Autism and Depression – the Elephant in the Room?

I’d like to know if there is even one adult with aspergers/autism/HFA out there who has not gone through severe, life-threatening depression. Most people go through depressive periods at some point in their lives, but this goes beyond that.

As children, we have certain traits in common.  By the time we grow up we can add one more thing to that list: many of us have been so depressed  for extended periods of time that we have contemplated or even attempted self-injury or suicide.

We try in our own way to cope, but no one knows what to make of it so friends and family point fingers and make cruel remarks about our social skills.  We end up pushing them away because they “just don’t get it”.

Not that it really helps for loved ones to use emotion-based appeals to us, anyway, because that’s not how we work.  We like logic.  Speaking of logic, bookmark this logic-based page now, for days when you are feeling your lowest of the low and you can’t think of a single person who can talk you out of your worst ideas.  Or save it for a friend you know.  I hope no one you know ever needs it.

Just because some of us don’t talk openly about it doesn’t mean we haven’t gone through it.

For parents: @autismfamily has written a great article about this topic, including signs of depression.