Hello

[Christine Jarvis]

Hello,
My name is Christine and I’m 29 years old. I was just diagnosed last month with autism spectrum disorder after a whole year of going through the process to get evaluated. I’ve also been diagnosed with ADHD, OCD, PTSD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Depression. I have such a hard time dealing with my ocd, ptsd, and anxiety together especially in regards to COVID. Everyday I’ll look at the charts of the new number of covid cases and hospitalized, etc. and anytime I see a new person that’s hospitalized or passed away it makes me scared and fearful that someone who passed is a person I know because I know someone with health issues so that makes it even harder for me to not worry that it’s not them. And I’ll text the person constantly to see if they’re and if they don’t text back right away in the next few hours the fear in my mind begins to spin out of control and think that they’re one of the people that passed away even though my phone says my messages sent to them was read. I just don’t know how to get the thoughts to stop and calm myself down.

 

[VictorR]

Welcome!

Definitely having a number of other challenges makes things more difficult.

In regards to your concern, it seems that perhaps you have a special interest that is causing mental health concerns for you. Perhaps you can try to pivot towards another special interest?

 

[✨Rosita]

Victor is right, look for something to do to keep your mind occupied.

 

[Wolfsage]

Hello.

 

[✨Rosita]

Hello.

How are you Wolfsage?

 

[tree]

 

[Christine Jarvis]

Welcome!

Definitely having a number of other challenges makes things more difficult.

In regards to your concern, it seems that perhaps you have a special interest that is causing mental health concerns for you. Perhaps you can try to pivot towards another special interest?

Thanks I think it’s because my therapist has a health issue that’s where the consistent thoughts and anxiety about covid come into play

 

[Storm Hess]

To get my mind in a positive place, I tend to program a lot, create music or art...sometimes design electronic gadgets in my head and think about how I would use them in different scenarios.

Creative thinking perhaps?

 

[Christine Jarvis]

To get my mind in a positive place, I tend to program a lot, create music or art...sometimes design electronic gadgets in my head and think about how I would use them in different scenarios.

Creative thinking perhaps?

I’m not creative at all. But mainly try to watch tv but even when I’m doing that I’ll start looking at the graphs for the numbers of covid cases for the day. And I know it has to do with me being really into numbers because I can multiply big numbers in my head without a calculator. But I also have the anxiety of changing my routine with it because I believe if I change it something bad will happen with someone I know in regards to covid

 

[OkRad]

Welcome to the Forum

 

[Thinx]

Hi and welcome, I hope you enjoy it here and find it useful and supportive. It's a tough time so it's understandable people are anxious. I'm sure your therapist will be looking after themselves, that's in their job description for sure.

Also, I don't personally know anyone who has died, and I think despite the really high death count, many of us will not actually know even one person who dies during this pandemic.

We hear the numbers and deaths reported, which of course raises anxiety, however it's very unlikely any one who doesn't answer a text has died, it's much more likely they are busy.

Try to distract yourself with an interest, or maybe multiplying big numbers? Maybe have a mantra that's comforting, like It's a tough time, but we'll be through it soon.

It's good that you are here, I hope you will join in the discussions and tell us your ideas and views.

 

[Christine Jarvis]

Well it’s just hard because I had an incident where one of my family members passed and my parents were at the hospital with my sister and her husband and they never answered my texts and told me so now i believe that part of my PTSD stems from that so it’s hard to stop those thoughts because of that incident.

 

[Streetwise]

Try to perceive that anxiety is ok it's not a crime.

you are mourning that sends you into a change, autism and change do not communicate or barely.


were you given a colouring (coloring)book at any time ,try an adult colouring book with flowers, I use pencils as ink is too loud for me,there are numerous subjects available in the sphere of adult colouring books.

go outside in the back of your home for an hour ,you need more outside,avoid the news it feeds and is fuelled by gossip.

 

[Christine Jarvis]

Try to perceive that anxiety is ok it's not a crime.

you are mourning that sends you into a change, autism and change do not communicate or barely.


were you given a colouring (coloring)book at any time ,try an adult colouring book with flowers, I use pencils as ink is too loud for me,there are numerous subjects available in the sphere of adult colouring books.

go outside in the back of your home for an hour ,you need more outside,avoid the news it feeds and is fuelled by gossip.

But the passing happened in Feb 2018 and I fee like that’s what sent me over the edge and made everything worse

 

[Streetwise]

But the passing happened in Feb 2018 and I fee like that’s what sent me over the edge and made everything worse

I've never seen a rule book for how long you can mourn, I'm still doing it in bits after 20 years,it would send you over the edge ,but going over the edge is anxiety and perception sensitivity, you've got to start mindfulness, your body isn't designed for this stress.

 

[Christine Jarvis]

I've never seen a rule book for how long you can mourn, I'm still doing it in bits after 20 years,it would send you over the edge ,but going over the edge is anxiety and perception sensitivity, you've got to start mindfulness, your body isn't designed for this stress.

I know my body isn’t made for the stress and going over the edge; but I’ve always had issues with stress and anxiety because of my severe generalized anxiety disorder. By the way what is sensory perception? Haven’t heard of it before?

 

[ZebraAutismo]

Hello and welcome.

 

[Au Naturel]

Keep busy. Find something else to distract you. Something different to become obsessed about.

Anxiety is not a sin but it is nonproductive. Worry about someone getting sick will not prevent them (or you) from doing so. It can cause very serious health issues on its own. It is not good to be in perpetual fight-or-flight mode over things you have no control over.

I believe that anxiety is something we have some control over. There is a school of therapy known as Radical Acceptance that is useful here. Studying Zen Buddhism or the philosophy of Stoicism is another way to get at the same thing.

 

[Streetwise]

I know my body isn’t made for the stress and going over the edge; but I’ve always had issues with stress and anxiety because of my severe generalized anxiety disorder. By the way what is sensory perception? Haven’t heard of it before?

It's how you perceive, you are more sensitive than a neurotypical (someone who has typical neurology unlike the neurodiverse community which includes (bipolar disorder ,autism and disorders under its umbrella, ,downs syndrome )so when you perceive feel ,hear, smell, touch ,taste it's more sensitive for autism in particular you also understand emotions as a very young child ,finding it hard to conceive the permanence of death.

 

[Tom]

I have found it is best to avoid things that bother or stress you out. I don't usually read the news for example. Its not hard to still keep up to date on things one trully needs to know.