Anxiety is a universal struggle, whether it is about final exams, tax season, or failing relationships. However, the stress that most of us encounter and cope with may seem magnitudes more stressful for a person with an anxiety disorder. In the case of a disorder, sudden panic attacks and breathing difficulties can replace the intermittent nail biting and hair pulling that many of us are familiar with. Anxiety is a common response to high stress environments, and it is no different for individuals on the Spectrum. In fact, people with ASDs may be even more prone to suffering from constant worrying, social fears, or specific phobias than their counterparts without spectrum disorders.

While clinical depression is classified as a mental illness, it can nonetheless give rise to a number of somatic (physical) symptoms. From headaches to weight loss, depression’s effects on the body are numerous and well documented. Now, according to a study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, we can count coronary heart disease among the physical conditions with a correlation (but not causative effect!) to depression.