Coping with the Stress of Autism: When to Find Professional Help

There's no doubt that having a child with autism is stressful. Especially stressful is the period of doubt prior to the diagnosis... the diagnosis itself... and the early days of worry, anger and guilt punctuated by research, doctor and therapist visits, and anxiety over finances.

For many people, though, a "new normal" emerges. Life is never quite the same - but still we find pleasure in our children's achievements - and go back to at least some of the things we used to love. Of course, like anyone else, we go through stressful times - and sometimes we feel angry, tired, and resentful. But overall, many of us find equilibrium in spite of - or even because of - our relationship to autism.

For others of us, the stress never seems to abate. Endless trips to therapists and financial anxieties add up, and marital strife enters the picture. We feel that our children with autism are an unbearable burden, and we start to lose sleep... overeat... and feel sick.

Dr. Robert Naseef is a psychologist who specializes in working with parents of children with special needs. In this article, he provides some insight into when and how a stressed-out parent should seek professional help.