Counselling for Aspergers and anxiety

Post Reply New Topic

Hi,

In the past, when I have sought counselling for anxiety, all they seem to concentrate on is, gee ponies, why don't you think about "what is the worst thing that will happen" and when you know the answer, you'll find it really isn't that bad.

Is it possible to find a counselor, who won't have this approach with me, or is that the way they all seem to work?

I want someone who will understand things like feeling under pressure, or general anxiety about upcoming events, regardless of whether they are nice or not (eg, even dinner out with friends, I find stressful because it is socialising etc).

If the counselor said to me, what is the worst that will happen, my answer won't make sense because it will be like "well, we go out for dinner, and I talk to my friends, and they talk to me back. Occasionally I won't know what to say, or I might stammer, and I'll feel the pressure to be sociable the whole time. And that is what I find stressful about the event and this is why I feel anxious about it" It's not a case of a "worst case scenario".

I don't feel that this kind of stress and anxiety is something that can be fixed. Can it? I think I'll always find socialising stressful.

Its like being a n****r at a clan rally.

Accept things and let go

Aspergers is a developemental disorder, so keeping fit and exercising is probably the best thing to do.

I have heard that "what is the worst that can happen" so many times, and it does not help (along with "the glass is half full, not half empty").

I think CBT-type approaches with people with ASD have to fully recognize the origin of the stress / anxiety and what aspects of the stressful experience can change. Most counsellors / therapists are working with adults who have developed an anxiety disorder through depression or trauma, not people with a lifelong experience of anxiety arising from a PDD.

But with the right approaches, I am sure that the experience of anxiety can be modified. For instance, if you go in to a shop and feel a sense of being disliked by the shop assistant, force yourself to communicate ("Lovely weather", "Good morning" or any meaningless padding that is usual) and attempt a smile. You can not make things worse than believing you are disliked and may disconfirm the feeling.