Being autistic means that you have many challenges in dealing with every aspect of your life. It is very difficult to convey your thoughts and feelings to other people, and you are often dealing with so much sensory input that you can feel cut off from the rest of the world. So it is really not very surprising that so many people with autism also suffer from anxiety or depression as well.
Since it is so difficult to identify depression and anxiety in an autistic person these conditions often go undiagnosed for quite some time, especially since an autistic person cannot tell you how they feel. Even those without autism have trouble explaining how they feel or identifying depression or anxiety in themselves that for an autistic person to realize that they are suffering from one of these conditions and to be able to convey those feelings to another person is not something that will happen very often.
Anxiety seems to be an everyday thing for someone with autism, as they try to navigate through life with all of its twists and turns. Often just a slight change of routine will create anxiety, but this does not mean that they have an anxiety disorder, rather that they are just trying to get through their next task when something in their environment has changed.
It is so hard for these people to function in a normal society and to communicate how they are doing with regards to their emotional state that diagnosis of depression and anxiety in a person with autism is very difficult, and treatment is equally so as it is hard to measure change in the person's demeanour, or to ask them how they are feeling.
What usually happens is that a family member becomes concerned about their behaviour, or worries that they may be depressed or anxious and they are then put on medication. While you wouldn't want a perfectly healthy person to be taking anti-depressants or anti-anxiety drugs, with persons who have autism there are some other beneficial aspect of these medications, such as that they improve focus and decrease excessive movement that is common in many autistics.
Caregivers should also try to complement medical treatment with some type of therapy designed for these conditions in autistic persons, as they can also offer improvements. Light therapy is a common treatment, as increased light helps to improve receptors in the brain, helping the brain make connections more easily. Therapy can also help them to express their emotions.
Anyone who is concerned that their ward may be suffering from anxiety or depression should consult a health practitioner. With medication and therapy you may find that they are more focused, happier and less anxious with their daily tasks. - 16004
Since it is so difficult to identify depression and anxiety in an autistic person these conditions often go undiagnosed for quite some time, especially since an autistic person cannot tell you how they feel. Even those without autism have trouble explaining how they feel or identifying depression or anxiety in themselves that for an autistic person to realize that they are suffering from one of these conditions and to be able to convey those feelings to another person is not something that will happen very often.
Anxiety seems to be an everyday thing for someone with autism, as they try to navigate through life with all of its twists and turns. Often just a slight change of routine will create anxiety, but this does not mean that they have an anxiety disorder, rather that they are just trying to get through their next task when something in their environment has changed.
It is so hard for these people to function in a normal society and to communicate how they are doing with regards to their emotional state that diagnosis of depression and anxiety in a person with autism is very difficult, and treatment is equally so as it is hard to measure change in the person's demeanour, or to ask them how they are feeling.
What usually happens is that a family member becomes concerned about their behaviour, or worries that they may be depressed or anxious and they are then put on medication. While you wouldn't want a perfectly healthy person to be taking anti-depressants or anti-anxiety drugs, with persons who have autism there are some other beneficial aspect of these medications, such as that they improve focus and decrease excessive movement that is common in many autistics.
Caregivers should also try to complement medical treatment with some type of therapy designed for these conditions in autistic persons, as they can also offer improvements. Light therapy is a common treatment, as increased light helps to improve receptors in the brain, helping the brain make connections more easily. Therapy can also help them to express their emotions.
Anyone who is concerned that their ward may be suffering from anxiety or depression should consult a health practitioner. With medication and therapy you may find that they are more focused, happier and less anxious with their daily tasks. - 16004
About the Author:
Jimmy Johnson is an accomplished niche website developer and author. For more about Autism Depression visit Treating Autism Today for informative articles and discussions.
