Nick Dubin - The Autism Spectrum and Depression

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to Katie Kramer for her deep and abiding friendship, and to my parents for their never-ending love and support.

Afterword

Since I wrote this book in 2010, I have gone through the greatest depression of my life. I have written about this experience in my forthcoming book, The Autism Spectrum, Sexuality and the Law , co-authored with Drs. Tony Attwood and Isabelle Henault.

Appendix I

A List of Recommended Books

Feeling Good by David Burns

An excellent introduction to cognitivebehavioral therapy techniques written specifically for the layperson.

Emotional Intelligence: Why it Can Matter More than IQ by Daniel Goleman

This book helps to explain the biological basis for emotions and how they can be consciously controlled.

The Complete Guide to Aspergers Syndrome by Tony Attwood

The bible of Asperger syndrome and a great resource to help someone with Aspergers gain self-understanding.

Aspergers from the Inside Out by Michael John Carley

The best guidebook for a newly diagnosed adult with Asperger syndrome, bar none.

Overcoming Depression by Paul Gilbert

A compassionate book on managing symptoms of depression, written by an expert clinician.

Transforming Depression by Doc Childre and Deborah Rozman

An important book to help understand the physiological connections between stress, depression, and the body. Terrific tips on managing depression using a holistic and unique approach called the HeartMath Solution.

Necessary Losses by Judith Viorst

This book changed my life. It helped me to understand and come to terms with mourning the losses of my past, which facilitated healing.

Undoing Depression by Richard OConnor

This insightful book was written by a clinician who has suffered from depression.

Appendix II

Aspie Self-check List

After I received my diagnosis back in 2004, I made a list of the various AS traits I felt characterized who I was. How many traits do you share with me?

The characteristics listed below are simply Aspergers traits that I display. By no means do they represent a clinical basis for a diagnosis of Aspergers. To be sure of any diagnosis, contact a mental health practitioner.

General

I feel incompatible with the culture into which I was born. I feel culturally illiterate. That is, I do not know what movies are currently showing and do not really care. I do not like the current pop music of the day. My musical tastes are different from most people my age.

I often feel if I cannot be the best at what I attempt, I shouldnt attempt it at all.

Multitasking is almost impossible for me.

I crave positions of control and responsibility because I hate being told what to do, but I worry that I do not have the necessary abilities to handle such a job of authority.

Authenticity is vitally important to me.

The idea of a menial job in which I cannot express my creativity is unappealing to me.

If Im going to do a job, I get the job done right, although it might take longer than expected.

I cannot start another project until I finish the one I am currently working on.

As a baby, as a young child, and even today, I was and am especially finicky about certain foods.

I am a perfectionist.

I find dates (calendars) to be fascinating. I like to know when things occurred.

I am fascinated with how things change over time.

I usually have a one-track mind.

I often lack common sense when it comes to everyday tasks that seem easy for others.

I have a problem understanding what is important and what is not.

I have difficulty generalizing information from one experience to another.

Even though I have high standards for people, I often tend to trust too easily.

When I am aware of the rules, I bend over backwards not to break them.

I am one of the most ethical people I know.

In the past, I was diagnosed with other existing co-morbidities.

A member of my immediate family has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (or one of the other diagnoses listed above).

Emotions

I am serious most of the time. People have often told me to lighten up.

After a long day of expending energy, I need lots of down time.

I have a temper that can come out at unexpected times.

I need things to be a certain way, and I will literally go into a meltdown state if they are not the way I want them. Relatively small problems throughout the course of a day can send me into a meltdown statea flat tire, flight delays at the airport, a restaurant being out of a certain food, and so on.

I hate transitions throughout the course of a day.

I dislike unpredictability. I like order and structure and often need it.

I often feel there is a huge dichotomy within myself because although I consider myself creative, I am extremely rigid.

If I do not show empathy, I feel it is not because I do not want to be empathetic, but its genuinely because I missed an important piece of information.

Nothing makes me angrier than injustice.

Separating from my parents was or is a very difficult thing for me.