Does stress flare Asperger's symptoms?

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Hi all,

Does stress flare anyone's Aspergers' symptoms? Both the good and the bad? When I'm working on a project (I'm a grad student) and come under extraordinary stress, I become unbearably churlish and even more socially withdrawn but my mind begins firing on all cylinders and actually come up with some really awesome stuff. Does this sound like something other Aspies have experienced?

Thanks all,
Spudster

Yeah, I agree with you that stress does exacerbate Aspie symptoms. Can't think of any specific examples in my life right now, but for me, it is true.

Stress caused by overstimulation is a huge cause of meltdowns. In that way, I would definitely say stress causes AS symptoms. Otherwise I really couldn't tell you as I've been pretty much asymptomatic my entire life, except for the occasional meltdown.

Definitely. Even "minor" things like not getting enough sleep or something changing can do considerable damage to functioning levels.

Oh my yes. For me it does not usually help move toward solutions - though under stress up to a point through long habit I focus down on what is safe, which muight yield breakthrough.

We just spent a week with VERY compatible people, spectrals similar in type and level to us. The LEAST hard time I have ever had sharing space wit more than immediate family, nobody pushing or straining. Yet everybody was clearly under elevated stress and the trwo of us were for sure exacerbated as to symptoms.

YES

indubitably.

Sometimes stress causes meltdowns more often...othertimes I just buckle down and do what needs to be done...but usually non emotively, purely logically and it is these times I have breakthroughs. So for me, stress can "make me or break me" But underneath it all, it is a choice I make deep within myself to not let stress crush me and the use my AS to help me pull through by being totally logical under emotional stressful situations

Well I'd say yes, both positive and negative sides, as another member said.
Actually when I am under stress, I try to do something about it first. If it can't be helped and I can't withdraw, I go into shutdown (Shut-up-and-go-away-please! attitude). If I am left alone, I recover pretty quickly, if not, I might go into a meltdown.
But I can be several times more productive than other people when I am under stress and I may keep the tempo up for hours provided that I have a detailed action plan and that I am left alone to do my work.

I stim a lot more when I am stressed. I would say yes.

_________________
I have HFA, ADHD, OCD & Tourette syndrome. I love animals, especially my bunnies and hamster. I skate in a roller derby team (but I'll try not to bite )

Absolutely. Whenever I'm stressed my symptoms become annoyingly visible.
I stim, I cry, I break down, I become confused, I walk in an odd manner (at least more so than I do on a daily basis, which is also strange to look at btw), I turn mute and rigid, etc etc.

Usually I need to stop this very quickly (I cannot tolerate stress for more than a month at a time), otherwise I might trigger yet another depression. Not ever going back there!!

Yes, stress makes my AS -Asperger's- visible to others, its usually subtle. Also acutely unwanted noise if it stops me focussing can worsen my AS.

Perhaps the problem is destressing - perhaps thats why autistic people do this thing called stimming. - Im still learning what that is.

I think destressing may take excessively long which is what may cause some people with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder to go into a meltdown.

For myself I listen to some music someone mentioned to me and it helps, watch Seinfeld clips on youtube. Complete peace doesn't help so much, deep breathing doesn't help much either.

Stress makes autism worse for me, much worse. But yeah, there is a silver lining if you can fixate about fixing problems/obstacles.

Absolutely! And being tired also exacerbates things. I also have narcolepsy and when I don't strictly adhere to my sleep schedule and maintain good sleep hygiene, I am more likely to have a meltdown.

Yes on all accounts. I often go to extreme measures to remove stress and stressful influences from my life. While those things can charge me, they also make me more likely to get overloaded and meltdown/shutdown.