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philosopherBoi
Phoenix
Joined: Aug 07, 2008
Age: 20
Posts: 1019
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 Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 10:49 pm Post subject: Weight, Depression, Suicide |
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Ever since I read ghouna's post about bullying I have been wondering do people with autism have more problems with weight problems, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Also do more people with autism commit suicide more than NTs???
Any relevant information would help satisfy my curiosity. |
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Strapples
Strapplius, God of straps!
Joined: Dec 01, 2007
Age: 17
Posts: 14064
Location: Chicago Area IL
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lionesss
The Queen of not your typical kind of jungle
Joined: Aug 22, 2008
Age: 33
Posts: 1013
Location: not anywhere near you
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| Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 11:02 pm Post subject: |
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I'm not suicidal (if I didn't have my family that may be another story however) but I have had my fair share of weight problems and depression.
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I was told that I have PDD-NOS and ADHD- in other words, mild AS with a history of speech delay. I personally think its best to say that I am just plain under the spectrum! |
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Shivani
Blue Jay
Joined: Jul 04, 2006
Posts: 84
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 1:13 am Post subject: |
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I was on medication for depression (Zoloft) and that made me gain weight and made thoughts of killing myself more prevalent.
I also broke my leg around this time, which made me gain even more weight and now I am also experiencing bullying at work.
So now I have a very negative view of myself, and along with other difficulties I am experiencing, sometimes I feel ending it all would be easier than carrying on.
But I have children, so for me that option is not one I could really consider without causing them damage. So that keeps me here.
I think that being Aspie's we don't necessarily cope with the build up of stress, and sometimes it is hard to see consequences of our actions, so all this leads to suicidal tendencies.
Just my opinion.
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"You drink better wine then you serve, Herr Kolnas" |
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sgrannel
Phoenix
Joined: Feb 21, 2008
Posts: 550
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 1:34 am Post subject: |
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I used to have a very limited scope of what I considered pleasurable when I was a teenager. It was mostly eating. I got rejected a lot, didn't have many friends, and had little motivation to socialize. However, I was physically active, and I worked on a farm during the summers, and this kept me sane and healthy. I do get depressions that last a few days, but this is probably the norm for many people. I have never been suicidal.
I can certainly understand the point of view of deriving a large fraction of one's pleasure from eating instead of socializing and how this could lead to a weight problem. That could have been me if I wasn't lucky enough to have a high metabolism and grow up in a local culture of hard work.
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You should get to know me better. No one's ever what they seem.-- Shirley Manson |
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violet_yoshi
Phoenix
Joined: Aug 16, 2004
Posts: 817
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 1:57 am Post subject: |
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Well as far as weight problems, I have created a post about weight related bullying that has occured on Wrongplanet here:
http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt76885.html
It seems that since the media constantly is drilling the notion into peoples' heads that one can change their genetically destined body weight, that even people on Wrongplanet have been harassing people of size. Suggesting well they must not eat right, or exercise enough. I have been trying to keep explaining that neither matter, health is what matters, and health can be at any size. Forcing someone fat to try and become thin makes them more unhealthy not healthier. Depriving your body of the energy it needs isn't healthy for anyone, yet as our society becomes more obsessed with the thin ideal, people will take drastic and in most cases, extremely unhealthy or even deadly choices when it comes to weight loss.
I was hoping here, where people have delt with adversity there would be some understanding, but even here there are people who want to insist that someone should be thin, that they will die if they remain their natural weight. If someone says they are healthy and they're fat, they are dismissed and given lectures on how they're not doing things right. There hasn't been a group of people that I'm aware of recently, that has to have constantly be scrutinized about their lifestyle as fat people are.
So yeah, I don't really see much hope for that unfortunetly, as people here seem to have bought into the idea that weight is a choice, and that if someone isn't thin they must be lazy or incompetant in taking care of their health. |
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Aurore
Dingo Lycanthrope
Joined: Dec 07, 2007
Age: 18
Posts: 1192
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 3:10 am Post subject: |
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| violet_yoshi wrote: | Well as far as weight problems, I have created a post about weight related bullying that has occured on Wrongplanet here:
http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt76885.html
It seems that since the media constantly is drilling the notion into peoples' heads that one can change their genetically destined body weight, that even people on Wrongplanet have been harassing people of size. Suggesting well they must not eat right, or exercise enough. I have been trying to keep explaining that neither matter, health is what matters, and health can be at any size. Forcing someone fat to try and become thin makes them more unhealthy not healthier. Depriving your body of the energy it needs isn't healthy for anyone, yet as our society becomes more obsessed with the thin ideal, people will take drastic and in most cases, extremely unhealthy or even deadly choices when it comes to weight loss.
I was hoping here, where people have delt with adversity there would be some understanding, but even here there are people who want to insist that someone should be thin, that they will die if they remain their natural weight. If someone says they are healthy and they're fat, they are dismissed and given lectures on how they're not doing things right. There hasn't been a group of people that I'm aware of recently, that has to have constantly be scrutinized about their lifestyle as fat people are.
So yeah, I don't really see much hope for that unfortunetly, as people here seem to have bought into the idea that weight is a choice, and that if someone isn't thin they must be lazy or incompetant in taking care of their health. |
Amen.
It was that sort of unhealthy thinking that made me anorexic. I lost so much weight it gave me cardiac problems and permanent dysautonomia. Unless I am constantly medicated my blood pressure drops to dangerous lows and I can pass out and even die.
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"The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls..." |
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makuranososhi
Purple Monkey Dishwasher
Joined: May 13, 2008
Posts: 2256
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 3:29 am Post subject: |
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| violet_yoshi wrote: | Well as far as weight problems, I have created a post about weight related bullying that has occured on Wrongplanet here:
http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt76885.html
It seems that since the media constantly is drilling the notion into peoples' heads that one can change their genetically destined body weight, that even people on Wrongplanet have been harassing people of size. Suggesting well they must not eat right, or exercise enough. I have been trying to keep explaining that neither matter, health is what matters, and health can be at any size. Forcing someone fat to try and become thin makes them more unhealthy not healthier. Depriving your body of the energy it needs isn't healthy for anyone, yet as our society becomes more obsessed with the thin ideal, people will take drastic and in most cases, extremely unhealthy or even deadly choices when it comes to weight loss.
I was hoping here, where people have delt with adversity there would be some understanding, but even here there are people who want to insist that someone should be thin, that they will die if they remain their natural weight. If someone says they are healthy and they're fat, they are dismissed and given lectures on how they're not doing things right. There hasn't been a group of people that I'm aware of recently, that has to have constantly be scrutinized about their lifestyle as fat people are.
So yeah, I don't really see much hope for that unfortunetly, as people here seem to have bought into the idea that weight is a choice, and that if someone isn't thin they must be lazy or incompetant in taking care of their health. |
I agree that health covers a wide spectrum... and respect your concern. There are a great number of people who have a variety of conditions that inhibit their ability to manage weight or even gain uncontrollably. And there are those individuals that are immense in stature but still have an impeccable constitution. At the same time, there are also many people who are overweight in an unhealthy manner - I am and have been one of them. I've lost over 65 pounds in the past eight months, and have another 30 to go before hitting my target for loss. For me, this is a healthy change for my knees, back, and heart - and even now, it's not about being thin, but being able. I don't see anyone here forcing people to be skinny; I have seen some pretty offensive and rude comments made about those who are overweight, or about individual's perceptions and problems coping with them - but those are their issues, not mine. Can't control others, only myself... and so it is for everyone. Have to make the decision for ourselves about what is healthy for each of us.
M.
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Catster2
Velociraptor
Joined: Jan 25, 2007
Age: 28
Posts: 488
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 3:58 am Post subject: |
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| I say yeah suicide is an issue foir aspies. Aspies in general (although not all) lead isolated and lonely lives, find it hard to make and keep friends, hold down employment, live independently etc. I especially find weekends very lonely given there are few things on tv and i dont have many friends to hang out with. I live with my best best friend Saphemie (Saphie) he is a platinum mink tonkinese kitten and is the loveliest personality. |
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Daran
Forever Traveling
Joined: May 09, 2008
Posts: 1072
Location: Mokum, NL, EU
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 4:23 am Post subject: |
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| violet_yoshi wrote: | | I have been trying to keep explaining that neither matter, health is what matters, and health can be at any size. Forcing someone fat to try and become thin makes them more unhealthy not healthier. Depriving your body of the energy it needs isn't healthy for anyone, yet as our society becomes more obsessed with the thin ideal, people will take drastic and in most cases, extremely unhealthy or even deadly choices when it comes to weight loss. |
I think losing excess weight is always the healthy option because with less weight it is easier and more pleasant to move around and exercise your joints and musles and your bloodcirculation system will benefit greatly from weightloss too.
If you have excess fat, then this fat in itself can be part of your energy supply.
Of course starving yourself isn't a very good way to lose way, but e.g. cutting out all grains (in bread, cake, cookies, pizza, spaggetti, flower), all starches (in potato's, chips, corn, etc.), sugars and milk from your diet is a very good option. These things haven't been part of the human diet for more than a few thousand years anyway. |
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UndercoverAlien
to fast to alien
Joined: Aug 11, 2008
Posts: 1072
Location: please tell me
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 5:35 am Post subject: |
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| i think suicidal toughts often happens to aspies sinds if your really trapd and you feel no way out you feel like killing yourself is tempting and easly to escape your life i had them lots of times but i always knew that it whas nothing more then just a feeling and not to follow it |
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ouinon
chemical reaction
Joined: Jul 11, 2007
Posts: 3444
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 5:54 am Post subject: |
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Gluten intolerance can often cause a combination of these factors, weight problems because food intolerances often cause addictive cravings which push you to eat more than you need, over-eating because gluten and casein are food opioids which are known to suppress appetite inhibitors, ( encourage appetite) , and permanent depression is often associated with gluten-intolerance.
I find that when I eat wheat, ( I haven't eaten any ifor almost a whole year and it is clearer than ever before how much "lighter"/more positive I feel , both mentally and physically ) , however harmless it appears to begin with, very soon I am craving it, over-eating, and sinking into an increasingly gloomy/black and hopeless view on life.
.
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"Life is pain; anyone who says different is selling something"
Last edited by ouinon on Sun Sep 14, 2008 5:57 am; edited 1 time in total |
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ProtossX
Toucan
Joined: Dec 18, 2007
Posts: 257
Location: USA, IL.
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 5:56 am Post subject: |
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not fat
not suicidal
have aspergers
nope doesn't seem to have a connection
ive know some aspies who also wouldn't even think of suicidal there loner's but they don't mind who they are
also every aspie ive seen was pretty lean "think the guy in rain man" aspies aren't naturally fat imo lots of em are quite skinny an rigid |
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philosopherBoi
Phoenix
Joined: Aug 07, 2008
Age: 20
Posts: 1019
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 6:56 am Post subject: |
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*ignores protoss*
I have been giving it some thought about a weight connection and all and this is what I have come up with.
Since people with AS are four times more likely to be bullied it is logical to assume that Ghrelin levels will be higher. Ghrelin is a hunger/stress hormone, when you get hungry its in part due to the presence of Ghrelin however it also has affects on the brain as well that help you cope with stress, increase focus, and help memory. When you get bullied or put under high levels of stress your body uses Ghrelin to help you deal with it. There is a theory out that people with Anorexia nervosa might be addicted to the affects of Ghrelin however few studies have and more research is needed.
So do you think that being overweight or obese is due in part to people confusing actual hunger with a false hunger due to the presence of Ghrelin???
For me I think is partly responsible for some weight issues, especially weight gain due to bulling and abuse. |
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UndercoverAlien
to fast to alien
Joined: Aug 11, 2008
Posts: 1072
Location: please tell me
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 7:15 am Post subject: |
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so whe gain weight of having a hard life?great is that im happy i lost lots of weight lately probbely going to
gain lots of weight when i stop eating gluten ive heard your stumach swells up from it for a while -_-' |
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