Aspergers With a Dash Of Anxiety

[grommet]

As you have probably noticed it is a very common co-morbid condition to autism. Maybe the most common. Early on I tried to manage it mostly with exercise and diversions. Later on it was not sufficient and I went to the doctor about it and was put on meds. Not everyone likes going the med route, but for me personally it has worked well keeping it controlled.

I think you must protect your privacy but is there a way you could hint at what kind of medication has helped you? I am seeing my doctor tomorrow.

 

[Tom]

I think you must protect your privacy but is there a way you could hint at what kind of medication has helped you? I am seeing my doctor tomorrow.

I don't mind sharing that info. I've been on Venlafaxine for several years. One drawback is it is not something you can just stop suddenly (withdrawl) You have to ween off slowly. There are also other side effects and I am actually planning to try a change soon, possibly to Cymbalta. But it was there when I needed it and did prevent any severe anxiety episodes and curbed most daily ones.

 

[grommet]

I don't mind sharing that info. I've been on Venlafaxine for several years. One drawback is it is not something you can just stop suddenly (withdrawl) You have to ween off slowly. There are also other side effects and I am actually planning to try a change soon, possibly to Cymbalta. But it was there when I needed it and did prevent any severe anxiety episodes and curbed most daily ones.

Thank you for that information. Years ago I was on different medications like that. It did not help me and I was very uncomfortable while coming off them. I am thinking of asking my doctor tomorrow for propranolol. I know it is nothing like the medications you mentioned, it would be for anxiety. I wish there was something that would help me with depression but I have not found something like that. I did go several months withouth depression but though I try to figure the pattern I cannot.

 

[Fino]

I've tried propranolol and found that its effects were too subtle.

I take:

Lithium
Wellbutrin
Buspar
Gabapentin
Adderall
Risperidone

All of which has allowed me to go from being unable to work, abusing drugs, self-harming regularly, attempting suicide every once in a while, etc to working two jobs, doing nothing destructive, and working on a Master's with no incidences of major depression and having less than half the anxiety.

The ones specifically for anxiety are:

Buspar
Gabapentin
and Risperidone

But they all help some type of anxiety to some extent.
And if it makes anyone feel better about the amount of drugs that is, they're all close to the lowest dose possible except Buspar which is at a moderate dose because it's a mild drug.

 

[Rectify]

Does your anxiety get too strong on its own? To the point you have a panic attack?

Yes, however I believe it is related to another condition I have - or maybe that along with ASD. Panic attacks are horrendous. :/

Does anyone else have a similar thing?: Being convinced something bad will happen if you ever stop worrying. Like: If I stopped freaking out everytime a bad storm hit, then I'd end up dead/losing things in a tornado.

No. I definitely find it hard to stop sometimes but I never have the feeling that I must do it or...whatever will occur or not occur. That makes me think more of obsessive-compulsive concerns, but there is a lot I don't know about all our differing forms of ASD. Perhaps someone else can address that part better.

 

[Baeraad]

I have come to believe that what most people consider a normal, composed state of mind, I consider being half asleep. If I'm doing anything more taxing than daydreaming, I'm at least somewhat anxious. And I have moments of pretty intense anxiety besides, when things get too much - I just sort of break down and whimper and can't function.

I don't have any solutions to offer. I can live my life, mostly, but only by keeping things as uncomplicated and unstressful as humanly possible.

 

[VAW]

I happen to have anxiety on top of my Aspergers. Is there anyone else with a similar situation? How do you cope with it?

I don't have Asperger's but my son does with high anxiety, funny thing is to look at him you would never tell. I used to get panic attacks and had a lot of stress, I am not an aspy though... what helps me at times (even though i am not an aspie is a place that is just peaceful and quiet, to me that is my bath tub, i just lay in the warm water and think of drifting away in the clouds or something. I also tell my self everything is alright...Calm down and just relax...relax...relax... it usually works for me. My son on the other hand who is an Aspie with high anxiety does do that when he has a bad migraine but i don't think he does it just because he is stressing.

 

[Tom]

Thank you for that information. Years ago I was on different medications like that. It did not help me and I was very uncomfortable while coming off them. I am thinking of asking my doctor tomorrow for propranolol. I know it is nothing like the medications you mentioned, it would be for anxiety. I wish there was something that would help me with depression but I have not found something like that. I did go several months withouth depression but though I try to figure the pattern I cannot.

I have gotten the impression that people react very differently to meds. What works for one doesn't for another. The trick seems to be finding the one that works for you. I hope you have success.

 

[Riley]

Does you guys' anxiety affect your health when it gets out of hand? Like, you cough and want to/actually throw up, you can't sleep, those kinds of things.

Any OCD-esque habits? Like, I look out windows or go out on the porch to look at the sky.

 

[Baeraad]

Does you guys' anxiety affect your health when it gets out of hand? Like, you cough and want to/actually throw up, you can't sleep, those kinds of things.

To an extent, when it's really bad. I don't think I've ever actually thrown up, but I've been known to start gagging and having to struggle to keep it down. Eating properly becomes impossible, though I can usually choke down sandwhiches and such enough to keep from passing out. And while I can usually go to sleep once I'm properly exhausted, I only sleep for a few hours and then I wake up and start freaking out again.

 

[Tom]

Does you guys' anxiety affect your health when it gets out of hand? Like, you cough and want to/actually throw up, you can't sleep, those kinds of things.

Any OCD-esque habits? Like, I look out windows or go out on the porch to look at the sky.

My anxiety plays out in different ways. Perhaps many. What comes to mind quickly is a tendency to worry about various things, and finding it hard to get it out of my mind. Another is the development of phobias. Something bad happens or perhaps a fear just pops up and becomes more intense over time and the worry can transition into panic-like feelings. Very uncomfortable.

 

[Riley]

What comes to mind quickly is a tendency to worry about various things, and finding it hard to get it out of my mind. Another is the development of phobias. Something bad happens or perhaps a fear just pops up and becomes more intense over time and the worry can transition into panic-like feelings. Very uncomfortable.

I recently had what was a pretty bad panic attack due to my phobia of storms. And I'm still feeling the affects and having a hard time coming down from them. No matter what anyone tells me, and despite my fears being unfounded, I'm still tense.

Have you had any experiences like this? How long does it take for one to come down?

 

[SolarPoweredNightOwl]

I've had anxiety and panic attacks most of my life, as well as depression. Been clinically diagnosed and treated and medicated for both at various times. In hindsight I think a lot of it stemmed from being on the spectrum and trying to navigate a world that wasn't made for me, as well as some family drama and stuff in my environment I won't go into. But at the time, I had no clue I wasn't NT.

The anxiety and panic attacks can be crippling. But with a lot of hard work and suffering, it's possible to overcome them to a degree that they play almost no role in your life. Cognitive behavior therapy, lifestyle changes, and development of coping skills will let you overcome it. Medication will only bury anxiety, it can raise the threshold before you start freaking out but it won't solve the problem. (If you're medicated for other stuff that contributes to anxiety, that actually will help solve it.) I went from an agoraphobic wreck who could barely eat or sleep, to being able to have a full blown panic attack at work, in a high-stress job that plays to all of my weaknesses, and not only function and do my job well, but do it with nobody aware I was freaking out. All without meds.

Don't give up hope.

 

[Tom]

I recently had what was a pretty bad panic attack due to my phobia of storms. And I'm still feeling the affects and having a hard time coming down from them. No matter what anyone tells me, and despite my fears being unfounded, I'm still tense.

Have you had any experiences like this? How long does it take for one to come down?

I have had similar fears/phobias of storms. Lightning, Tornados, Floods all in turn. Those were the ones that could turn to panic. The first two I more or less just sweated out. Do what I could to keep myself safe and then just grinned (grimaced more like) and bore it. The last became too intense so I turned to meds, and that was a great improvement for me eliminating the panic element. I still have anxiety but just at a lower more tolerable level with regular day to day stuff.

 

[Tom]

I should add, I also have some anxiety distraction activities. Things I can do while stressed but help keep my mind a little occupied. I tend to do those things in a basement activity area I set up (away from windows and also use sound as a damper (like turn on fans, music, or any noise generator).

 

[Riley]

I have had similar fears/phobias of storms. Lightning, Tornados, Floods all in turn. Those were the ones that could turn to panic. The first two I more or less just sweated out.

My aunt says she hopes that happens; I just "get over" my weather phobia of similar things as easily as I did riding in elevators. Just one day, I wasn't afraid of them.

 

[Tom]

My aunt says she hopes that happens; I just "get over" my weather phobia of similar things as easily as I did riding in elevators. Just one day, I wasn't afraid of them.

It can happen. I have had some like that. I over time developed a fear of flying. But that wasn't going to work very well since I was in the Air Force. And on top of that I got an assignment that had me flying (as a passenger) into remote radar sites in Iceland in tiny planes a few times a month. Often during blizzards. Those Icelandic pilots will fly in anything! In that case I got used to it again by doing it. At least I didn't have to deal with Gremlins.

 

[Rectify]

Does you guys' anxiety affect your health when it gets out of hand? Like, you cough and want to/actually throw up, you can't sleep, those kinds of things.

Anxiety can become physical. It can lead to digestive upsets, tight stomach etc, and of course panic attacks which are certainly physical.

I find this horrifying and funny at the same time. I think I'm scarred now

 

[tducey]

I battle anxiety as well. It's not fun. For me though it's about talking with people and focusing on the positive.

 

[Riley]

Now: Do you guys have paranoid/OCD-like thoughts to? Such as the stuff I mentioned?