aspeintheUK
Butterfly
Joined: Feb 07, 2010
Posts: 11
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 Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 6:33 am Post subject: do most aspies have to be on antidepressants permanently? |
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| i am not on antidepressants right now, but i feel like i should be probably. do most people who have aspergers have to be on antidepressants? also, what is the suicde rate for people with aspergers? thanks. |
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iceb
Tarkalean hawk
Joined: Apr 27, 2007
Posts: 1796
Location: The Liberator flight deck
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| Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 6:44 am Post subject: |
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i don't think so.
Personally I have little faith in drugs.
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Wisdom must be gathered, it cannot be given.
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Michael_Stuart
Phoenix
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Joined: Jul 05, 2008
Posts: 557
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| Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 6:56 am Post subject: |
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| I don't think most of them, though. It's not uncommon, but but it's probably not the majority and I think few need them permanently. |
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Aimless
innocent bystander
Joined: Apr 02, 2009
Posts: 8159
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| Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 8:26 am Post subject: |
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| I take antidepressants for depression. I've been told the rule of thumb is to take antidepressants for twice as long as you've been depressed. For me that means I stay on because I had undiagnosed and untreated disthymia since early childhood. I don't know if they changed that line of thinking or not. For the record, I'm one of the lucky ones. Antidepressants improved my life in a fundamental way. Life is far from perfect, but it doesn't beat me down anymore. |
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Brundisium
Deinonychus
Joined: Apr 02, 2007
Age: 31
Posts: 393
Location: Brisbane
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| Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 9:04 am Post subject: |
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I have to agree with Aimless.
Meds help me a hell of a lot.
I probably will be on them permanently, but it's an individual thing. My doctor told me it's nothing to be ashamed of, people can't help it if their brains function differently, as we all know here.
Apparently there are a fair few people with ASD's who get depressed specifically about being the way they are (I'm one of them), but I couldn't give you numbers and I don't know if it's a significant amount or not.
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Far from these nonsense bars and their nowhere music - Augie March. |
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dustintorch
Phoenix
Joined: May 04, 2009
Age: 26
Posts: 562
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| Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 11:13 am Post subject: |
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| I'm not on anti depressants because I'm afraid what they'll do to my body. I do however smoke pot once in a while, which is know to help depression (and according to wikipedia, autism) so I guess I do still self medicate. |
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Aimless
innocent bystander
Joined: Apr 02, 2009
Posts: 8159
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| Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 11:22 am Post subject: |
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| dustintorch wrote: | | I'm not on anti depressants because I'm afraid what they'll do to my body. I do however smoke pot once in a while, which is know to help depression (and according to wikipedia, autism) so I guess I do still self medicate. |
Guess that just goes to show you people can react very differently to the same drug. Pot made everything far far worse for me. |
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LostAlien
Phoenix
Joined: Feb 04, 2009
Posts: 1577
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| Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 11:30 am Post subject: Re: do most aspies have to be on antidepressants permanently |
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| aspeintheUK wrote: | | i am not on antidepressants right now, but i feel like i should be probably. do most people who have aspergers have to be on antidepressants? also, what is the suicde rate for people with aspergers? thanks. |
It all depends on the individual, same as if a person isn't on the spectrum. If a person has depression and antidepressants help them, well and good. There are many ways of dealing with depression and antidepressants are one way.
Although, one thing to think of, a person on the spectrum may require a different dose. Sometimes we're very sensitive to certian medications and sometimes not, so just a thing to be aware of if you decide that you think meds will help you. |
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makuranososhi
Vocal Critic
Joined: May 13, 2008
Posts: 6717
Location: Banned by Alex
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| Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 11:42 am Post subject: Re: do most aspies have to be on antidepressants permanently |
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| aspeintheUK wrote: | | i am not on antidepressants right now, but i feel like i should be probably. do most people who have aspergers have to be on antidepressants? also, what is the suicde rate for people with aspergers? thanks. |
Most antidepressants don't work correctly on me, or have severe side effects; have read anecdotal studies that indicate that those on the spectrum often do not respond well to antidepressant medications. The depression is there, and separate from the ASD, but the neurochemistry and causation of the depression are substantial different and therefore isn't susceptible to the same chemical influences. Suicide rate for those on the spectrum is slightly higher than in the general population, again from observation and past reading, although I do not have a study on hand to offer in support of that. Anxiety medication helps me (and others, from their feedback) while beta blockers have provided some help for others - but need to talk to a doctor about such things extensively before starting another regimen of medications.
M.
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CockneyRebel
Mick Avory, Sensitive brown-eyed Sweet Pea
Joined: Jul 18, 2004
Age: 38
Posts: 87203
Location: In a quiet and peaceful garden, where gentle Mick Avory-like Sweet Peas grow.
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barbedlotus
Pileated woodpecker
Joined: Jul 21, 2009
Age: 26
Posts: 185
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| Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 12:31 am Post subject: |
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| I think a problem a lot of people have (not just aspies) with antidepressents is being able to convey to the doctor accurately when either a specific drug is not working or a dose seems wrong. When the right does of the right meds is given to a person who really needs them it works miracles, but if you end up like I did already having problems talking to people in a way that makes sense to them let alone while on an antidepressent that is either the wrong one or the wrong dose so it is making that problem worse your kind of screwed. While I was on them everyone I tried to tell "these make me feel terrible can we please try somthing else" all I got back was that I didn't know what I was talking about and I seemed so much better. If you do believe they will help you I highly suggest making sure you can trust your doctor to listen about problems and side effects. If that means getting someone who does listen to come into appointments with you, writing it in a letter and explain I have trouble conveying my thoughts properly so I've taken the time to write it out to help speed the process, or something else do it because something potientally very helpful can be extremely hurtful if no one will listen about the sideeffect you may experience. |
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bully_on_speed
Phoenix
Joined: Feb 20, 2010
Age: 28
Posts: 890
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| Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 1:37 am Post subject: |
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| i started taking them once a few years ago cause i tried to kill myself, later i had more thought while on them cause i could drink while taking them, modern medicine is very basic at best its ment for the many not the few. the best think is to find out what works best for you |
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whatamarshmallow
Raven
Joined: Feb 15, 2010
Age: 27
Posts: 113
Location: Long Island, New York
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| Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 2:30 am Post subject: Re: do most aspies have to be on antidepressants permanently |
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| makuranososhi wrote: | | aspeintheUK wrote: | | i am not on antidepressants right now, but i feel like i should be probably. do most people who have aspergers have to be on antidepressants? also, what is the suicde rate for people with aspergers? thanks. |
Most antidepressants don't work correctly on me, or have severe side effects; have read anecdotal studies that indicate that those on the spectrum often do not respond well to antidepressant medications. The depression is there, and separate from the ASD, but the neurochemistry and causation of the depression are substantial different and therefore isn't susceptible to the same chemical influences. Suicide rate for those on the spectrum is slightly higher than in the general population, again from observation and past reading, although I do not have a study on hand to offer in support of that. Anxiety medication helps me (and others, from their feedback) while beta blockers have provided some help for others - but need to talk to a doctor about such things extensively before starting another regimen of medications.
M. |
I was on a strong combination of medicines not long ago, and I've taken myself off of them. The way I look at it is, I have kept my job without these pills, I am slightly more agitated without them, but I'm still enjoying life, too. I was on two different meds for anxiety, and I haven't had a panic attack since i've been off of them, or a crying spell over something that made me anxious. I think if anything, I would go back to being on something for OCD because that's one of my biggest battles right now, but I haven't given in just yet either. I'd been on meds since I was around two, so the past year or so that i've been without them has been huge for me.
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(Diagnosed PDD-NOS as a baby. Not sure where I fall on the spectrum these days...) |
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Meistersinger
Sea Gull
Joined: May 11, 2012
Age: 55
Posts: 228
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| Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 4:33 pm Post subject: Re: do most aspies have to be on antidepressants permanently |
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| whatamarshmallow wrote: | | makuranososhi wrote: | | aspeintheUK wrote: | | i am not on antidepressants right now, but i feel like i should be probably. do most people who have aspergers have to be on antidepressants? also, what is the suicde rate for people with aspergers? thanks. |
Most antidepressants don't work correctly on me, or have severe side effects; have read anecdotal studies that indicate that those on the spectrum often do not respond well to antidepressant medications. The depression is there, and separate from the ASD, but the neurochemistry and causation of the depression are substantial different and therefore isn't susceptible to the same chemical influences. Suicide rate for those on the spectrum is slightly higher than in the general population, again from observation and past reading, although I do not have a study on hand to offer in support of that. Anxiety medication helps me (and others, from their feedback) while beta blockers have provided some help for others - but need to talk to a doctor about such things extensively before starting another regimen of medications.
M. |
I was on a strong combination of medicines not long ago, and I've taken myself off of them. The way I look at it is, I have kept my job without these pills, I am slightly more agitated without them, but I'm still enjoying life, too. I was on two different meds for anxiety, and I haven't had a panic attack since i've been off of them, or a crying spell over something that made me anxious. I think if anything, I would go back to being on something for OCD because that's one of my biggest battles right now, but I haven't given in just yet either. I'd been on meds since I was around two, so the past year or so that i've been without them has been huge for me. |
I have had nothing but problems with every antidepressant I have taken. I been to the well 6 times over the past 20 years and have had nothing but problems. My last trip was with Viibryd, which has damaged me so badly I may never recover. I now have tinnitus which is intermittent. I wanted someone to talk to, not psychoactive poisons. I would not have the problems I have with depression had I been given the proper coping mechanisms. I used to be a performing musician, these drugs killed my creativity.
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EQ: 19 AQ: 43 BAPS--Rigid:107 Aloof: 115 Pragmatic: 99 Diagnosis: 10 SQ: 23
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seaturtleisland
Phoenix
Joined: Feb 23, 2012
Age: 19
Posts: 611
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| Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 5:49 pm Post subject: |
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| There are a lot of common comorbids among Aspies. I would think the majority of Aspies would be on medication for comorbid disorders. I'm on Clomipramine for a comorbid OCD and I recently had to increase my dosage. |
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