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The Mental Health of Children with Autism

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The Mental Health of Children with Autism

Many mental health conditions are co-morbid with people who have autism, this is mainly to do with the additional stresses we face on a day to day basis. Dealing with the difficulties autism brings on a daily basis is tiring, often leading to meltdowns, sensory sensitivities and feeling like we can't communicate well enough to be heard. Personally, I have struggled with severe anxiety and depression for the best part of my teenage years and early adulthood. I find it hard to function on my own when it comes to shopping, leaving the house and even eating when I'm having a bad day.

Having an aversion to going outside on my own is partly down to my sensory issues, I have an intense anxiety response when I'm in a busy street and getting jostled around by passers-by. I have found life so overwhelming and difficult to navigate that I became depressed, not wanting to face the world that I find so confusing for the fear that I would have a meltdown in public and embarrass myself.

These issues are not uncommon within other individuals with autism, around 11% of people with autism suffer from depressive disorders whilst a further 20% suffer from anxiety-based disorders.

Depression & Anxiety in Autism

Some of the most common mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression are often co-morbid with people who have also been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Autistic teenagers and young adults are more likely to show signs of depression than children or older adults due to being more aware of their struggles with social situations and relationships. Bullying in school, college or university could also explain why the percentages are higher with younger people who have autism as you are made to be aware of how different you are to your peers. Having autism also means that you are more likely to fixate on negative experiences in your life, such as trauma or bullying in school. Other things such as alexithymia (an inability to identify or describe feelings) can increase feelings of depression within autistic youth as they struggle to articulate the troubles they have.

Anxiety is another prevalent mental health condition that many people struggle with, including neurotypical people. With autistic people, feelings of anxiety can be a constant issue, changes to routine, socialising and struggling to identify why you feel a certain way is all anxiety triggers for autistic youth. Worrying about a change in routine or not knowing what has been planned during the day can cause high levels of anxiety. For me, when I haven't been told where I am going or what time I'm leaving the house, I have an intense anxiety response, pacing, stimming, and getting visibly agitated until I'm sure of what the plan of the day is.

Some of the most common anxiety triggers within autistic youth may be seen as an overreaction or tantrum to people who have a limited understanding of autism. When in actual fact, the way autistic individuals experience the world is more intense and can lead to severe responses such as self-harm and even suicide.

Eating Disorders & OCD in Autism

Looking into the relationship between autism and eating disorders has led to researchers agreeing that 20% of people with anorexia are also autistic, with the majority being females who have been diagnosed with autism or show autistic traits. This could be caused by the societal pressures to fit in, leading to many autistic females copying the desire to look thin from other neurotypical teenagers who also struggle with body image. For other autistic people who enjoy having a rigid routine and researching into new things, calorie counting, and excessive exercise can become a special interest and issue when they don't consider it to be.

Autistic individuals who struggle with sensory sensitives with food are also more likely to develop an eating disorder known as avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). This is a non-image-based disorder that is characterised by food aversions and a difficulty in fulfilling nutritional needs. ARFID is one of the most common eating disorders found amongst autistic children due to sensory sensitivities to food textures and taste.

Other obsessive mental health conditions such as obsessive compulsive disorder is also a condition commonly found amongst autistic people. There are many overlaps between autism and OCD such as, restrictive and repetitive behaviours, fixations on routines and ritualised patterns of behaviour. However, some autistic people find that repetitive behaviours like stimming offer comfort in stressful situations whereas sufferers of OCD find these actions intrusive and upsetting.

These similarities can often lead to OCD symptoms being passed off as autistic traits and to an underdiagnosis of OCD in autistic people.

How can I help someone with their mental health?

Being able to understand the struggles someone has with a mental health condition has a massive impact on the sufferer. Sometimes a person may feel like they can't tell anyone how they feel so being able to see the cues can be the difference between someone getting help and someone committing suicide. There are multiple ways you can support someone who has a mental health condition like helping an autistic person stick to their routine, showing an interest in their special interest and allowing time for relaxing and calming tasks like listening to music, going for a walk and watching television.

You can also create a separate space for an autistic person that allows them the space to destress and process their emotions without feeling like they have to vocalise how they feel. This space can have sensory and fidget toys, a weighted blanket, and other objects an autistic person may find calming.

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