Is general anxiety a part of AS? Does therapy help?

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I've had severe general anxiety for about 4 years now, ever since my mother became terminally ill and subsequently died. Before I started taking meds for it, I was in a constant state of panic so bad I ended up in the emergency room twice. Now I'm on Paxall and Ativan, the only two meds I seem to be able to tolerate, but they want me to get off the Ativan and I'm barely getting by with the amount they're giving me. Even with the drugs I still have anxiety all the time and occasional panic. I've had tons of therapy around this and have done everything possible to lower the stress in my life. I don't work, am financially secure, and have the support of my immediate family and a spiritual group. Yet nothing I've done to lower my stress has improved the constant anxiety.

Has anyone heard of this sort of free-floating severe anxiety/panic being associated with AS? If so, any ideas how others have successfully coped with it? I've had problems with anxiety since adolescence, but nothing like I've experienced the past 4 years.

I have constant anxiety. I'm taking medication which helps reduce it, but it's always there. I try to accept that I will always have to deal with it. Some things that help distract me are reading, watching movies/tv. But, there's always that tingling under my skin.

Anxiety can certainly exist with Aspergers, but not everyone with AS has anxiety........I am another one that does though. I have not found a way to rid myself of the anxiety though I have found ways to bring it under more control.

That's a perfect description of the constant underlying anxiety. I can actually feel quite good when I'm adequately distracted, but it's always there lurking. The hardest time for me is when I wake up from sleep, because the anxiety hits before I'm able get out of bed, and can be very difficult to get past.

I have been diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder on top of AS. The way it was put to me was that many people with AS also have anxiety, but that the level I'm sitting at (and it sounds like you to) is not "normal" even for AS.

I've always had anxiety problems, but over the last 10 years it really has become worse and worse. I've also developed fairly debilitating OCD in the past 5 years that is just spiralling out of control.

I've had a lot of therapy over my life, but like you nothing seems to ever change. I've been seeing a clinical psychologist every week for the last year, and a psychologist once a month, but I can't see any (positive) change in my anxiety levels. I've also tried two medications this year (Mirtazapine and Citalopram) and neither had any effect at all.

I'm beginning to feel like this is it. And I'm meant to just plant a fake smile on my face and pretend I'm not living in hell.

I try to get up as soon as I'm aware of things - if not, I'll just lay there worrying more and more. I go through a routine when I get up to try to calm myself; this helps.

Thanks, that's good advice. I'll give it a go.

It is very common for a person with AS to develop GAD (general anxiety disorder) along side their AS. I used to have it when I was younger, in fact that and depression were my only official diagnoses back then. I still get anxious, but not nearly as bad now. Before I couldn't leave the house or do anything that I previously enjoyed because of my anxiety and I developed agoraphobia. Thankfully a mixture of medication and kicking myself up the tush helped to get me through the GAD. That makes it sound far too easy, it was a horrible battle to be honest. Also literally kicking one's backside doesn't cure GAD...

Now I'm off to kick this depression out of me!

I assume the reason I constructed a routine-oriented, "no surprises" life for myself is to keep my anxiety under control. When I'm anxious anyway, I find that physical work that is not mentally challenging--mowing the grass, washing the car, cleaning out a closet--usually calms me.