct I don't have.

Not true.

The OP asked about our personal experiences. I answered with personal experience. For me, the reasons have always been logical, and have been accepted as logical by both doctors and therapists, neither of whom have been ASD.

What they might consider logical for you is a different story.



Again, not true. Depression in the clinical sense isn't about depression caused by grieving that would happen normally to almost anyone. It's about depression that there is no logical cause for in terms of personal experiences.

I beg to differ with both of you, but your experiences are your own, and don't reflect everyone's. Though I have not suffered from depression in the clinical sense myself, I've had many years of dealing with it in loved ones. My mother suffered from it for 64 years. My ex wife, whom I was married to for 17 years, also suffered from it. Doctors in both cases recognized it, and knew it wasn't their fault. Neither one of them was ever blamed by professionals for their depression.

Both of them would become depressed when there was absolutely no obvious reason for it. They are the ones who told me there was no good reason for their depressions. Not the doctors, and not me. Them.

Since my own depressions have always been for obvious logical reasons, that is how I, and my doctors, know it's not clinical depression, but normal human experience.