Struggles of living as a Straightedge with AS

Post Reply New Topic

I'm 17, in my senior year of high school, Straightedge, and living with Asperger Syndrome and ADD. High school(as many people know) is in my opinion, one of the most stressful times of a lot of people's lives. Straightedge is a way of life that requires that one does not drink, smoke, or practice the use of any recreational drug and emphasizes taking negative feelings(that many would cover up with the fore mentioned devices) and learning from them to make you a better person.

Lately, I've been extremely stressed out and depressed which brings me to my point/question;

I've been thinking about asking my parents to put me on anti-depressants for awhile now but I'm unsure about this because I've been trying to ween myself from medicine in general do to my Straightedge lifestyle. How does the Wrong Planet community feel about this? I'd really like to hear your opinions, advice, etc.

First of all, let me say you have my utmost respect. Life is a struggle, life with AS adds to the struggle, trying to stay straight when temptation is all around you and everyone else is doing it, well, it takes almost gargantuan determination and self esteem to pull that off.

As for anti-depressants, I am not a good one to advise. I'm one of those people who prefers natural remedies and therapies, and I don't take medication unless it's absolutely necessary. Have never taken an anti-depressant myself, and would be afraid to. Afraid of side effects. But perhaps I have never been severely depressed, but I think that is relative. Some people cope with depression better than others and are able to keep it at a level that doesn't require medication. I have had to teach myself coping skills which work well for me. That way may not work for others.

Good luck with whatever you and your parents decide.

My question is, are you getting help from a counselor who can teach you drug-free anxiety management and mood alteration techniques? If you dig in and do the work, drugs will soon be unnecessary.

I follow the straight edge lifestyle too, but medication doesn't count (not that I'm on any). It's really about recreational drugs. There's a difference between treating depression and getting high.

Welcome to WP!

I do not classify anti-depressants as recreational drugs. The idea that it makes you into a smiley is BS. Here's my experience.

Imagine it's dark, it's snowing, the wind is blowing in your face. As you walk along, you hoist yourself up onto the snow's crust, only break through and fall on your face. Get up, repeat.

Adding anti-depressants is like a pair of snowshoes. The weather isn't any better, but you don't break through the crust anymore. Believe me, it is worth it.

david_42, that was an incredibly good explanation!

You could go outside.. like in the woods or something. There are looooots of accounts of it being good for stress and depression. http://www.tressugar.com/3619435
http://www.mindfulactiontherapy.com/blo ... -treatment
http://www.kast.com/?q=node/1028
(I just skimmed those ones, they were the first that came up on google..)
There's even a hospital in Japan that sends people on walks in the woods as a treatment.

It's the best place to be, because there is so much to see and do, but you don't have to worry about anything because there's nothing there to worry about.

I wish antidepressants worked for me. unfortunately they made me extremely ill with some very dangerous side effects.

I recall the stress of college very well and am glad I did not drink or use drugs while I was there. the lack of distractions made my college experience better. in hindsight I do wish I'd known about the benefits of cannabis for sensory overload, though. I probably would have rethought my aversion to so-called illicit drugs if I'd known that there was something that helpful for stopping complete overload because I did suffer quite a bit from being in close proximity to so many people all the time... but then I would have had to known it was due to AS, too, for the remedy to make sense and not make me feel guilty.

whatever you decide, educate yourself on possible side effects. the drugs work very well for a lot of people, but as one of the ones who can't handle them I can say trying them wasn't worth the low quality of life for 3 out of the last 4 years.

Exercise is generally good and can help with depression. However I was doing an hour a day on a treadmill and still hated my kids, so I knew it was time. First, I read books like Beyond Prozac to educate myself and then I went into the doctor. I was not surprised by the temporary side effects like sleepiness and an increase in suicidal ideation (I did not know I could increase it, but lo and behold) and in a few weeks I got on an even keel. Most of the time I'm calm and I don't hate my kids anymore. For me, drugs were the answer to becoming a more pleasant person to my longsuffering family.

Straightedge is against the use of illegal drugs. Some people take it too far. It's about doing drugs in moderation.

Anti-depressants really worked for me.

Straightedge is just a hardcore fad that will be over once you reach your 20's. In the 1980's it was serious but it's just a joke now.