So, according to this, I have Anxiety

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I just read this article: http://www.autism.org.uk/living-with-au ... order.aspx and noticed that I have maybe 90% of the symptoms mentioned. I always thought anxiety was something different.

How many of you have experienced this? Does it ever "go away"?

Very common.
more or less strongly affecting

You probably can work on it. But thats tough

I have anxiety, I first recognised it around 12 years ago, when it became a major problem. I still have anxiety, but CBT and some relaxation methods have reduced the severity somewhat and most importantly I can now recognise when I'm anxious.

Jason

I have anxiety and I rarely get physical symptoms. My anxiety has gotten better over the years. I don't think it actually goes away, you just learn to deal with it or stay calm and stay out of situations that cause it. But you won't always be able to avoid situations that may cause it. I used to get literally sick to my stomach over a change or sudden change but I haven't had that in years now. Once I learned to be flexible and deal with change, I stopped getting that psychical symptom. I still get upset over a sudden change but I don't literally feel sick anymore. I learned I have less anxiety when I learn to deal with things. Same with meltdowns, I have them less also.

I had to go to the ER because anxiety was making my heart beat too fast, and I started freaking out thinking I was having a heart attack and going to die. It was like an anxiety feed back loop. I've been to the ER 3 times because of this in the last 4 years (and called 911 an additional time but no ER)... I don't think it goes away. I strongly feel like that I need to be on a benzo like klonopin.

I think anxiety and autism often go hand in hand. I know I am very anxious during meltdowns.

Anxiety is something I have dealt with all of my life. Sadly though, it is something I am not being treated for, even though I know I should be. While I do not have the stereotypical meltdowns, I used to have episodes and panic attacks in the past. I think part of the reason I don't now is due to maturation and that with age, certain hormones are not as active as they are earlier in life. I still have times when my emotions are quite strong but I can now manage and get away well enough that I can cope.

As to why it is common in ASD people, I think it's explained by the "Intense World Theory". If I understand it right, it's like a sensory issue. Just like certain senses may be much stronger because of the over connected nature of parts of the autistic brain, emotions are stronger as well. This intensity leads to an overload that ends up being anxiety. If I have AS as I think I do, then this would explain why I have dealt with anxiety and other strong emotions all of my life. I also can get VERY angry at times, but it never gets externalized. I fear what would happen if I lost control, so I control everything in my actions by logic and try to ignore the emotions when they are obviously dangerous to follow.

Last edited by outofplace on 01 Oct 2012, 3:12 am, edited 2 times in total.

Many people with a generalized anxiety disorder don't even recognize themself that they feel that way because of anxiety. That's why it can be actually very hard to diagnose.
I don't say that you have it, but it's possible.
I just wanted to mention that this is typical for chronic anxieties, that people don't even recognize that they have it themself.

I had this too.
Walking around for months with extrem anxiety and asking myself over and over "what is this?"
I don't know why it is this way. Anxiety is something very strange and it is this emototion I like the least.

And especially if you might also have alexithymia to it, it get's even more difficult.