SSRI for anxiety/ASD

[OyWithThePoodlesAlready84]

Hi mumsnetters,

I am looking for experiences with SRRI's in women who have ASD (diagnosed or suspected) and if/how this helped with common ASD traits such as (health) anxiety/GAD, and an over active nervous system?
Long story ahead!

I have been struggling for at least 10 years now; all my issues magnified since having had my first baby and post partum depression 10 yrs ago.
Before that I had a a better handle on things but in hindsight I did always have sensory processing issues and generalized anxiety. I thought it was normal and how everyone functioned 🫣.

I have a rather complex diagnosis as I was born extremely premature which has most likely done a number on my nervous system and brain development. Psychiatrist thinks this is what has caused the ASD type symptoms without it necessarily being ASD (official diagnosis pending). I have average/above -average intelligence but struggle with really basic stuff such as keeping on top of household tasks. I also have battled with chronic fatigue since my twenties, possibly also caused by prematurity (hyper reactive lungs and overall sensitive system that is easily overwhelmed)

Have been offered SSRi multiple times but always declined , mainly because I hoped I could figure out how to live a normal life with therapy and suchs, plus I have health anxiety around taking meds so I'm nervous about the side effects.

I don't know anyone with this same set of issues, but was hoping to read about experiences here!
I am especially curious to know how it helped you with symptoms such as overthinking and if it made the anxiety less 'loud' as to be honest, it has ruled my life for at least the past 10 yrs (and to some extent my childrens' lives)

I really want better for them and for myself so am on the fence of finally trying an SSRi...
Thank you for reading it you made it this far! ❤️

Escitalopram has been life changing for me. I am still the same person, but it has completely removed the crippling anxiety.

I feel like my life began when I started in Escitalopram.

Thank you. I hope you will will find something that helps too. 🤞

So happy to read this! I am hoping to be able to say the same soon. I have an appointment with my psychiatrist in about a month .. 🤞

I am reading about different types/brands here, how do you/a psychiatrist know which one is the right pick? Is there a way to look into that beforehand or is it just trial and error?

Maybe ask about ASD assessment when you start CBT. Sometimes it really helps if your significant other comes to a session with you to get a better idea of what you are dealing with and how he can support you. But maybe for now getting the right diagnosis is a priority, not all anxiety is the same and it yours is part of something like ASD the approach is probably different. Let me know how you get on! 🍀

I will do. Thank you again.

You sound pretty much like me OP - I am
diagnosed with autism, ADHD and ME/CFS (aka chronic fatigue syndrome). I had escitalopram a few years ago. My GP described as the emergency treatment to take the edge of the anxiety and said counselling was the long term cure. The medication definitely reduced my level of anxiety and I did not have any side effects.

Since starting on ADHD meds last year, I’ve had to start taking fluoxetine beside tbe ADHD meds took away all my anxiety and when they wore off in the evening, I got a concentrated dose of anxiety. So then I got prescribed fluoxetine and that sorted it out.

Thank you for sharing your experience. Do you mean that you went of the escitalopram, then had ADHD meds but the adhd meds caused an evening spike in anxiety, which you then got fluoxetine for?

Do you notice a difference between the escitalopram and the fluoxetine?

Edited to add: did the meds affect your chronic fatigue?

I started falling the Escitolopram in 2019 and stopped taking it in 2023 - I’d had some major trauma and I was feeling much better.

in 2025, I was diagnosed with ADHD and started on the ADHD meds and then the fluoxetine.

i can’t say I noticed a difference between the 2 drugs but I did have a 2 year gap between the 2.

The ADHD drugs may help a little with my fatigue because I was probably wasting a lot of energy on worrying and they reduce that. I wouldn’t say fluoxetine or escitolopram did anything for my fatigue.