Does Anyone have depression/anxiety or another psychological condition in addition to Autism/AS/NVLD? How do you handle School?
I would like to hear any coping strategies that those with AS/NVLD and depression have developed to succeed in school, work, and/or life. I have unremitting clinical depression. Even when I am feeling all right, like now, I can feel the depression simmering beneath the surface, waiting to jump out. If you deal with this, what coping strategies do you use to recover from a bout of clinical depression/anxiety while also dealing with NVLD/AS/Autism? I am very worried about this because I intend to pursue a PHD after grad school, which I'm in now, but both issues have put substantial roadblocks in the way of me completing work on time, both at school and at my jobs. I'm so worried that the depression will never go away and that, combined with NVLD/AS, will prevent me from obtaining and holding a job, much less one that I actually enjoy. Any thoughts?
I suspect that I have a mild case of PTSD because of neglect and abuse in my childhood and adolescence, and abuse I went through with house mates from 2006 to around 2009. The abuse has mostly stopped, though I am still having my mail ripped open and thrown out, and the abuse could start up again. I find myself in an almost constant hypervigilant, fight-or-flight state of mind. I have a terrible time focusing. I've been making a point of trying to keep my brain going and functioning by reading demanding books and articles and trying to learn new things. I do have to try to teach myself Photoshop CS5 for better work possibilities, but it's slow going. The program is powerful and robust and it does a lot, but that makes it very complex. I am eager to learn it, though.
I do journal writing every day to try to cope with the PTSD feelings. I'm trying to add drawing and painting to what I use to try to express my feelings. I can't afford a therapist, so I'm going to have to try to overcome it on my own. Also, my chosen sister lives overseas, but I am grateful that we live in this high-tech age, so email brings us much closer together. She is my soul mate and total confidant, and I pour it out to her a lot. I do brisk walking and yoga and deep breathing, and I meditate to Mozart violin concertos. I find that this helps, though this might not be enough to help everyone.
Good luck!
first of all, if you are able to get through school and hold jobs now, you seem to have stratagies to succeed. I couldn't even make it through one year of college or hold a job very long. I wish I could get by the anxiety and the depresson so that I could accomplish something other than nothing. Sorry I can't offer much advice.