How to cope with anxiety?
 

I have anxiety issues stemming from my autism. For example every time I go out, I wear earplugs or headphones, but they don't always help and I often get overloaded; I've had screaming fits in places like a huge Asda, and Euston Station in the rush hour, due to overload. Also I have routines and rituals, and if people disturb them I can get extremely agitated. Also I cannot cope with physical contact, unless it is planned (I can cope with my physio because he prepares me before doing anything); when my friend grabbed my arm to stop me from accidentally crossing the road at the wrong time, I slapped him, not on purpose, but because the anxiety of physical contact got so great that it was a reflex.

Normally I can "cope" with this anxiety, but last week I went almost completely non-verbal for five days because my autism-related anxiety got so bad that I shut down and could barely communicate. Other times my anxiety causes me to run off or to have a meltdown/screaming fit. I have had partial seizures in the past too when triggered by stimuli that I find painful in a sensory way.

What I want to ask, is how can I manage this daily anxiety? I have asked my psych about PRN Clonazepam for the worst days but she was reluctant as I'm already on two antipsychotics. I was rejected for psychotherapy recently because they felt that they couldn't help with the autism side of things and it wasn't the "right" type of therapy. I have a private psychotherapist and I'm considering to contact him, but I wouldn't know what to say.

Suggestions?

I would just say what you have said above about the difficulties your experiencing. Did the psychotherapist reccomend any other types of therapy you could use?

Thanks. I'll compose him an email soon. The psychotherapist is multi-disciplinary so I'll ask him about types of therapy.

A terrific way to keep our minds off the worry track is to focus our thoughts on things that are great, stunning, and optimistic. Allow yourself to dream, wish, and imagine the greatest that could happen.

Let yourself laugh aloud. The action of laughter promotes endorphins that assist blow stress hormones out of your system the way a great thunderstorm can blow away hot, humid weather.

Being optimistic makes sense. I rarely laugh (perhaps once every week) so the laughing would be hard. I will try and look at things in a less negative way.

Deep breathing and focus on something that always comforts you...
I start spouting random factoids and talking about my cats when I'm really anxious, upset, or uncomfortable. It kinda freaks my friends out sometimes, but it keeps me from having a nervous break down.
And I agree with Phoenix11, laughing, it doesn't matter how out of place it may be, takes the edge off

But how do you laugh when you are not finding something funny?

I'll try the deep breathing.

Try to pull a memory of something that made you laugh previously, like something funny that happened with your friends or you saw in a movie :)

I could try.