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

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I think I have finally figured out why people with Asperger's Syndrome so often have to battle depression...at least I have had to face this problem regularly, without really understanding why. Here is how I personally see it (in very general terms):

People with AS have a differently "wired" brain to NT's. What exactly does this mean?

Let us compare the AS brain to the neurotypical NT brain:

The NT brain is inherently social, like a dog's. The NT brain is wired to:

(1.) Gain social acceptance/approval by other members in a social group, i.e. not be excluded.
(2.) Gain social status and confidence through work/actions or inherited traits.

The NT brain has two main characteristics:

(A.) NTs can mentally withstand being dominated to the extreme (i.e. to death). This implies they can deal with belonging to a group even when they are treated (very) badly by others in the group, in case they are low in the social hierarchy due to low social status.
(B.) NTs can only dominate others to a limited extent. This implies they have a hard time being alone (because being content with being alone requires being able to dominate death with confidence).




The AS brain is inherently not too social, like a cat's. The AS brain is wired to:

(1.) Being content with being alone.
(2.) Gaining complete independence of others.

The AS brain has two main characteristics:

(A.) AS people can mentally withstand being dominant to the extreme (i.e. to death). This implies they can deal with being alone even with no prospect of getting help by others.
(B.) AS people can only withstand being dominated by others to a limited extent. This implies they have a hard time belonging to a group, unless they manage to become "top-dog" the way some dictators have managed to (e.g. Hitler, Stalin, etc.).


Because of the different degrees of being able to dominate, the person with the NT brain thinks he is human, while the person with the AS brain thinks he is god! (Similar to the way dogs think they are human, while cats think they are gods).

But AS people have often been put down socially without having been able to fight back, so maintaining a status of a god becomes almost impossible if you interact with other people regularly.

This creates the fundament for depression. If you fundamentally think you are alone, you have to believe you are a god, in order to feel good. As soon as you begin to think you are only human, you will become depressed. Basically because you have turned your anger towards others inward (those who claimed you were only human through put-downs).


Those with AS have to keep being confident they are gods if they want to beat depression. AS people, like cats, just have to be very confident individuals to feel well, no matter how much NTs keep telling them they should not.

Well, I'm neither god nor cat and dominance is not really an issue in my life. But depression is. For me it is more of an internal struggle.

I dont think thats true at all. Aspies get depressed because of a combination of factors such as : social exclusion, difficulty establishing romantic relationships, unsatisfying sex lives, lack of social life, being different, underemployment, unemployment, being misunderstood, and the feeling of being dominated by everyone else (exclusion).

Obviously anyone who struggles more to get by in this world will be prone to depression -- loneliness and isolation are the biggest contributing factors.

The way that has been the most effective for me to deal with it is pushing my body to its limits. When I'm physically active, the depression lessens to a large degree. It's also been a bit of an escape, unfortunately, that has kept me from trying as hard to be more social.

People that are bullied tend lose their self worth, get depressed no matter what their neurology. If NT's are so hierarchy oriented would not being on the bottom be depressing? For ASD's being touch sensitive makes being hit worse, being routine oriented makes having your stuff thrown around, ripped up, or destroyed worse. Rumination and catastrophizing makes any negative worse.

I don't agree with your theory at all, even if it is a general one. I'd go as far to say that most people with AS will probably understand their depression as being because of the effort and work we have to put in to everyday life. Majority of the things we do within society take more effort because of the way the world is structured. And also not being understood as well as we should be is a difficulty, among many other problems.

You know what, in a way I kinda agree with you.
I hate for other people to try and control me and make me behave by their rules. I'd rather be by myself or become a leader for others, reality is im rubbish as a leader because NTs have different ways of seeing things lol.

That is intesresting, because for abusers is all about dominance; to deprive their victim of any indepence and control them, and force you into their hierachy. Besides, idependently of neurology, any individual could get depressed if they were deprived about the most basic necessities for survival. I bring up the topic of abuse, because from what I have read, for them it is about controlling their victim. Apparently, to torture someone else makes them feel good.

Autistics are more vulnerable in this of being more likely to be victims of abuse.....Back to the main topic, I do not like the mention of Hitler....I just personally dislike him with the comparison, being part of the group you mentioned....

The option b, is more likely in options like when playing games, for being a leader of something. To be a leader of an extense group- It can stressful. And, if you do not wish to belong to a group: why, then, would you become their leader?

You must like to a certain degree the idea of belonging to group, in oder to be a leader, because this conveys a lot of responsability. And, when something goes wrong, the fault of whatever happens is more likely to go to the leader, because of his/her position.

I found what you wrote to be somewhat inspiring. Thanks for sharing it.

I enjoy posts that display creative thinking about the ASD condition.

To the OP, don't let people that disagree with you discourage you from posting your theories.

I especially liked this part - "because being content with being alone requires being able to dominate death with confidence".

I have a long history of depression and suicidal ideation. This is also coupled with the fact that I drank for 35 years and drugged for about 22. I'm on antidepressants now so they seem to alleviate some of my angst.

I agree that a lifetime of struggle and oppression is likely to make anyone depression-prone.

Depression is also an imbalance of serotonin in the brain, which may be a biological component of the disorder.

Pharmaceutical SSRI meds have a spotty record at best, helping some people and causing others to become even more depressed and occasionally suicidal and even homicidal. Its chemical Russian Roulette.

Several recent studies have shown psilocybin, the active ingredient in Magic Mushrooms, to be very effective at repairing faulty neural pathways and relieving symptoms of chronic depression for up to 2 years after ingestion (which jibes perfectly with my own experiences).

There may also be something to be said for the fact that psilocybin, like DMT, opens pathways of perception into multi-dimensional spaces, allowing a broader, more spiritually insightful worldview. That in itself allows for a more hopeful, positive, long-term outlook.

That analogy was truly bizarre. Pretty much the only part that made sense to me is becoming content with being alone... which only partially makes sense. Wouldn't it be better to learn how to interact with others so that you can when you need to?

I've felt what probably could be called depression because i was destructive and felt trapped in a situation but it was only temporary. I never give up, I'm too stubborn. If someone was to hurt me it wouldn't be for long because I always bounce back. To me the most important thing in my life is to learn more and gain experiences if things to increase my understanding, I'm happy as long as I'm not held back in that way. Sometimes it would be nice to have friends but that's something I can't really do; not in the way 'normal' people have friends anyways etc.

qawer, where have you been?! The forum has not been the same without you.

I think maybe there is one relevant element missing from your theory: there are differences in personality that cause some people to be prone to depression, and some to not be prone.

I agree starkid. Some people are very resilient and others not so much.