Suicide

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Is suicide a factor for many Aspies?

A factor in what? I don't understand your question.

A factor in what way? Like, do many contemplate it? Do many commit suicide? Do many have a morbid fascination with it?

I know from what I've read and experienced, it seems that quite a few of us do have bouts of depression here and there... but suicidal or not, I couldn't tell you. Why do you ask?

Depression is a factor in aspergers
Suicide is a factor in depression.

Many aspies suffer depression for a variety of different reasons. I wrote a series of articles explaining this previously (see link: http://sites.google.com/site/gavinbollard/about-aspergers/Aspergers-and-Depression), so I won't repeat it here.

Like everything else about Aspergers, depression isn't a guaranteed certainty but it seems that a higher proportion of aspies have depression issues than you'd expect from a general population sample. In that sense, it's a "factor".

From personal experience, I've known quite a few Aspies and Aspie-ish individuals. And I've known more than my fair share of people who committed suicide, yet none of them I suspect were Aspie, even mildly as far I could tell. Most of the people I've known who have committed suicide were dx'd with bi-polar or PTSD, or likely had one or the other.

I also have PTSD, which was originally dx'd as Major Depressive Disorder, and yeah, in the past, I've thought about suicide. But things are marginally better for me these days, I'm more aware of who and what I am, I'm getting older, and so I'm learning to deal with it.

Need to talk to someone who understands?

1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) in US

0-800-181-0771 in Germany

1-800-198-313 in Australia

1-800-465-4442 in Canada

0-800-235-236 in France

International Hot-lines and Websites

I visited a number of these websites and there are many groups of people and topics mentioned, autism is not one of them.

Upon a brief reviewing of most of the largest Autism related websites, not one mentions a suicide hot-line within the first couple pages.

So as far as a Common Factor, apparently not, or one of the sites in the world somewhere, either Suicide or AS related, would at least mention it or provide or mention a Hot-line number.

Personal experience and or related opinions are welcomed via PM

I personally only knew only one person with aspergers who was a successful suicide (and two who were fair but unsuccessful attempts).

If the discussion in the haven is anything to go by however, it's more common than that.

Only about one in ten suicide attempts succeed. Although I suspect the technical competency makes an autistic/AS person better able to plan it out and being more emotionally flat means we are less likely to go for the purposely failed cry for help option.