Autism Spectrum and Depression/Bipolar

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I am diagnosed with both ASD and bipolar disorder. Although AS has caused alot of problems in my life, I think bipolar has practically ruined my life. I get periods of all this motivation and zest for life, only to be followed by crippling depressions. The depression are esecially crippling because sometimes I can't even get out of bed, let alone go to work or go out and meet people.

Right now I am in a pretty bad depression, I just want to crawl in a hole, curl up in a hole and die somewhere.

I'd guess it depends entirely on how severe one or the other is. I think either could wreck/totally alter your life if it's severe enough.

I think depression only because my mom had it and she was out of it for two years and I have AS and Ive never had it that bad... But I still struggle an awful lot....so it is aclose call between the two.

I'm so sorry! I dealt with some incredibly debilitating post-partum depression, a few years ago, and my brother is bipolar, so I can sort of relate. How long does it usually take for you to swing the other way, into the manic part? I've never asked my brother this, but does it help to know that the depression will eventually lift, even if it's only for a while? Kind of like coming up for air?

Both have the "label stigma" in social settings. The jury is still out on which people fear the most. I have a friend that is bipolar and when he says something weird, I put it through the "bipolar filter". It's a bad habit but I know he isn't really taking treatment for it. I know other people are a lot more prejudiced.

I believe I have the "soft bipolar". I thought I was just severely depressed but after counselling, deconstructing my "episodes" and talking to my husband about it, I have these "hypomanic" phases. They aren't creative but often euphoric and induce an amnesia of sorts. Like "nothing is ever wrong". I can't look at situations from detached way when I'm up or down. I have the "up" anger spells where I"m really crazy and irrational. Then the down depressive spells and I get weepy, fearful, needy, tired.

I'm still trying to control it all. Now that I have identified the episodes, my sane phases last longer. But my up and down episodes are more intense, if shorter.

autism is far more cripling than depression or bipolar disorder

I don't know, I'd say both are pretty rough. The social interaction thing on one hand is serious as people tend to take me as harsh or cold towards them, when really I'm deep in thought, trying to understand what the heck they just said to me or what they meant, or am just simply not interested so I can't focus. People don't understand that at all...

Yet, they also don't seem to understand wanting to just curl up into a ball and hide for a week, a month, however long it lasts, either-they want you to just "get up" and "get over it, it'll be okay".

They don't understand in either case that it won't just "be okay" and you can't just magically change to be what they want you to be, and either case can present a million problems as a domino effect.

Yeah! That really used to annoy me in high school, I'd be depressed and hiding under the Baby Grand and some fat ***** would plod up to me and spout "Oh come on, cheer up!" As if I'm gonna say, "Yes! I shall! Thanks for your insightful help, fatty!" Actually, that sounds exactly like the kind of thing I would've said.

Anyway, I'd say depression is more damaging directly, but autism can cause depression, whereas depression cannot cause autism.

And jman... you wouldn't happen to be the head admin of Sindome, would you?
*wonders if anyone has a clue what he's on about*

Bipolar

My dad had a relatively rare type of Bipolar I which I can't remember what it was called right now, but he had hallucinations pretty badly.

His bipolar was severe though.

I miss him.

did he have scizoaffective disorder

i voted depression/bipolar because you can't prepare for being manic/depressed, even when you kind of know its coming thet doesn't help you cope with it when it actually happens.

It really depends on the person, how they cope and the severity of the problem. I know someone with Bipolar disorder who is just as disabled as another person I know with Autism. They are just disabled in different ways. All three can be devastating.

exactly. it got really bad near the end, he died of lung cancer but about a year or two before he was talking to a Worcestershire sauce bottle that he thought was his only friend. he kept leaving the fridge open for it and it's friend a nonexistant ham sandwich saying it was hard for them to breath with it closed.

There were other more sinister ones too, but I'd rather not remember him when he had those.

A pic:


note the sweatshirt

How old was he in that picture?

52 I think, maybe 51