Severity of Symptoms possible link to overall health?

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Hi,

I've noticed lately (over the past year) that my symptoms seem worse than any other time in my life. When I think about the times I wasn't as depressed or anxious as I am now, I was probably taking better care of myself.

Anyone else notice a correlation, or have information on this?

Also, I know for me, I may be having a bit of seasonal depression disorder, but my primary sensitivity, olfactory (sense of smell), is so heightened right now. I've been amazed at the smells I'm perceiving that I didn't seem to notice before, so it's not just seasonal depression.


Last night on my way home, I could actually detect stinky perfume from a car that flew past me....and the people I work with either have a lot more gas or my nose really IS more sensitive.


Simultaneously, my depression and anxiety are up.

A few years ago when I ate healthier, spent more time in the sun, and was exercising, I had symptoms, but they were much less pronounced.


Just wondering about this....

Since I was about 19 I've become more self-conscious and afraid of what people think of me, and I'm avoiding social situations now because I fear rejection and being judged. I'm hypersensitive to people looking at me, and I feel I am being watched all the time, and I'm afraid to look at strangers, and every time I hear people laugh I get a feeling that they're laughing at me, if it's a sniggering sort of laugh. I'm not sure if it's because I've made so many social mistakes in the past that I frown upon now and that maybe I'm learning from my mistakes, but I'm not too sure if it's because of that or not.

Before I was 19, or 18, I never worried of what other people thought of me. Well, I did, but that was to a normal extent. Now it's an extreme extent, which is causing me anxiety and is taking over my life and making me more afraid of meeting new people and showing my face in social situations. Before I was a little hesitant of social situations, but I was still happy to show my face and never worried too much of what other people were doing or thinking, and I was just happy to be myself more. When I walked to school, I never worried about being looked at by other people passing the over way. I probably looked at them automatically, and they just automatically looked back, and then never thought anything more of it. But now when people are passing on the pavement, I don't give them an automatic look, but give them a hesitant ''half-look'', because I don't want to just look down but I don't want to look at them completely, and because I've got anxious about this sort of thing, automatic thoughts come into my mind when somebody is about to pass, so it makes it harder to look at them automatically, and they sense that and so will look at me more or I will be more hypersensitive to it.

So yes, I have gotten worse as I got a bit older, and my anxieties are more severe now and I keep getting bouts of depression and anger, and frequent outbursts are caused by this. Maybe I had the same anxieties in me as a child, but could push them aside more because I was growing up and my brain was changing all the time. But now that my brain has stopped growing and changing, my anxieties are more able to take over, and maybe that's what's happened with you. But I don't know though.

Poorer physical health, and poorer mental health (that doesn't affect physical health as noticeably) can both be linked to regressions.

Have been on any medication? I ask because SSRI's made me more sensitive to light. And then ADHD medication made all my senses super duper sensitive. It makes my symptoms worse because I overload a lot and can't go out to certain places.

It's regression in my case, both a cognitive and physical health decrease. I have seizures on top of sensory sensitivity so my health feels like it's really bad. Got a bit of a hypoglycaemia problem too.

I wrote about regression. If you want I can link the blog post?

Also I've found that my sensory issues have got worse (meaning my hearing). I get distracted by every sound when I'm in my room, and I can't ignore it. I find I have to sit with earplugs in my ears, which isn't a good idea because it sometimes causes a sore sensation in my ears. I have turned up music loud before to drown it out, but sometimes I just like peace.

But I don't think it's entirely me - I think it's because I moved my bedroom into the spare room downstairs a few years ago (because I wanted a bigger room) and when you're downstairs, more noises distract you. I do miss being upstairs now but I don't miss having a small room though.

hypersensitivity to smell is an likely indicator of excessive exposure to toxic odours, car fumes, inks, paints, tobacco etc

some people have to live in sterile bubbles due to sensitivities and congested and impaired livers

looking after yourself should improve your livers ability to detoxify your environment

I don't know. My anxiety and depression has peaked and remained steady there for over two years now. I think that's from my circumstances and not necessarily health issues, although I'm sure health is a contributing factor. I've had problems in the past where degraded health did noticeably impact my anxiety/depression, so I know it happens. Conversely, when I lived in Florida, I'd work in my garden every day and I felt more comfortable and relaxed than I have since moving north. Gardening in Florida is an ordeal - mosquitoes are evil, evil creatures. Sunstroke is a constant threat. So long as it's done right, it's the best kind of exercise.

I'm strange when it comes to winter, though. I can't get enough of it. All the fluffy tufts of snow mesmerize me and make me wander outside for hours at a time. I love that total hushed silence that falls at night during a big snowstorm. It's the most amazing thing. Next to cicadas, of course.

I find it tends to be a vicious circle: when I feel ill physically, I am more tired and so it is harder for me to control symptoms in public, therefore appear worse than normal. Now with my worsening depression, I find my AS symptoms get worse- I find I need even more control and stick to routines more, I find my anxiety level goes up considerably, my memory is getting worse and trying to do anything is a challenge. But also, as my AS symptoms get worse, I get more depressed as I can see myself struggling more.
When I was physically ill a couple of months ago, I found that my symptoms were a lot worse.
The problem is I can't remember what the opposite was like... I've been steadily getting more depressed for the last 2 years, and had major anxiety before that, so I don't remember if my AS symptoms were better when I wasn't ill.

Linking severity to overall health is interesting to consider. Is it that symptoms actually physically get worse (i.e. brain changes)? Is it that being ill makes us more difficult to cope with our ASD? Is it that being ill makes us feel less able to cope/losing control so we try harder? Is it that our brain doesn't work as efficiently when the body is ill?

Thats fine, glad to have been of help....

where have you gone? to start a new thread?