Depression and anxiety are taken far more seriousy than AS

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Of course many people don't understand that depression and anxiety usually accompany AS and ASD. Much has been said about Asperger's not taken seriously. I think part of the problem is that most people even professionals don't have a clear understanding of what Asperger's is. Plus there is always an ongoing discussion between those who insist that AS is not a disability at all (only a difference) and those who insist it is a seriously debilitating condition than needs all the respect and attention of any other neurological or mental impairment.

Needless to say many people don't understand that most of us diagnosed with AS or ASD suffer anxiety and depression along with our other social difficulties and ASD type symptoms.

ON numerous times on my Facebook page I posted articles and info related to Asperger's and ASD and barely got more than a few responses. But when I posted this statement about dealing with depression and anxiety I was personally going through - I was overwhelmed with thoughtful words of support:

[b]Despondency and clinical depression. I hate to be a downer and sound like I'm asking people to feel sorry for me. I have been very lucky in many aspects of life. But, I am in that terrible state - of despondency and clinical depression and I don't know how to crawl out of it. I suppose I'll have to give the psychiatrist a call tomorrow or the next day. Everyone who knows me have always known that I have always had a few screws loose. But I've been doing quite well until recently. I suppose my dog dying last August and a close friend of more than 30 years committing suicide in September threw me off. But I am now in that dreadful state of despondency and clinical depression. Your thoughts and prayer would be greatly appreciated.[/b]

Here are just a few of the

Gay M. Get well Doug ! !! Sending Prayers for you ! !! !! !! !! ! I'm very sorry for your losses ! !! !

February 24 at 3:08am · Unlike ·
Douglas Thank you. Sorry for being a downer. I'm just looking for some way to crawl out of this deep, dark hole. \

February 24 at 3:16am · Like ·
Bryan I'm very familiar with both Doug. Got you in my prayers.

February 24 at 3:19am · Unlike · 3
Joan Will be thinking of you daily.

February 24 at 3:24am · Unlike · 3

Robert I have suffered from the same thing too but not for a long time. I'm thinking of you and of course you have my prayers. Do not hesitate to seek help. Sometimes it is a chemical imbalance in the brain and medication can help. Always remember we LOVE you and want you to be happy. You're a wonderful, good, kind, person and you deserve better. Feel better. Get well. Take care of yourself. Love you Doug.

February 24 at 3:39am · Unlike ·
Judy Holding you in the light Doug, and thankful you are going to seek help.

February 24 at 3:42am · Unlike
Robert Well you hang in there Douglas, and don't let it get the best of you. Clinical depression has a way of creeping up on you when you are at your weakest. Don't be taken in by it. I have had my share of CD over the last thirty years and know a little f...See More

February 24 at 3:53am · Unlike
Sharon Ott Prayers for you. Glad you are seeking help. Hope you are feeling better soon.

February 24 at 3:55am · Unlike
Bill Kirk Hi Douglas. I always look up to you and your intellectual and professional capabilities and I know many others, people who really know you, view you in the same light. I hope you take heart from the positive effect you have on those around you and, as ...See More

February 24 at 4:35am · Unlike · 2
Stephen As I've just been through this I know exactly how you feel and what's going on. You WILL pull through with help from a good physician and support from friends etc. wish I was there to help Doug but I am surely thinking of you and know you will pull through.

February 24 at 4:37am · Unlike

4:46am · Like · 1 · Remove Preview

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Ma Elizabeth My prayers that soon you will get over it---have someone to talk too---

February 24 at 4:51am · Unlike ·

Marcus Hey Doug, having had visits from the black dog many a time. I can both empathize and sympathize with you in your plight. I know for me, time and a consistent dose of an anti-depressant pulled me through difficult times. Please see someone about gettin...See More

February 24 at 5:33am · Unlik
Marcus ......A couple of concrete things. 1) go and donate some time and effort into helping those less fortunate than you. I found a gig helping children with cerebral palsy ride horses, some of the most gratifying time in my life was spent sharing it with my charge, Harrell happily leading him and his horse on treks by the river. 2) Explore your island on foot. Expend some energy! Take good care Mr. Remington.

February 24 at 6:00am · Unlike · 2

Toots Hey Doug! I know how you feel, i guess thinking back saudi day when you had depression, i tried very hard to get you out of it by listening to whatever you think is nice topic.
Just think about all your friends that you have good time with, remember how excited you feel the first time i brought you to DJ Alvaro and she sang your favorite song, those kind of thought might help.

February 24 at 6:01am · Unlike · 1


Judy Doug maybe it's time for a new pet?

February 24 at 7:20am · Unlike ·

Dody May God guide you to people who will make a difference...friends, doctors, uplifters. I will pray for you and hope that soon you will be enabled to climb out of that dark pit. Please keep us informed.

February 24 at 7:52am · Unlike ·

Bob Depression is a serious illness. Please take care of yourself. You have friends who care.

February 24 at 8:24am · Unlike · 4

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Randy You're FB posts are thoughtful & insightful. I like Marcus' suggestions to donate your time to those less needy and to get outside and get some exercise. They both always make me feel better. You've got a lot of friends here who are on your side cheeri...See More

February 24 at 12:36pm · Unlike

Douglas I want to personally thank everybody for their encouraging words. I have gotten on some medication and I will be seeing a professional very soon. I must say just the encouraging words here alone made a big difference for me - I will always be eternally grateful for that.

February 24 at 6:50pm · Like ·

Steve Has been over 40 years since our paths crossed Doug.........I am impressed everyday since finding old friends here on FB at how much our lives walk parralel (Speel chek)....... Just know you do walk alone old friend.


Steve photo.

February 24 at 8:23pm · Unlike · 2

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Elke Wish I could be there for you....sending a big big hug from Germany

February 24 at 9:27pm · Unlike ·
KathyHi Doug
I am very sorry To hear of your recent bout of depression & I hope that medication and therapy can help you. Pete and I have a friend, a nurse we knew from Riyadh who is coping with bipolar disorder & we have been trying to give her support. He...See More

February 24 at 11:02pm · Unlike · 1

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Peter I hope you feel better soon, Doug. You give so much to others, you deserve to get a lot back. I think at least some degree of existential questioning at our time of life is healthy, and perhaps a sign that we should keep pursuing what seems not to ma...See More

February 25 at 12:44am · Unlike ·
February 25 at 1:56am · Unlike

Arnel MISS U DOUG TAKE IT EASY.....

February 25 at 1:58am · Unlike · 1

Cindy Do u have a good friend to talk to? If not I'll listen! Get well, my friend.

February 25 at 7:19am · Unlike
Janet L Prayers to you!

February 25 at 7:54am · Unlike ·

Jo How are you doing Douglas?

February 26 at 11:21pm · Unlike

Douglas Thank you everyone - I'm starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel. I'm on something stronger medication wise right now - it makes me kind of sleepy and a little bit hard to hold my eyes open. But, I'm assured this trip from anxiety will mak...See More

February 27 at 12:11am · Edited · Like
Stephen Virtual hug Doug. I'm thinking of you every day. Glad to hear you're a little better.

February 27 at 12:13am · Unlike · 1

Sandy Praying for a bring today and tomorrow for you my friend.Pull yourself out of the dark tunnell. Be positive and hang around positive uplifting people

February 27 at 12:16am · Unlike ·
Amelita Hello Dough, keep walking and get out from that dark tunnel, you don't belong there.There is a bright and beautiful sunshine out there waiting for you. why not come to phils, visit me in Bicol, have a break from work. you are welcome to stay in my house. my regards, take care and God Bless. keep in touch.

February 27 at 3:27am · Unlike ·
Bill HANG IN THERE OLD CHAP!

February 28 at 7:25am · Unlike ·
Robert So how you feeling Doug? Have you gotten over your blues? Hope your well

March 1 at 3:31am

March 1 at 5:24a
I'm certainly feeling better than I was one week ago when I felt like I was at the bottom of a bottomless pit with now way out. I'm on some stronger medications than the simple baseline anti-depressants. I'll discussing with the shrink about the possib...See More

March 1 at 10:13am · Like
Randy Glad the view has gotten brighter. Best regards Doug!

March 1 at 11:00am · Unlike

Martha Please seek help......life is too short...admitting it is a start...I have been there....please go and see someone........

17 hrs ·

Blane I have gone through this myself, and I agree with Martha. Seek out some type of professional help. I have been seeing a clinical psychologist since 1988, and she has "talked me off the ledge," more times than I care to remember. Also, please remember that you have lots of people who love you and care about you.

17 hrs

Thank you so much. Just this morning I sent up an appointment with a psychiatrist I have dealt with before and strongly trust. All the kind words I have heard have given me great hope and encouragement

16 hrs · Like · 3

Just to let all my friends know I have adopted a little five-month old rescue doggie. She is really a native islander dog probably mixed with a little bit of whatever. Lucy is quite a contrast to Shane who was a perfectly fit old dog for an old man. Shane liked to go on walks when I wanted to go on walks and wanted to sleep when I wanted to sleep and wanted to sit quietly by my side when I was working or playing on my computer. Lucy is like a hyperactive four-year-old. She wants to wake me up and pull the covers off of me and tell me, "let's go play!!" And she seems to want to chew everything in sight no matter how many chew toys I get for her. Maybe, given the lethargy I have been experiencing lately - perhaps Lucy is more the kind of dog I need for right now.

34 mins · Edited · Like · 1

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Elke Good for you....move on,you are doing just fine ! !!

30 mins · Like

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Not enough 'safe' cliches are available to comment on ASD whereas there's plenty for depression. People are scared to say the wrong thing or appear stupid so it's safer to say nothing if there's no accepted and proven way to respond.

Depression is relatable for most while ASD is not

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Unapologetically, Norny.
-chronically drunk

I don't know, I find depression gets very misunderstood by people who have never experienced it significantly. I often read problems in magazines about people who have depression affecting their lives but just have people telling them to ''get over it''. It's really frustrating. People with depression often get accused of being lazy, work shy, unsociable, whiny, weak, and all those other things.

Also another thing is NT people who suffer with depression seem to understand me more than general NTs. My mum is NT but is going through very, very bad depression at the moment, and I feel like she's getting a taste of what life is like for me. She says that noises like motorbikes and kids screaming really agitate her and she has to get away, and that's how I've been all my life. I know her agitation is caused by her depression and my agitation is caused by ear sensitivity and anxiety, but we still feel in the same boat, and I don't feel so alone when I'm out with my mum. She now knows why I used to whine and whine a lot as a child and always be sulking about something. It's because the world was too stressful and overwhelming, and I couldn't keep calm. And she says that she feels like just walking along crying and whining about everything, although she knows not to because she's a grown-up. Same with me. So as a child, when people yelled at me to ''stop moaning'', it just made me moan even worse. If people actually got on to my ''level'' and talked to me about my feelings instead of just yelling ''oh you're always whinging and whining! You're a moaning mini! You spoil everything, you miserable brat!'', I might have felt a little more at ease and learnt to moan less.

This is why I get so mad when people on WP talk about NTs and empathy and how much Autistics are supposed to lack empathy. If more people had empathy, then people like us would get a lot more support in this world.

Hi R2d2. Like you, I am still deeply affected by the loss of a particularly beloved animal friend last year and the death of someone close to me at the same time (one of my brothers). So I think I can say that I really do know how painful and lingering the effects can be, how it feels, and also I know that it is not unusual for the recovery process to take 1-2 years. So it is still early days. This grief that we suffer is the price of great love, not an isolated event, and I am not sure that most of the people who responded to you were seeing it in that context.
I send you best wishes that your grieving process receives continued support and understanding from others in a way that is helpful to you.

Depression affects most people at some time; ASD doesn't affect most people at any time. To draw a comparison about whether people care about ASDs because they care more about depression is getting into non sequitur territory, the link between premise and conclusion is tenuous at best.

However I see what you mean, and the feelings you have about it are totally understandable.

I love her blog. I've sent it to many depressed people and they have all loved it, felt comforted by it and knew that she understood how they were feeling.

ASD not taken seriously more then the others I think yes. But there sill is plenty of belief that depression and anxiety is an excuse for people coddled by society or a result of big pharma causing overdiagnoisis for profit those people are not really depressed they just have problems like everybody else and just need to deal with it like everydody else. Anxiety that cripples equals weak person is still probably just as common a belief as Autistics equal weak person.

The logical response to dealing with someone with depression is to try to cheer them up.

The logical response to finding out someone has asperger's is well, okay, that's cool....

If someone has autism it's not like I feel sorry for them because they have autism. I might have some compassion though for the difficulties they face but if they don't explicitly state it how am I to know they are suffering? (Well, you can't tell online anyway). In person you can tell better.

This is freaky! I've just moved into the depression ward in the hospital I've been staying at and I just raised this issue this morning. Now I find this thread.

I did the anxiety group last year and now I'm doing the depression group for the next 3 weeks as an inpatient and I asked the question only this morning, "Do you run a group for people with Asperger's Syndrome?"

Of course they don't. I kind of knew the answer before I asked the question. Admittedly, dealing with stress, anxiety & depression help but I think it's bordering on discrimination that they don't address AS as a separate condition. They cater for mood disorders, psychiatric disorders, anger management, D&A, basically everything but Asperger's.

It got me thinking, there's not a lot around to help people with AS. The closest to me is miles and miles away and it's not like I live out in the sticks. I live in the suburbs.

No one addresses eye contact issues, non verbal communication skills, socialisation skills, how to deal with sensory issues etc.

The guy that ran my group this morning kept harping on about the importance of socialising, having other people in your life etc. He has no idea!

I feel totally alone when it comes to getting help from someone who understands what I go through in life. The only place I feel connected with people who understand what I live with is here on Wrong Planet. I do find that helps a lot.

Until they can push pills to "treat" autism, there won't be any reason to focus on it.

'Depression and anxiety are taken far more seriously than AS'

- Taken more seriously by whom?

- Do you mean 'given more media coverage' rather than 'taken more seriously'?

In one sense depression/anxiety should be taken more seriously: there's the potential for everyone on Earth to be affected by anxiety/depression at least once in their life: only autistics will have autism.

If there is such a thing as conditions/disorders being ranked in order of seriousness by some part of society (which sounds absurd to me), should autism really be at the top when there are very serious disorders with a statistically high likelihood of suicide i.e. anorexia?

Having a 'league of seriousness' is pointless.

Personally, I'm very thankful for the awareness the public has at present RE autism. Yes - some media articles are misleading RE the nature of the disorder - but I'm simply thankful autism is getting 'airtime'.

We autistics, in this sense, are very lucky.

There really isn't much autism awareness amongst the general population, even in NYC.

Most people still think it's a pretty debilitating condition.

AS isn't a symptom, and it's not necessarily a painful condition, though of course it often is.

I agree there's probably more attention paid to depression and anxiety by doctors and people in general. My doctor has offered me nothing but antidepressants and sedatives for AS. My employer cut me a lot of nonspecific slack, but failed to take my condition on board in much detail. I think the complexity of AS is a big factor in that. People don't want to put in the time to learn about such a complicated disorder. In a way I don't blame them. It took me a long time to get reasonably au fait with the traits. Imagine trying to see how the world impacts on an ASDer's life if you'd never experienced it from our side of the fence.

Anyone who says Aspergers is only a difference and not a disability doesn't know what they're talking about. Those who say it's only a difference have it very mildly and it hardly affects them. Yes being autistic is a difference but it also causes challenges for most of us that most neurotypicals probably take for granted; such as problems with social skills, having anxieties, having sensory problems, being a self-starter, and even controlling your emotions and impulses. These are things we need to work extra on.

Depression and anxiety are taken more seriously because they're far more common. Depression is a normal emotion that everyone will go through some time in their life. Of course some people have prolonged depression which is never healthy for anyone. Anxiety is normal but extreme anxiety is not as common but probably still more common then Aspergers.


Also the general population still thinks of autism as low functioning. Most people still think of autism as someone kind of like this. Warning - don't read the second video comments if you can't handle a bunch of a**holes making fun of severely disabled people.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHC0FzywHGY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_23z9yJAq0

Depression and anxiety ARE more serious than ASD.

Sometimes the difficulties of living with ASD cause depression and anxiety, but that's the problem, not the ASD itself, imo.

Nobody goes straight from "ASD" to "suicide".

I am not playing down our daily difficulties but just being realistic.