Why do those with AS tend to suffer from depression?

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"Depraspie" topic

Sometimes these two words just fuse with me, as hell is often other people.

What evidence or statistic do you have to show that Aspies have clinical depression more frequently than NTs?

ruveyn

I think a lot of aspies confuse feelings of frustration and disappointment with depression. Anhedonia is the hallmark or clinical depression.

I think my anhedonia is partly due to being on the spectrum. I need more stimulation to be happy than the average person. It fits in with the hyper-focus and obsessions. NT's seem to have a MUCH easier time just going with the flow and doing what others expect of them than I do.

I wasn't drawing a comparison between Aspies and NTs. And carefully use the word 'tend' in the title to suggest a propensity rather than a given. I also use the term depression, which in its loosest meaning could also refer to 'feeling down' or 'having the blues' as oppose to stipulating 'clinical depression'. However, it's my understanding from things read (Tony Attwood's The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome mentions that it's not uncommon for those in their late teens to be diagnosed with clinical depression and this sometimes leading to a diagnosis of AS) and from personal experience and indeed from the apparent experience that contributors to this thread have revealed that having depressive moods, spells, and thoughts are not uncommon to those with AS. Whether or not this is more or less than NTs I have no idea, although I'm sure if enough research were done there'd be evidence out there to point in either direction. A very quick google shows the following:

People with autism or Asperger syndrome are particularly vulnerable to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, especially in late adolescence and early adult life (Tantam & Prestwood, 1999). Ghaziuddin et al (1998) found that 65 per cent of their sample of patients with Asperger syndrome presented with symptoms of psychiatric disorder.

However, as mentioned by Howlin (1997), "the inability of people with autism to communicate feelings of disturbance, anxiety or distress can also mean that it is often very difficult to diagnose depressive or anxiety states, particularly for clinicians who have little knowledge or understanding of developmental disorders". Similarly, because of their impairment in non-verbal expression, they may not appear to be depressed (Tantam, 1991). This can mean that it is not until the illness is well developed that it is recognised, with possible consequences such as total withdrawal; increased obsessional behaviour; refusal to leave the home, go to work or college etc; and threatened, attempted or actual suicide. Aggression, paranoia or alcoholism may also occur.

In treating mental illness in the patient with autism or Asperger syndrome, it is important that the psychiatrist or other health professional has knowledge of the individual with autism being assessed. As Howlin (1997) says, "it is crucial that the physician involved is fully informed about the individuals usual style of communication, both verbal and non-verbal". In particular it is recommended, if possible, that they speak to the parents or carers to ensure that the information received is reliable, eg any recent changes from the normal pattern of behaviour, whilst at the same time respecting the right of the person with autism to be treated as an individual.

From a national source > http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=128&a=3346

general_piffle, that tends to be a very good question as, I'm not good at saying exactly why there tends to be a heavy prevalence of Depression within the Autistic community however, I feel it might be due in part to many of the social challenges which, many of us have faced or will eventually face sometime within our own individual lives. I'll go on the record to state that, I've been dealing with depression for 22yrs now and yes, I've managed to find some serenity but, such is not permanent mind you therefore, I'm always trying to find means and ways to remain contented within my own being yet, out in the world there can always be situations and people whom can sometimes overload my emotional contentment level and all so, it's hard to say how depression can often arise within a person with an ASD..


ProfessorX

I feel the same way. I hate living a double life, but that is all there is for me out there. I cannot survive by simply being myself.

^ yes. A good example is the "invisible messages" people try to give with eye contact. Sometimes I see a friend looking at me, like they're sharing some sort of silent exchange with me, but I can't understand the message they're trying to convey.

I hate that, I never have a clue what is supposed to be mutually understood with that glance.

For me, perseveration on different complex thoughts and topics for too long time alone once became a depression.
As the time went by, I couldn't put these thoughts aside, even though I wanted to.
It's also that thing with the hyperfocused mind (as Marshall wrote).

I was frequently told by my very-ASish mom that I was genetically pre-disposed to depression...that I got it from her.
My parents have a rather scant understanding of the autistic spectrum...even though I have tried to explain it to them...and all my developmental difficulties and sensory issues and emotional problems ect....they always tended to lump under the term "depression"...

Being stuck between two worlds of perception.

Knowing that whatever, "help" is out there is either insufficiently funded; irrelevant to the real issues; inappropriate for your situation or condescendingly negative. It seems to be a trap: once you're assessed, people look down on and bully you if they know about the label. This "help" can isolate/ostracise you even more and aggravate the original social issues. So this makes you afraid about . Knowing that there's no physical, provable medical test for the condition is quite frightening. This means that you can't disprove the behavioural assessment, but it also means that you can't really prove it to employers/authorities either who probably don't know about the condition.

It can become a vicious cycle of being ostracised, seeking "help" and being ostracised again for being labeled. It can become a spiral of depression, loneliness and social anxiety.

There's nowhere sensible to turn. You have to keep quiet to avoid being stigmatised even further. You have to call yourself "disordered", and all the negativity that comes with that term, to get people to listen to you or rather, pity you. They treat you differently afterwards and may not have a sensible or balanced view of your real strengths and weaknesses.

Wanting to socialise, but lacking the skill and courage to do so.

Upsetting people unintentionally and making faux pas again and again.

Not having your abilities appreciated because it's a requirement to socially present yourself and interact with others.

Stress over team based work.

I am pretty sure I have AS and when I was about nine or ten, I suffered what I am pretty sure was depression. I remembered everything bad I had ever done, and hated myself for it... it was one of the worst months of my life... and then one day I though.... sod it, what's done is done!

-ALacount

the memory thing is not soemthing i've concretely put my finger on before, so I'm glad a couple of posts have pointed it out. I've never really considered the possibility (or maybe just not recognised the full consequences thereof) that AS memory may be significantly better in terms of recall etc than that of a neruotypical indivdual. I certainly know that those times I have been depressed (clinically so, more than 'the blues') I have had great difficulty in not ruminating. This may be part of the process of tackling the underlying problem, of resolving conflicts otherwise put aside until recently. I suppose, though, it does seem that a greater ability to accurately recall past events may in fact have lengthened the time spent depressed and increased the severity of symptoms, coupled with the capacity to focus intensely on one thing, well, i'm almost not surprised things got worse. I think I saw a post by White Tiger about how 'psychosis often occurs in early adult life'(i think thats her u/name, it was actually a couple of her youtube videos that pointed me toward AS after yet another bout of Major D, I should thank her really, just seems a little odd... ). I fit that one, twice at least. Just wonder if anyone else here has been there as well as depression?

I'm actually ok at understanding these messages, although sometimes I do mis-understand them myself.

Depression for me is caused partly by being cursed with the knowlege that i am failing in so many ways in my life, yet not having the "skills" needed to do anything about it.