Is despair a common feeling among people with ASDs?

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I just feel desperate so, so often... e.g. right now I feel trapped in my flat (my flat = the only abode of all my existence) because it's so easy to hear every little noise that neighbours commit... and every time that happens I'm immediately reminded of the utter precariousness of my life.

This is not the first time though, merely an updated version of the epic of my despair - some years ago, the only people who were supposed to protect my very existence (known as 'parents'), were actively trying to destroy me. In the only flat I could live.

...anyway, what about you?

Last edited by Mootoo on 30 Oct 2012, 2:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I consistently suffer from themes of low self esteem, self worth and motivation.

I'm drinking loads of energy drink just to get over my lethargy.

Last edited by thomas81 on 30 Oct 2012, 10:39 am, edited 1 time in total.

Despair. Trapped. Exactly this. It must be common among people with ASD. The challenge is probably to relieve it.

My main problem is impaired self management. My psychologist said the autism is adversely affecting the part of my frontal lobe that deals with my executive functioning.

Yup . . . I feel hindered by ASD. Everything is such a struggle. I can almost imagine what it would be like if I didn't have ASD, but in real life I'm never what I wish I could be.
It's important not to let that feeling take over; which it easily can. I often remind myself of ways that things could be worse until I appreciate that things aren't as bad as I'm letting myself believe that they are.

I really relate to what you wrote but mine comes and goes. What you wrote seems constant. I hope the people who treated you badly are gone. I have despair and desperation attacks. I will forget about it and then it either seeps in or I'm suddenly aware again. You wrote: "I'm immediately reminded of the utter precariousness of my life". That is what I most feel.

In spite of everything i still wouldnt want to be NT.

Theyre not focussed enough and get excited about stupid stuff like Reality TV, sports results and banal socialising.

Yeah, depression's a common comorbid. It's survivable, though. Treatment helps. See if you can get a few CBT sessions that'll teach you how to challenge the auto-negative thoughts that depression biases you towards.

I'm very familiar with such feelings as desperation, loneliness, hopelessness etc. Our dysfunctional social life or complete lack of it must be one of the main causes of it. So I'd say it is a common feeling among people with AS.

I often feel so within myself, it feels like my mind is trapped inside my body and I can't express myself. I think this desperate feeling makes my misophonia worse. I'd rather stay inside my apartment all day, and for the most part, that's what I do.

I'm sorry you feel that way, I am in the same situation. Even the smallest noises are torture for me and I had this problem since childhood.

Despair is a natural reaction to society constantly pressuring you to have a purpose in life when logically there is no such thing.

I don't usually feel despair. I like to look on the bright side of life.

Agreed.

At best a 'purpose in life' is arbitrarily defined by NT's who are manipulating the populous in order maintain political, financial and social control over them.

The only true 'purpose in life' is to live long enough to pass on your genetic material.

If one fails @ this then their life has had no purpose from a biological perspective.

To me, life is largely insufferable and banal.
I know despair very well.
My life has no actual meaning or purpose.
I have arbitrarily chosen to place value on learning and that is my only reason to perpetuate this existence.

I sometimes become despaired over my lack of a special interest, which has been a problem ever since May of this year. There are a lot of things that I like, but nothing that I really love. I really miss feeling obsessed with things. I considered my special interests to be the best part of having AS; but now that I don't have that, I don't get a lot of enjoyment out of life anymore. At best I am mildly bored, and at worst I am half-crazed with desperation to find something, anything that I can fall in love with, obsess over and build my identity around.

I HAVE to stay on an anti- depressant, or I cry VERY easily! So, I'd have to say, YES- Depression IS a big problem for people who suffer from ASDs....