Is anxiety and depression your biggest problem with ASD?

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Is it anxiety and depression that has personally caused more sadness and emotional pain than other ASD related issues? Of course there are many difficulties faced by all of us who have some level of ASD. We've all had difficulties interacting with others and making sense of the world.

But when it comes down to that which at times makes life unfulfilling and difficult and perhaps maybe at times it even seems too much to bare - Is it anxiety and depression the hardest part of it all for you? Or is it something else. Or are you content with the way things are for you?

I am not sure that it's possible to isolate depression from social difficulties. Being isolated and ostracized naturally contributes to depression.

Anxiety sucks. It can be hellish to be in the grips of strong anxiety, but I don't think it's an intrinsic part of autism. I can take meds that reduce the anxiety when it flares up, but there is nothing I can do to ease my communication with other people.

In the middle of a panic attack, anxiety is the most salient problem, but in the broader context, social communication and the problems with being overwhelmed by sensory stimulation or masses of data that contribute to executive functioning issues are probably bigger problems.

No, there are other things. Besides anxiety and depression is not totally related to ASD

> Is Anxiety And Depression Your Biggest Problem With ASD?
According to my psych report, worry and dysphoria are two of my biggest issues. But, there are others (not dealing will with emotions, relating to others in an immature manner, being unable to deal well with unstructured situations, being self-critical and have self-esteem issues). It seems it’s all over the map.

I think anxiety is my main issue. According to what I have been told, it's part of my ASD.

Anxiety and depression were certainly one of the biggest problems for me. Now I'm no longer anxious or depressed my ASD traits don't really bother me. I'm still autistic, and I'm probably more obviously autistic than before because I'm just being me and not agonising over appearing 'normal' (as if). I'm happy and relaxed with myself like never before. Communication has improved with the improved mood which is a huge bonus.

Just to be clear, I still have meltdowns and shutdowns and I'm still a social ret*d who can't speak properly or understand what people are talking about and I still need to sit in the corner and rock on occasion but I don't feel the need to beat myself up over it. I'm allowed to be me. The world can just deal with it.

My biggest problems are my anxiety and obsessiveness, and my meltdowns and sensitivity. If I didn't have those, then I'd probably be better socially as well.

No, not currently. When I was still in high school, yeah anxiety was unarguably my biggest problem. At the worst points, I was having full-blown panic attacks on a daily basis before school and I spent my nights wound up in a state of incessant worrying. It's hard to say what exactly caused the anxiety in hindsight, but I'm pretty sure it had to do with my unrecognized-at-the-time processing difficulties and sensory issues. I dropped out of HS and am currently in college without any major issues thus far. At the moment, my anxiety is manageable and has taken a backseat to things like poor interpersonal skills when it comes to "My Biggest Problem with ASD".

Yes, and anxiety is the worst of the worst.
The effect on/from the chemical feedback system in the brain is the strongest and widest reaching.
It is from survival instinct, or the "lizard brain".
It is very disruptive.

I have read that true psychopaths by nature have an "immunity" to anxiety, or it simply is not generated in the first place, thus giving them a huge advantage in social competition and gaining/holding leadership positions.
I think much of the population tries to simulate this.

I think that many of us find the experience of anxiety so intense and unpleasant that we learn techniques of mental dissociation and distraction to disconnect or distance our thoughts from it.
I'm afraid that this tendency leads to other disorders, can cause us to appear unfeeling or unempathetic, and in the end we still suffer from the anxiety anyway.
I wish I knew a solution.

There are somedays I wish I was a psychopath since it seems to such a freeing thought process.

I have anxiety which is the result of being afraid of connecting with people. Thus, the social isolation causes me to become depress and then the cycle begins again. It is such a fun never ending ride!

Trouble relating to others and various executive functioning issues are the most.

I don't have the problems of anxiety or depression, and I don't think that anxiety and depression are core characteristics of autism.

My friend says that the biggest problem for him is that he wishes he cared about others more, because he can't seem to make the connections others do.

I believe there is substantial evidence to support this in the recent Kaiser Permanente study of adult autistics led by Dr. Croen.

I don't recall the exact numbers but I believe that the study showed much higher rates of major depression and anxiety in the study group than in the general population, but these comorbidities were still present in a minority of the study group.

Higher rates of anxiety and depression in group of autistic people compared to group of non-autistic people doesn't mean that anxiety or depression are core characteristics of autism. The diagnostic criteria for autism don't include anxiety or depression. There is high prevalence of intellectual disability on autism spectrum, but intellectual disability is not a core characteristic of autism in the same way that anxiety and depression are not.

Even though I no longer presented at autistic by strict guidelines by age 6, I had HORRIBLE phobias and anxiety all while growing up. So even though I was taught to look people in the eye and talk to people in a conversational way, the underlying emotion issues were still present until I found medication many MANY years later.