Be Well, Think Well: An Overview of Anxiety

You might have heard people describe anxiety as worry, uncertainty, concern, fear, or stress. These are all different words for anxiety.

Some causes of anxiety may include:

• • Going certain places, like school or the doctor’s office.
  • Being in social settings, like making friends or going to parties.
  • Specific things like heights, bugs, or clowns.

People might feel nervous when they are around these things

• • Anxiety affects how people think, feel, or behave and can make our bodies feel differently.
  • Some people might feel sick to their stomach, sweaty, have a hard time breathing, or trouble thinking clearly.
  • Anxiety causes people to “Fight, Flight or Freeze.”
  • Some people “fight” when they are anxious. This means they may argue, becoming angry, yell, or becoming physically aggressive.
  • Some people experience feelings that make them want to take “flight,” or that they have to run away or get out of the situation immediately.
  • Other people “freeze” when they are anxious. This may make them feel like they can’t talk, feel stuck in their body, have trouble remembering what happened, or feel cold.
  • Other signs of anxiety for people with autism may include an increase in self-stimulatory behaviors, asking repetitive questions, having a harder time communicating, or pacing.

If you feel like your anxiety is severe or causing problems in your everyday life, there are
different ways to help.

• • Therapists can help teach how to recognize the signs of anxiety and different coping strategies.
  • Doctors can prescribe medications when anxiety impacts everyday life.

The person may ask questions over and over. These questions might not be related to the current situation. The questions may or not make sense to the listener. This person is checking to make sure things have not changed.

The person may go to a place that feels more comfortable. The person may try to get away from a person, place or situation that is uncomfortable

“Stimming” (self-stimulating) behaviors are things the person does to try and change the way they feel. Some of the common stimming behaviors in autism are rocking back-and-forth, spinning in circles and flapping their hands. If a person is doing these behaviors more than usual, it might be a sign that they are anxious.

The person might have a harder time talking or telling people how they feel. The person might have a harder time doing things they already learned how to do.

The person might pull on their hair or eyelashes. The person might scratch himself/herself until they bleed. The person might bang their head against hard surfaces. The person might cut or burn himself/herself on purpose.

The person might refuse to do things or go places they used to enjoy. Even when the person does their favorite activity, they don’t appear to enjoy it as much as they used to. The person might try to spend more time away from other people.

Obsessions are thoughts that are hard to ignore or make go away. These thoughts are usually fears like:

• • Getting sick and dying from germs
  • That you have hurt someone
  • A need to do things or feel “just right”

There are different types of obsessions that people with OCD can have. In order to get rid of these “obsessions,” people do certain behaviors over and over. These are called “compulsions.” Common compulsions include:

• • Excessive washing or cleaning
  • Checking things over and over
  • Repeating actions or phrases until it feels “just right”

Obsessions and Perseverations

Many people with autism have unique interests and it may seem like they are “obsessed” with those topics. Unlike obsessive thoughts in OCD, these interests aren’t upsetting to the person or make them anxious. Often these interests are considered hobbies. Obsessions in OCD are not things people like a lot, they are intrusive, reoccurring thoughts that are scary, upsetting and cause anxiety.

Repetitive Behavior

For people with autism, repetitive behaviors are often a way to help manage overwhelming situations. Their behaviors may help them calm down, relax or feel good. For people with OCD, the repetitive behaviors to decrease anxiety based on their obsessive thoughts. These behaviors often make the person feel bad, and only decrease their anxiety for a little bit.

Some people with autism are also diagnosed with OCD. This means they show obessive and compulsive behaviors that cause problems and impairs their everyday life. They also have to be more or in addition to the person’s typical symptoms of autism. If you think a person with autism may also have OCD, it should be discussed with the individual’s doctor.