Does depression make traits worse?

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There are many symptoms or traits associated with AS - for example tendency to either avoid eye contact or stare too much, monotonic speech, you know the picture. Many aspies are also depressed.

Do you think being depressed makes these symptoms or traits worse? If you were not depressed, would you perceive things less awkward?

I'm depressed and have been for most of my adult life. I've still been able to study and work and I have friends and at least some social activity. But I also notice that while I feel a bit reclusive and lack energy, when I am in social situations my interactions are probably more "mechanical" and "forced" than they would if I was happy with my life.

One specific thing is that if I actually do have fun, I might get overwhelmed and might not be certain what kind of touching is proper. For example, whether you can hug your friend or shake their hand, or something else. I read that this is something many aspies struggle with and I wonder whether being overwhelmed with a situation makes these worse.

Another option, of course, is to stay home, like I have often done. Then there's no risk of anyone getting offended and I could concentrate on video games, writing and so on, but also no potential of meeting new people and... having fun.

What do you think?

When I get stressed out, my traits are significantly worse. If I've had a really easy week and am totally calm, then I find myself able to make slight eye contact; if I am the slightest bit stressed out, you can bet your bottom dollar that I won't even be looking in the same direction as the person. I think even NTs feel like they are "going through the motions" when they are depressed, though, so is that what you mean? I think it's likely that depression would affect the severity of some AS traits, but I'm not sure if what you're describing is directly related to the AS and not just the depression.

Depression absolutely effects makes all my issues worse. It zaps the much needed energy to rise above them and not come off quite so "different."

Having suffered from clinical depression since my teens I can say that it seems to make pretty much everything worse.

Depression can make me lose interest in the things I normally enjoy. Since that includes my special interests that can cause a lot of guilt and frustration. So does my finding simple chores like washing dishes or putting my laundry away seem like a huge effort. I become more irritable by things that overload my senses and I'm more likely to rage or have a meltdown - unless I'm so depressed just standing is a huge effort, because it takes a lot of energy to fly into a rage or have a meltdown. The worst thing of all is when I become less tolerant towards my cats' behavior, especially my younger cat whom I aptly named "Mischief". He's a sweet, friendly, lovable cat but he can be too friendly because he just wants to play or be given attention for what feels like 24 hours a day, except of course when he sleeps. He'll accidentally claw my legs right through my jeans when he jumps into my lap, causing me to scream in pain - I have scratches that are still healing- or claw the furniture or try to get outside when ever I go out and scratch me when I force him to come back in. I'm wondering if I can take him to the vet to get his claws clipped - not declawed but just get his claws clipped or covered up so he doesn't scratch, at least for a while...

Yes. For me, depression was what caused me to have rage outbursts because of being too dissatisfied with my life and the way I was. My depression got so stubborn that it was beginning to make me mentally ill and I was on the verge of suicide and nothing I did would help with the depression. So I had to resort to medication, and that is the only thing that has helped. And, since it helped with my depression, I also feel less Aspie too. So I believe depression did have an affect on my Asperger's symptoms.

Yes, I think depression reduces anyone's ability to cope and so things that you normally have better control of or just don't have problems with, show more. Like picture stalagmites and stalactites in a cave under water: the stalagmites and stalactites are the traits (whether they be from your personality or neurology and it all goes back to genetics and environment). The water represents your mood/emotions and depression or whatever it may be that affects your functionality. When the water is high, say you are in a high mood, some of those formations are hidden, but are still very much there and you pick up other traits (those stalactites above) which are characteristic of you when you are "on top" of everything and they might even in some instances, mirror or be the opposite of the ones below. When your mood is low, those stalagmites that were less noticeable before are now sticking up above the surface. I think as we age, or at least I hope, that some of these traits will eventually meet in the middle and form a column and "balance out." (I went into some caverns lately so caves are on my mind .)

Considering that we need to force ourselves to "control" our traits, it's natural that depression will make them worse.
One of the main symptoms of depression is the lack of motivation, so without that and with the others bad things that it brings its consequential that our traits gets "worse" (by worse i mean less controlled).