Why people with Asperger's Syndrome are so often depressed..

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Loneliness and isolation are why I get depressed. Also my life situation in a way. While I'm thankful my family is helping me by letting me live with them and stuff, I don't earn enough income or have the resources to achieve and do what I want in life. That said, I make do with what I have. I work on my drawing and painting every day (hopefully one day when my portfolio is finished I can get a career going), play games, go for walks in nature where I live, et cetera.

I suffer from depression and I think it is because my brain is chemically differently. I recently had Electroconvulsive Therapy and have noticed a improvement in my depression. My OCD and anxiety are still present and I still have all my Asperger's Syndrome traits. So based off this, I can say in my case the depression stems from a chemical imbalance.

Hey Deb: I'm glad things are working out for you!

My simple answer is that people, especially in groups can be cruel to those who are different to them. They reject us, they make fun of people who have similarities to us, and will probably turn on you when you tell them not to.

I'm usually depressed because:

*I realise my social skills are still behind others and I worry about what to say to people when wanting to become friends with them.
*I may not have another relationship again
*Issues with finding and keeping employment
*Autism symptoms getting me down, as well as the other disorders I have, when I compare them to people who don't have to go through them.
*I have bipolar
*I have hormone issues
*Sometimes jealously towards other photographers can lead to depressed feelings
*I'm not living where I want to live

Not all people with ASD want to be alone all of the time. I go through phases of preferring to be alone but then I will want to go out and hang with friends, well my friend.

Sometimes it sucks being alone and being so different to others. We work so hard to learn social skills so we can avoid embarrassing ourselves, becoming stuck in a social situation or accidentally offending people.

That said I do enjoy my autistic/ADHD/slightly manic life.

First is was my family when I was little, than it was my peers and my sister both at the same time, than it was the workplace bullies that I've dealt with back in the 90s and now it's a woman Barb's age that I used to be really good friends with, until the Summer of 2010. That woman keeps asking Barb if she's still hanging out with me and she tells her that she doesn't like my hair or my clothes.

It also seemed that my parents were more heavy handed with me and permissive with my sister. That scarred me for life, because I've learned that they favoured my younger sister from the very beginning. It seems as though my mum has been on my case since I've started talking.

I don't mind if I'm isolated and nobody talks to me but it makes me feel angry at other people and they are strange.

I agree with that the approach to treat depression with autistics should be different, just like with other things. Because it can be experienced in a different way. However for that to happen, they should start accepting that we might have different necessities and work in a different way, and try to understand instead of having a bad attitude, like some can have.

I also agree that groups can be cruel..

By the way, this last part is for starfox. Your profile picture seems familiar to me. It reminds me of someone.

Reminds me of Victoria Beckham..

I hope people on the spectrum do become accepted more. Lol its the character Lisbeth Salander from the book/movie the girl with the dragon tattoo by Steig Larson

Lisbeth Salander was on the spectrum as well. Yes, it reminded me of her. Because it was her. It makes sense now. I also wish that there was more acceptance, yes.

Certain aspects of my life are in fact pretty depressing(the whole not function like a normal adult) and being on the spectrum plays a part in that. I think it is a pretty rational response.

I can imagine why Aspies or people with ASD are often depressed, but I myself am the odd-man-out. I have some troubles that are mentioned above, but I am generally happy, are often in a good mood (some people do notice that as well), and anger is often an inefficient way for me to solve problems (but I do understand other people's anger). Therefore I am almost never really angry.

I smile and laugh easily, also because of funny thoughts, I have from time to time. It may make me socializable and/or approachable by others.

I'm not so sure that failing to set limits for your younger sister meant that your parents favored her over you... kids require limits in order to be able to make it in this world. Limits teach kids that there's usually (not always, but often) a correlation between effort and achievement, that actions have consequences (sometimes unanticipated ones), that doing your best isn't enough if you didn't bother to do what's actually required.

My parents were waaaaaaay stricter with me (oldest) and my brothers (middle) than with my youngest sister (Baby Sister) - Baby Sis was spoiled, selfish, got away with murder and manipulative enough to get us blamed for stuff she did. Needless to say, I loathed her as a kid.

However, as an ADULT, I read that description of Baby and all think is "poor kid". What was once "spoiled" is actually "neglected" (i.e., let everything slide with her but not the older 3; holding the line is a gift to kids, make no mistake). "Selfish" is "left to her own devices. "Drama queen", "manipulative", "gets others in trouble" sure looks like "lonely" and "begging SCREAMING for attention"in hindsight, from a grownup's perspective.

I have been dealing with depression for a very long time and my type of depression is something like a roller coaster: it's there one day then I'm going along the track just fine and I'm suddenly hurled off of it because the tracks been broken. It was mostly bullying that caused my depression to show it's head but I feel like it was always there to begin with. I say good things to myself like saying I'm a beautiful strong woman with a wonderful man, but then the whole world crumbles again. It's a never ending process that's put at bay when I get outside but it always comes back.

I was never depressed until I started hanging out with a bunch of people trying to cure their Autistic kiddos. I was happy, peaceful and full of energy until I met them. Listening to others tell you constantly how bad Autistics or YOU are is enough to drive ANYONE insane. I'd rather live happy and alone.

I agree with this.