Hello. I understand how you feel, anxiety and generalised anxiety disorder as well as many other anxiety disorders are very common among people who are on the autism spectrum (ASD).
From what i have read, the reason why you may feel this way is because your sympathetic nervous system is stuck. So your nervous system is stuck in fight or flight mode. *(which is to some extent great if your fighting an army of ninja's or dinosaurs) but crap if living in normal society where your not allowed to even touch a person without getting charged with assault.
I have read a fair amount about the different treatments and have taken most illegal drugs over the years, but have to say that their are not many real cures for generalised anxiety.
However, if you are careful and are really determined, you may still be able to find a fair amount of relief from your anxiety. However, i am afraid the permanent cure, if your anxiety is not triggered by some external source (such as stimulants or specific event) you will have to work at it and keep a balance for the rest of your life.
The treatments that i have read are supposed to be the most effective are mindfulness meditation, cbt and various legal anti-anxiety meds such as SSRI's and Valium (although the valium is generally not recommended due to dependence problems associated with it).
There are also some legal supplements that are known to also help which include L-Theanine. Which is a like a weak valium that isn't addictive, is legal and doesn't create a tolerance.
The other things to look out for in terms of reducing anxiety is:
limit stimulant intake including coffee / caffeine / tea / red bull / cola / other soft drinks etc.
keep an eye on the effects of alcohol as to whether that causes you anxiety.
try and work out if your environment causes you any extra anxiety
as people who are on the spectrum (or who have ASD) often suffer from sensory processing problems that cause them additional anxiety. I, for example, am stressed by unexpected noises and am also stressed when walking in city/towns where loads of people are and there is a lots of movement, people staring and unexpected noises.
To resolve this problem, living somewhere that is more calm and is less populated, ideally in nature, around trees and natural noises is much more calming.
If working, best to try and find a working environment that is also calming, perhaps even work from home if possible (if you dont mind working on your own). As you are young, you have loads of time to train up in areas that interest you. Look into areas that will accommodate your needs.
with regards to pot, i smoked pot for a number of years, and sure, the first few years. Pot did relax me, make me laugh and make me experience the world in an altered state. However, (although this is controversial)
there are a fair amount of psychiatrists that say that pot use is a major cause of mental illness including schitzophrenia especially if you have some mental health problems to begin with.
Others say (usually people who smoke pot) that pot doesn't cause any mental health problems, but even they will admit that pot is known to make any mental health problems worse.
It's funny regarding my own experience. I used pot for several years. In the start it was fun, naughty (cause it was illegal where i live and still is) and really interesting. I was the first kid of my age in my area to smoke pot as I was given it by my older brother.
However, after a few years it started to become ingrained in our sub culture, as by the time we were 17, everyone was smoking pot and it was a way to socialise but more habitual than anything.
I am not sure at what point it was that smoking pot stopped being enjoyable, although I do remember a trip to Amsterdam when I was in my late teens where I smoked the strongest skunk i could find, making pure super skunk and northern lights joints, joint after joint chain smoking. During that time i really knocked my own socks off and the week was strongly psychadelic (as i started to trip off it in a big way).
After that, smoking weed often freaked me out and just made me paranoid. I also started to realise that when smoking pot I stopped being productive in my life. I also realised that it also made me more shy than I am already. So what i first thought was a great way to hang out and get with someone turned into a prison of my own making.
Later on, I also messed with several other drugs, which I personally do not recommend anyone.
Looking back on my life, and how I live now. I wish i had not bothered at all and just got involved in positive activities such as sport, music, art and martial arts. These are the things that really make life for me.
Also, the people i know who are clean are often much more straight forward people with out as many hang ups.
Not to mention the sporty people are usually much fitter and sexier.
Sure, when your 18, every one is in their prime. and there are loads of attractive people around including the people on drugs. Look at the same people when they are much older, say 30 or 40. Well at least the ones that are still alive, and you will see that many look much older and the drugs and excessive alcohol have really taken its toll.
I met a guy the other day, who took the drugs and alcohol route. He wasn't that old (although it will sound old to you). He was 42. He had Cirrhosis of the liver. and emphysema. Others from my era are dead due to drug use.
i recommend that you stay well away from opiates. As opiates will give you temporary release but are extremely hard to give up and extremely easy to over dose on. Not a good cure of feeling crap.
while on opiates your life will also be slowly falling apart along with your parents and families, (who aren't even taking the opiates) and you will wake up one morning feeling even worse that you do with just anxiety and it will dawn on you that your entire world is completely messed up and you will realise how stupid you have been and how many years you have wasted being an idiot and hurting your loved ones as well as your self.
On a positive note however
one of the best ways to reduce anxiety is to go to the gym for a good cardio work out.
Read up on this, this will be miles better for you and make you look and feel better.
Will cut down your cortisol levels, boost your testosterone (even a little for woman) and lower
your adrenaline levels. Not to mention release all the endorphins! awesome!! !
hope you feel better soon.
21 Nov 2016, 6:46 pm
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