Can sensory problems and social confusion lead to anxiety

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I believe to be on the spectrum but I also have co-morbid conditions generalized anxiety and adhd. I’ve noticed that my anxiety originates from social confusion or being misunderstood. Secondly my anxiety worsens when I am sensory overloaded. And I have a problem that’s been complicating my situation. My anxiety and (adhd) medication is agitating my situation. I am having more irregular heart beats than I used to. I used to get them when I worked in an very stimulated environment that was overly crowded (the mall.)

I am hypersensitive to sound, lights and medication. I keep on telling my doctors that. I’ve even pitched the idea that I have autism. But it’s been no help. They neither confirm nor deny what I am telling them. Plus I haven’t found an autism specialist whose dealt with adult and have a great understanding about women on the spectrum. I’d like to find a specialist whose knowledgeable in the area of the neurological needs of a person who has autism.

All in all I am so scared I’m so overwhelmed and I don’t know how long I can live like this. Has anyone experienced problems with anxiety and sensory problems? Has anyone had such sensitivities to medication that it caused you to have physiological reactions? How do I deal with this problem?

Most autistic people are very sensitive to medication. Social and sensory anxiety are part of an ASD diagnosis as well, but there are many other parts of your development which would need to be considered in a full assessment.

Have you asked your doctor for a referral to a psychologist / neuropsychologist who specialises in adult autism?

Google the resources in your area or contact some of the children's services places. They might be able to direct you.

Sensory issues and Social anxiety can each cause anxiety on their own, so when you combine the two, it often makes a bad situation worse. I have ASD, Anxiety, and PTSD, so I am speaking from personal experience.

I too am sensitive to light, sound, etc. Just being out in public in general is very stressful for me. So, you aren't alone there.

Whether you get an official diagnosis or not, anti-anxiety medications can help. So can learning to self-regulate, and Self-soothe in stressful situations. If you can't find a specialist, do look for someone with experience treating PTSD...a lot of the therapies overlap.

I'm just learning myself, so I don't have a lot of advice, but I hope it points you in the right direction.

Are you looking for resources for finding professionals with knowledge about women on spectrum? Depending on what country/area you're in people might have some ideas. Though the website's a bit over the top and the recommendations are pretty limited geographically, I found this page useful: http://taniamarshall.com/female-asc-professionals.html

In the US, https://www.aane.org/ has been somewhat helpful to me as well.

I definitely think part of what I used to think of as anxiety is actually more tension caused by sensory overload and the effort involved in being "on".

Very sorry you're having a tough time!

ASD wise or not, yes it leads to anxiety. Comorbids or other conditions do not help.
Most people would end up with anxiety if they're intolerant to their own sensitivities and uncertainty in things they have to encounter everyday -- and couldn't figure it out past it's pain and shortcomings.


I'd say anxiety is the human reaction of seeing through a lens and a view AND alters the viewer seeing through a scope, autism is just the 'lens over a scope' that alters the view and not the reaction itself.
The view be it the same with sensory input or social confusion -- but the sources and reasons are different. A professional would likely have a chance to know that.

And, I'm one of those few who have sensory issues and social confusion, and not suffer from anxiety. And the 'how' is likely not the answer one may look for or may understood.
Regardless, due to from where I live -- I have no resources to afford nor references to go to or point to. Never took nor brought any psych meds my whole life, barely knew which professionals to talk to, almost never had therapy to know what may work.

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Feels nice to know I’m not alone on this one.

Have you mentioned the weird heartbeat issue with your doctor? If that is a potential side effect of your medication, they may consider decreasing your dose a little or switching meds to see if that helps. Unfortunately, many doctors take physical symptoms more seriously than mental health.

Yes I do think this is where the anxiety comes from. Sensory overload and struggling in social situations.

What really annoys me is when a total stranger thinks it’s okay to ask why I don’t want children! I want to say it’s none of their business but I sheepishly be nice and make some excuse up. Going to start saying I can’t have children if it carries on and see how they cope with that social faux pas. I never would but wish I could because I worry what other people think about me far too much.

This is surprisingly common and one of the strangest examples when being horribly rude and intrusive is considered acceptable [/quote]

It’s really grinds my gears and makes me feel even more awkward in a social situation. Feel weird enough without having to explain not wanting children to a complete stranger. I prefer fur babies.

I feel like more people are realizing how rude it is to ask whether women want kids, so that it's getting more acceptable to be a bit blunt in replying, at least more people will be on your side (though of course how it'll go depends on a ton of factors).

^
Best answer I've ever heard to the ridiculous assumption so many make that not wanting children equals hating children was "I love children, it's the parents I hate"

Autism is a genetic disorder that causes abnormalities in the structure of the brain. A pattern of autism or related disabilities appears to exist in many families, further supporting the theory that the disorder has a genetic basis. While no gene has been identified as causing autism, researchers are searching for irregular genetic code segments that may have been inherited by children with autism. Some children also appear to be born with a susceptibility to autism, but researchers have not yet identified a single "trigger" that causes the development of autism.
Other researchers are examining the potential for an unstable gene cluster to interfere with brain development under certain conditions, resulting in autism. Other researchers are also investigating issues during pregnancy or delivery, as well as environmental factors such as viral infections, metabolic imbalances and chemical exposure.

I like your post.