Avoidance and an Alternative Experience of Depression?

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I just came across this article about avoidance and depression amongst adults on the spectrum. I wondered what people thought of it?

http://www.aspiestrategy.com/2013/04/adult-autism-avoidance-and-depression.html

I see lots and lots of references on WP to what sounds more like a classic presentation of depression and I've never heard of people with ASD's experiencing it without at least some of the primary symptoms before so I'd be really interested to hear from anyone who experiences depression, anxiety, avoidance etc. in a way similar to that described in the article.

The reason I'm curious is that, being only BAP, I don't experience most of the recognised issues surrounding ASD's and would certainly never have considered myself either acutely anxious or depressed. However, this article describes me very well. I'm a super duper procrastinator who struggles logically to see the point of life (apathy) without actually feeling sad. I think it holds me back in numerous little ways (e.g. I lack appropriate qualifications, neglect health etc), but essentially I function just fine and hold down a pretty intense job so nobody would ever question my mental health. Given that I always feel that there's something missing, or just not quite right, this article could be something of a revelation to me. But as always, I want details! Lots more details. Not least because avoidance, procrastination and starting projects at the eleventh hour all seems fairly typical of a lot of NTs too and could have little or nothing to do with depression.

Or it's the negative (passive) symptoms of schizophrenia. Which apparently are common in ASD.

Do you mean avoidance as a symptom of schizophrenia? I can't find any obvious references to that at all. Is this your personal experience and/or are you then disagreeing with he view of the article, that avoidance can be a primary manifestation of depression in ASDs?

I'm right now using Lexapro (an SSRI antidepressant). I have been using it for about six months. I was trying to put my life in order and it has helped me in such a way that I still can't believe it.

I have to admit it: I have been chronically depressed for years.

Why didn't I take an antidepressant before? Well, I never really thought I could be depressed. Indeed, I could be even the funniest guy in the party.

My best friend told me many times "everytime I ask you how you feel, you tell me 'I feel like s**t', but you always look the happiest one". But I have been feeling blocked, jammed, unmotivated, unable to go ahead with so many things I wanted to do. Of course, there was psychological barriers too, but the depression was the main problem. A depression I couldn't detect because I didn't feel depressed. I felt stupid, useless, exhausted, but not depressed. When I tried to explain it, I was told 'lack of self-esteem' when I don't have any lack of self-esteem, quite the opposite.

Indeed, only three days ago, before seeing your thread or reading the blog article, I was mailing to a friend and I wrote this: "But it looks like depression doesn't affect me as it does to other people. Someway I separate emotions and thoughts in different folders (probably due to the Asperger), I watch my own emotions as somebody watching through a microscope. Indeed, I usually can't understand the way people mix emotions and behaviour, people are often illogical from my point of view (anyway, coexisting is about accepting people -and loving them- no matter how illogical they are for you)."

I didn't know what I should edit out here so I will just leave it blank.
what I would say right now is that lots of people experience highs and lows in any state of a depressive or manic episode but avoidance can usually be displayed through another s actions, by which that person will usually affect them more than most persons who are impartial to reason. im not simply trying to sound aloof here but what I desire greatly is to express my inner feelings not just with the world but with myself. I don't have any fortunate reason to hide my status or otherwise, ive just grown used to it. I don't have the clinical data with me anyway to presume or analyze a persons behaviour unless in the extreme but I am beginning to realise that its not all just one persons proactions that creates unwanted issues as a dilemma but the actions and words of someone elses. I know that for one thing someone else is affecting me more than I'll admit. theres not much I can do about it anyway, as they turn on the charm when it suits. they get away with it each time. their behaviour deflects responsibility onto my shoulders and I am liable for the blame each time.
I have a rather confusing personality anyway, not helped by my own circumstances or other peoples.

Yes I can definitely relate to what you have said above.
When I was younger (13-15) I definitely displayed the typical symptoms of depression, I would cry a lot, lie on my floor for hours unable to move etc. although at the time I didn't realise it was depression, and no one picked up on it because I was very good at hiding it, (like if someone came into my room while I was lying on the floor I would be able to sit up quickly and pretend that I was doing something). In year 10 I started establishing solid friendships and slowly I became happier, but my procrastination habits didn't improve. In fact I've gotten incrementally worse at leaving work to the last minute and I don't know why I can't do work because it's not like I feel sad about anything. This article makes a lot of sense to me because maybe "depression" hasn't gone away, but my symptoms have shifted.

My parents think everything is okay now and I'm getting back on track because I got two As two Bs and a D on my report (unlike last year where I failed a few subjects and practically all my exams), but I haven't improved my procrastination habits at all, I've just taken on less subjects and managed to hand up work.

As the article describes "It's not as though the three weeks of avoidance were spent in blissful denial; rather, most clients describe an anxious, mental circling feeling that leaves them feeling dread." that's exactly how I am with the leadup to a deadline.

Also recently I've been struggling more and more to see the point in life, but in the way described, logically without feeling sad. I've been thinking of different careers and lifestyle choices and I can't imagine one lifestyle in which I'd be happy, although this doesn't make me feel like giving up on life it just makes me feel, 'well if I'm not really going to be happy with any lifestyle choice I may as well aim to become rich so that I have the most amount of opportunities open to me.'

I meant lack of motivation, should have said so. The question is if it's avoidance or lack of motivation, they can probably be confused.

Actually I think the question is rather funny, avoidance or 'some bout' of depression. You get all these things intern whether you like them or not.

lethargy is prevalent amongst those of us who have nether been subject to proxy on the system or meaning that when you need accuracy you're going to wonder where you can go out and find in or in some other belated aspect a short term solution to a rather common dilemma.
For all of us with disabilities subtle or not, when speaking about autism or mentally related issues, no one is going to come up to you and say ah, you might have been under the weather for a while, but in time, you will perk up.

if you've been under pressure or are currently aware of alternative measures to take in order to counteract a prescription or hypnosis then signal out any warning bells first. Also, its not a lack of motivation that people wrongly assume people have, its the desire to want to do things if they will help you and I would say its quite an abject subject question in answer to the original ordeal surrounding the person. someone else who would mentally confirm their own single strategy out of the equation may just as well end up by saying if the shoe doesn't fit I would say you're being lazy. most people don't even understand their own motives or others which is what they are scared about and end up mentally confusing the logistics with that of the persons own method of pursuit. I would say to people don't take all others with a pinch of salt but if your intuition happens to fall upon gut instinct then not to exacerbate matters outside of theirs and the persons own level of control.

Further analysis would decree that by labelling people with or without national foreign aspects to themselves would trigger off and alter a mind set supposedly being offered to immigrants on a part-time eco friendly basis that holds no set complacent strategy to a nation burdened with its own fair of unjust wars in the civil system.
A m I wondering off the point or are you still following the whereabouts of the conversation. ahem, when finalising the details of a career point or professing human rights is subject to common law these days you may ask yourself this one for starters, and just who has been following their own risk assessment in response to ones own natural appeal?
I will now answer the question. yes you can be avoidant after some bout of 'depression' or manic episode but whilst that will settle itself as found in evidence most of the general population who carry genes written by their forefathers don't have the same luxury of returning to the status quo.
when will people out there finally wise up and realise that human ego is not the same as a written status or cause and tie up some loose ends so that we can all move on and live out our retirement in the isles of Scilly or other beautiful sounding language nation.
The End