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Low energy and intrusive thoughts
Autism (ASD) | Last Active: Dec 8, 2024 | Replies (4)Comment receiving replies
@klash89 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Many times we may have a few things going on at the same time, and trying to narrow down the causes can be a challenge!
What was your formal ASD diagnosis? For example, mine was Aspergers Syndrome.
My suggestion is to start with a good physical exam, and feel comfortable you are in good health in that regard. Are you following a healthy diet, getting adequate sleep and moderate exercise? Have you had any major emotional or mental traumas that have not been addressed? It's surprising how other factors can interfere with our well-being, and we may not even be aware! From there, looking at your past practices [too much screen time for example] can be something to address. Autism is a spectrum, and how it may affect us at one time may be different in another situation.
What do you find interests you in the course of a day, or week?
Ginger
Replies to "@klash89 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Many times we may have a few things going on..."
Also, I forgot to add in my first reply that as a kid I was also diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Another piece of info to consider.
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My formal diagnosis as a kid was Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). I fell one requirement short of Asperger's. But they keep changing the labels and now by the medical community's standard I'm just considered to be on the autism spectrum.
As for what you said about the physical exam, I have had many tests done, and all of them have come back saying that my levels are normal. I eat pretty healthily, making sure to avoid junk food most of the time and getting vegetables in most days. I get a good amount of sleep every night, although I have to take melatonin for that to happen (I practice good sleep hygiene to a strict degree, despite what the need for melatonin would lead you to believe. I suspect this need for melatonin is caused by my condition producing the low energy and intrusive thoughts.) I no longer exercise aside from walking. This is because even though I've been told that exercise will increase a person's energy over time, the last couple of times I tried that it did not increase mine. And yes, I stuck to that exercise for more than just a few days. A significant portion of my day is spent resting/sleeping, so I want to invest my time in what things are higher on my priorities, and exercise is a lower priority for me, one reason being is that I'm a skinny guy with a fast metabolism. I have not had any traumatic experiences.
My interests are reading and illustrating. It's only recently that I've really gotten into illustrating, so I'm trying to build up my skill.
I'm a young adult and I'm still having to live with my parents because of my low energy. I wasn't exaggerating when I said we have tried just about everything to get myself back to normal. But thank you for responding to my post.