Hi Nicole shine,
I have found that many people simply don't understand mental illness, and have no idea how to react to it, and will brush off your concerns because they don't know what else to do. I am lucky in that I have a very supportive mother, who over the years has made a real effort to understand and listen to me. I have also spent many years doing the rounds with many doctors with various health issues stemming from anxiety or depression, or ending up at the emergency room with a severe panic attack thinking I was dying. No doctor should make you feel stupid however, and you should be treated with respect and compassion, though I agree that this is not always the case.
I personally find that the social interaction issues and dependence on routine that stems from aspergers provides a source of both anxiety and depression. My awkwardness around other people and difficulty forming real connections leaves me feeling depressed and lonely, and I tend to get very anxious when certain routines are disrupted. However, my anxiety also impacts my ability to interact with others, and it can just be a vicious cycle that leaves me feeling very alone.
I also don't like others knowing how I'm feeling, and have spent years making up other excuses suc as being sick. I have been diagnosed for over 15 years, and still I have only told 3 people in my life the truth about my mental illness.
Maybe if you just take your anxiety concerns, and any other mental health concerns, to a GP? Anxiety is a real illness, which can be debilitating, and you have a right to seek treatment for it.
Best of luck.
