Question about ASD and social anxiety.

Post Reply New Topic

Is it common for people with ASD to be socially anxious without having social anxiety disorder? Before I got diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome I was, among other things, diagnosed with social anxiety disorder. However, when I got diagnosed with AS my psychologist said she suspects my social anxiety is caused by my AS and not an anxiety disorder (though she said I clearly suffer from general anxiety). I don't think she knows that for sure yet and I'm not sure if I'm still diagnosed with social anxiety disorder or not.

Anyway, I'm just wondering since I get some extra support at university (support I really need) and I'm thinking about whether or not I should update them on my diagnosis etc when they ask me about it.

What do you think? Is it common with social anxiety not caused by an anxiety disorder people with ASD?

I think that your social anxiety can still be caused by social anxiety disorder instead of autism.

Yeah, I think so too. Not saying it's not.

How does social anxiety disorder get you extra support at uni?

My diagnosis is generalized anxiety disorder, so can't really help you with your query. I'd be surprised if your uni cared about such a technical distinction, though, particularly as there's no real way of finding out whether your social anxiety is down to the Asperger's or would be a separate condition in its own right: it could be a mixture of both.

I have AS but I am not socially anxious. I was like that as a kid(9+) and it got worse when I was a teenager but I overcome it when I was 14 and since then I am not afraid anymore.

Maybe just a bit but that's a fear of unknown (I can't imagine how people can react so I can't prepare so I am afraid of what is going to happen), not fear of social interaction. I am not afraid of what people think of me and I have no problem talking to strangers - as long as I know what to talk about. I just don't like the perspective of incoming chit-chat because I prefer to know what to say in advance. Although I am not that bad in chit-chat once it starts. I do make my faux pases and people often get angry with me for that but it doesn't bother me much. Of course I can be sorry if I unintentionally hurt someone and I don't like when people criticize me but if the thing I said is not actually bad I will protect it, proving that my point of view is right too. Because my opinion matters too!

If you fit the criteria of Social Anxiety you probably have it since it is a common co-morbid. Having AS makes you more prone to Social Anxiety because of your social impairment - if you constantly fail socially and get criticized for it no surprise you eventually become scared. AS might be the reason but it doesn't make your Social Anxiety any less of a problem. As long as the Social Anxiety really is there.

Are you afraid in social situations?
Are you afraid what others think of you? Do you constantly think of it?
Are you afraid of making a social mistake? Do you prefer to do nothing than risk making a unintended mistake?
Does it prevent you from interacting?
Do you avoid social interaction? Why? Is it because you are afraid of the people or simply your sensory issues make it unpleasant? (For me it is because in groups people speak too loud and too fast so I get confused - I am not afraid, I just easily get overloaded)

I do not have social anxiety but I do have Generalized Anxiety. It is considered a dual diagnosis. While Autism is considered a neurological disorder, anxiety is considered a mental illness.

It just comes in different combos.
I think of ASD as a main course, and the other diagnosis as the sides.
I think most of them are interrelated.

The severer forms of ASD typically come with mental health issues.

There are:
*Anxiety Disorders (There is more than one)
*Clinical Depression
*Schizophrenia
*Split Personality Disorder
*Bipolar Disorder
*etc...

I was also told it is increases the risk of suicide as well.

Well I have strong general anxiety disorder, clinical depression, borderline Schizophrenia and have a high risk for bipolar (my mother has it and other mental health issues).
Don't forget the sleep disorder!

I'm not crazy though...

I for one have always been plagued with very bad SA, it's the only thing about autism that I can't stand.

Well, there's not that much support you can get for social anxiety but I get help when it comes to oral presentations. Standing in front of people and speaking about things makes me extremely anxious. I need to take several beta blockers and still I pretty much panic before I need to speak. So what they've said is OK is for me to "start out small" and only present in front of one or two teachers and then work my way up to bigger things (a few more people, smaller groups, and then eventually the whole class).

Anyway, you're probably right. They probably don't care. It's more that I don't want to feel like I'm being dishonest or something (which I don't feel like I am but I'm still wondering about it).



I'm not sure if you actually want me to answer those questions but the answer to most of them is yes-ish.

Am I afraid of what others think of me? Yes. Do I think about it constantly? Not constantly, but often. Am I afraid of making social mistakes? Sometimes. Do I prefer to do nothing than risk making a mistake? Yes. Does it prevent me from interacting? I'm not sure. Do I avoid social interaction? Yes, but mostly it's not because I'm afraid of people (though I am sometimes). I'm mostly afraid of the situation because I just don't really know what to say around groups of people for example. It makes me exhausted because I have to think of my facial expressions, smiling, eye-contact etc., and I often get headaches because of sounds and exhaustion.



That's probably a good way of looking at it.

I have Asperger's Syndrome officially and I think I might have a light case of Social Anxiety. The thing is, I used not to, but somewhere along the lines of puberty, I started to be anxious around a lot of people. I have no idea if there's a connection.

I think the rule is if the social anxiety is a direct result of autism, it's not diagnosed as well as they figure autism covers it, but if there is more to it than just the autism, then it's also diagnosed. Think the same goes with selective mutism and ADHD.

For me it's; Asperger's, Clinical Depression, Gen. Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder. Social Anxiety is just assumed. I also believe OCD should be tossed in there as well but have not been diagnosed with it. What a freakin mess I am.