Are people with Aspergers generally happy people?

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I don't think you can generalize. But I can admit that I have a problem with generalizing and it would bother me to be stuck into someone's generalized idea. I would describe myself as happy, but my quality of life sucks (this is not due to AS, though). From lurking through these message boards, there seem to be a lot of unhappy people here...but you have to remember that nearly everyone here is AS/HFA and sometimes message boards attract lonely or unhappy people. Everything isn't great all the time, but I would describe myself as happy. Other people might not, though.

If we're prone to chronic depression, it is more likely a result of the discriminatory way we're treated than any biological result of the disorder itself. But if the disorder directly leads to behaviors that constantly invite that sort of discrimination, then the resulting depression is virtually inevitable. So it might as well be considered part and parcel of Asperger Syndrome itself. Having AS makes it considerably likely, IMO that you will suffer from frequently recurrent bouts of depression most of your life. Maybe that's just my experience, but I seem to see a lot of posts here that reflect pretty much the same results.

Last edited by Willard on 02 May 2010, 2:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Callista wrote:

I believe this is a big part of the reason for any possible (and as I said in my previous post, I personally believe Aspies/NLD-ers are generally unhappy people) disproportionate unhappiness among those with AS/NVLD.

It's just that this is only part of the reason in my case. My own unhappiness in life is far internally motivated. I have been treated quite shabbily, but not much worse than many other people with and without ASD. People who actually have gifts, talents, skills, *intelligences*, etc....as opposed to my nonexistent ones. My lack of these things is the chief reason for all my unhappiness in this world and nothing but my brain and whatever is ultimately responsible for creating it can be blamed for that.

Noooo! Aspies aren't Sweet Happy Idiots! We're normal, feeling people, but we have many problems with society, so we are prone to fall into depression.

In my case no. I've never been able to feel true happiness. I need a reason to be happy. I guess perhaps my main emotion is netural or fear.

I have aspergers and I consider myself a person who is content with his life. Just think about the good things that have happened. Although it's difficult I believe in you guys...And I think I posted this in another topic: "Believe in yourself our you'll surely fail".

I'm sorry guys if you don't feel the same way. But i feel as if a smile is just a mask i put on so others at least try and talk to me.
Because if i look distracted or anything no one will talk to me. So i feel like there is no point in showing your true feelings if people don't responed to it. or may be im showing the wrong "face" for the wrong emotion.

I think I am naturally a very tense person. But my happiness depends on the atmosphere I am in. I am usually happiest when I'm at home; I am at my most tense when I'm at school or in other social environments.

I'm not happy or sad at all. I'm neutral when it comes to feelings. It's OK.

If I'm not feeling pressured or stressed, I'm generally pretty happy with my life. It's just that this past year or so has been stressful and pretty rough, emotionally. I had a lot of interpersonal problems at work (office politics), then had to quit my job to keep up with my academic demands, then had a lot of work for school, an unemployed family member moved in with me, my daughter got married, the house is a pit, the yard is overgrown and the lawnmower is kaput, I'm largely broke and on top of it all, I can't seem to connect with the other students in my classes. So, yeah, stressful, so not particularly happy right now.

If there's even one reason for me to get up in the morning, I'll get by. Even if it means inventing it.

Right now I am not happy.

I'm not happy.
How can I be without friends?

i'm not massively happy at the moment but that is because i need to wait for certain things to happen first. I want my GF to move back to the UK so we can live together and i'll be getting my own flat soon where i can feel safe and happy to do things exactly how i want.

at the moment i am not unhappy but i need to stay very active to keep my mind off of things. my only real issue is that i want to reach out to people and be really sociable etc. but it is way more difficult now that i am not a kid and am expected to behave a certain way

i found it difficult to have things to look forward to but i think once you can do that things can sometimes get better.

As unhappy as I am about every other circumstance in my life, i'm really relatively untroubled by the fact that I don't have any friends. Actually I have a few, but my depression has resulted in self-imposed isolation and these people have pretty much given up on trying to contact me. One is my NT ex-girlfriend and she likes to feign anger when I don't answer my phone or call her for weeks.

In any case....perhaps Schizotypal Personality Disorder has actually been the one blessing I was granted in an otherwise accursed existence. As miserable as I am, I am well-aware of the utterly ridiculous and horrific "It could be worse" principle which seems to permeate all existence. I might be even worse off if I actually DESIRED friends and companionship.

Yes folks...no matter how hot hell is for you...it could always be hotter. There is no such thing as absolute heat. But unfortunately for hapless humankind, "heaven" has it's limitations. No matter who you are and how good you have it....you're still gonna suffer, die, feel pain, lose loved ones, etc......


Such is the inexpressible absurdity and horror of existence. A thing that should've never been in the first place IMHO.

For any of us.

I'm not unhappy, but I have problems with anxiety. I'm working on accepting the fact that anxiety in itself doesn't mean anything and can't be solved like a puzzle. I also have happy moments, but I wouldn't say I'm happy because I'm not at peace with myself yet. I intend to be though, but it's a slow process.

I've been resentful about my anxiety, thinking mean thoughts about myself for it. Realizing the interconnected nature of anxiety-social interaction - confusion and fear of the unknown - negative obsessing does help though. Knowing I have autism gives me clues as to how I should change my life to reduce my anxiety. I still feel like stomping the floor yelling "it's not fair!" though.

I want to be happy. I have great things in my life (my children, my husband, my studies) and I want to be happy about it. But I get stuck in a negative spiral where I accuse myself of being ungrateful, which only makes me unhappy