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Are my autistic boyfriend and I hopeless?

I didn't find that at all offensive, and nor do I think your situation is hopeless, but two things are absolutely essential: Firstly, stop listening to your family, or indeed anyone else. Secondly, start focussing entirely on your boyfriend, because much of what you are saying here indicates a fairly poor understanding of how autism works in a person rather than as a theory.

I would say that by and large, you may be better to simply recognise that the relationship is too problematic and to cut your losses right now rather than try to make it work, because it will be a lot of work. And perhaps that means that you need to be more honest with yourself about what you want and why you want it than you may have ever been before. You describe a disparity of function and need that it will clearly be hard to change - and it is you who will have to change, because by the nature of the autism spectrum, your boyfriend really can't, even if he wants to.

You talk about his behaviours and reactions as if he has some control over them, and in reality he doesn't. He very likely won't be interested in your day or what you are passionate about, and when you talk about how he faces considerable discrimination, you can't even know a tiny fraction of it. It isn't at all about being Jewish or disabled, it's about growing up autistic and living his life autistic. We are not accepted by society at large, and mostly entirely rejected by it unless we pretend to be like you - which most of us try, but is very, very draining and confusing to us. Try and imagine that you are an alien from another planet, trying to live amongst us undetected, yet still having to lead a normal life as if you were one of us, just the same as everyone else. Every minute of every day.

That's what being on the spectrum is like to many of us. We can't be ourselves, yet we don't really know how to be you.

The reason this is difficult is that if left to our own devices, alone, we can be ourselves, but in a relationship, we can't. Yet we are (typically) very black and white, we are very logical and mostly quite unemotional, we do take things literally - and we mean things very literally too - and we don't get jokes. We don't understand social situations and social cues and 'norms'. Thus when your sister or roommate joke with him and he takes it seriously, it is not him being in the wrong for his reaction, but them being in the wrong for totally failing to recognise that he isn't like them and doesn't understand.

And that is what you have to do if you want to save the relationship - you have to understand him, how his mind works, what his strengths are, how he processes. Until you are able to do that, you are in constant danger of mistaking him and his actions.

For example, you say that when you raise your needs, he gets defensive and makes you feel like it's your fault or responsibility, yet you don't know whether he is even able to process what you're saying to him. If your needs are so different from his, which seems very probable, he may not even know where to start in working out what you mean, and the sense you have of him pushing back on you may be nothing more than his way of trying to get you to clarify things in his terms so he can process, rather than your terms when he can't.

To make the relationship work, you have to set aside almost everything you know about how relationships work, and discover how this one does. It will be very different. The disparity in emotional energy is an example of how hard this could be. Some of us are quite accessible on an emotional level, but if your boyfriend isn't, you can't make him function in that way, because he just doesn't have that in him. If that is the case, he likely has no way to respond as you might hope to your emotional states, and may simply not even understand them. Your emotional input may cause him overload, or just confusion, so you will certainly need to recalibrate how you communicate on that level, and readjust your expectations of him.

And all this is just to get the relationship back to a stable foundation. After that, it will take a great deal of hard work.

All that said, while the picture is quite bleak, relationships with those of us on the spectrum can be very rewarding once you figure out how to make it work. But right now it's up to you to decide if you are prepared to try.
Update:I spoke with him last night. He is deliberately choosing to not tell me about being on the spectrum because he doesn’t want me to treat him any differently I would anyone else. So if I am upset by something he says as a natural reaction he wants me to be hurt and angry as I would an NT. For months I’ve been ignoring actions of his that made me naturally upset because he’s on the spectrum I know he didn’t intend it to be malicious. Since I told him that he said that I should have been telling him because he doesn’t want to be treated differently. So I guess a lack of communication on both our parts in general. We have a lot of work to do to make this work but we’re going to talk to a counselor to get ideas. Thank you all for your insight. It really helped me.
 
I didn't find that at all offensive, and nor do I think your situation is hopeless, but two things are absolutely essential: Firstly, stop listening to your family, or indeed anyone else. Secondly, start focussing entirely on your boyfriend, because much of what you are saying here indicates a fairly poor understanding of how autism works in a person rather than as a theory.

I would say that by and large, you may be better to simply recognise that the relationship is too problematic and to cut your losses right now rather than try to make it work, because it will be a lot of work. And perhaps that means that you need to be more honest with yourself about what you want and why you want it than you may have ever been before. You describe a disparity of function and need that it will clearly be hard to change - and it is you who will have to change, because by the nature of the autism spectrum, your boyfriend really can't, even if he wants to.

You talk about his behaviours and reactions as if he has some control over them, and in reality he doesn't. He very likely won't be interested in your day or what you are passionate about, and when you talk about how he faces considerable discrimination, you can't even know a tiny fraction of it. It isn't at all about being Jewish or disabled, it's about growing up autistic and living his life autistic. We are not accepted by society at large, and mostly entirely rejected by it unless we pretend to be like you - which most of us try, but is very, very draining and confusing to us. Try and imagine that you are an alien from another planet, trying to live amongst us undetected, yet still having to lead a normal life as if you were one of us, just the same as everyone else. Every minute of every day.

That's what being on the spectrum is like to many of us. We can't be ourselves, yet we don't really know how to be you.

The reason this is difficult is that if left to our own devices, alone, we can be ourselves, but in a relationship, we can't. Yet we are (typically) very black and white, we are very logical and mostly quite unemotional, we do take things literally - and we mean things very literally too - and we don't get jokes. We don't understand social situations and social cues and 'norms'. Thus when your sister or roommate joke with him and he takes it seriously, it is not him being in the wrong for his reaction, but them being in the wrong for totally failing to recognise that he isn't like them and doesn't understand.

And that is what you have to do if you want to save the relationship - you have to understand him, how his mind works, what his strengths are, how he processes. Until you are able to do that, you are in constant danger of mistaking him and his actions.

For example, you say that when you raise your needs, he gets defensive and makes you feel like it's your fault or responsibility, yet you don't know whether he is even able to process what you're saying to him. If your needs are so different from his, which seems very probable, he may not even know where to start in working out what you mean, and the sense you have of him pushing back on you may be nothing more than his way of trying to get you to clarify things in his terms so he can process, rather than your terms when he can't.

To make the relationship work, you have to set aside almost everything you know about how relationships work, and discover how this one does. It will be very different. The disparity in emotional energy is an example of how hard this could be. Some of us are quite accessible on an emotional level, but if your boyfriend isn't, you can't make him function in that way, because he just doesn't have that in him. If that is the case, he likely has no way to respond as you might hope to your emotional states, and may simply not even understand them. Your emotional input may cause him overload, or just confusion, so you will certainly need to recalibrate how you communicate on that level, and readjust your expectations of him.

And all this is just to get the relationship back to a stable foundation. After that, it will take a great deal of hard work.

All that said, while the picture is quite bleak, relationships with those of us on the spectrum can be very rewarding once you figure out how to make it work. But right now it's up to you to decide if you are prepared to try.
This is amazingly accurate and insightful. I would like to say more on my situation but I don't think it would be beneficial to me at this time.I have to retain control of my mind or it will be a rapid decline into despair.

I have been married for 28 years. Yesterday my husband(came out as a trans woman 2 years ago)became very emotional, saying he can't take it anymore and wants out. I had to leave the house for about an hour and when I came back, he was gone. I haven't seen or heard from him since.

I found out from others that he is in a mental institution. I am completely baffled by this. Whatever the problem is, I would have sat and discussed it until it was solved. But apparently, that in itself is part of the problem.

☹All that is written above sounds all to familiar. So, thank you for describing it for me because I don't have what it takes today. And I don't mean to come across as negative. It can work. But it is a lot of work.
 
@Heather752: Thanks for the update! Perhaps the most frustrating thing is that often we never get to know outcomes, however much any of us might have got involved in trying to help.

What he said makes a lot of sense, at least from his standpoint. If he has suffered directly as a result of being treated as if he is different he would be very sensitised to that and be keen that it doesn't continue to happen if it can be stopped. Clearly that's something you can respect, even as you also understand that he is on the spectrum, and therefore has different perceptions.

More than anything however; your immediate objective has been achieved, that your relationship has not come to an end, and you are talking about how to move on. I'd say that is really great progress!!
 
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I didn't find that at all offensive, and nor do I think your situation is hopeless, but two things are absolutely essential: Firstly, stop listening to your family, or indeed anyone else. Secondly, start focussing entirely on your boyfriend, because much of what you are saying here indicates a fairly poor understanding of how autism works in a person rather than as a theory.

I would say that by and large, you may be better to simply recognise that the relationship is too problematic and to cut your losses right now rather than try to make it work, because it will be a lot of work. And perhaps that means that you need to be more honest with yourself about what you want and why you want it than you may have ever been before. You describe a disparity of function and need that it will clearly be hard to change - and it is you who will have to change, because by the nature of the autism spectrum, your boyfriend really can't, even if he wants to.

You talk about his behaviours and reactions as if he has some control over them, and in reality he doesn't. He very likely won't be interested in your day or what you are passionate about, and when you talk about how he faces considerable discrimination, you can't even know a tiny fraction of it. It isn't at all about being Jewish or disabled, it's about growing up autistic and living his life autistic. We are not accepted by society at large, and mostly entirely rejected by it unless we pretend to be like you - which most of us try, but is very, very draining and confusing to us. Try and imagine that you are an alien from another planet, trying to live amongst us undetected, yet still having to lead a normal life as if you were one of us, just the same as everyone else. Every minute of every day.

That's what being on the spectrum is like to many of us. We can't be ourselves, yet we don't really know how to be you.

The reason this is difficult is that if left to our own devices, alone, we can be ourselves, but in a relationship, we can't. Yet we are (typically) very black and white, we are very logical and mostly quite unemotional, we do take things literally - and we mean things very literally too - and we don't get jokes. We don't understand social situations and social cues and 'norms'. Thus when your sister or roommate joke with him and he takes it seriously, it is not him being in the wrong for his reaction, but them being in the wrong for totally failing to recognise that he isn't like them and doesn't understand.

And that is what you have to do if you want to save the relationship - you have to understand him, how his mind works, what his strengths are, how he processes. Until you are able to do that, you are in constant danger of mistaking him and his actions.

For example, you say that when you raise your needs, he gets defensive and makes you feel like it's your fault or responsibility, yet you don't know whether he is even able to process what you're saying to him. If your needs are so different from his, which seems very probable, he may not even know where to start in working out what you mean, and the sense you have of him pushing back on you may be nothing more than his way of trying to get you to clarify things in his terms so he can process, rather than your terms when he can't.

To make the relationship work, you have to set aside almost everything you know about how relationships work, and discover how this one does. It will be very different. The disparity in emotional energy is an example of how hard this could be. Some of us are quite accessible on an emotional level, but if your boyfriend isn't, you can't make him function in that way, because he just doesn't have that in him. If that is the case, he likely has no way to respond as you might hope to your emotional states, and may simply not even understand them. Your emotional input may cause him overload, or just confusion, so you will certainly need to recalibrate how you communicate on that level, and readjust your expectations of him.

And all this is just to get the relationship back to a stable foundation. After that, it will take a great deal of hard work.

All that said, while the picture is quite bleak, relationships with those of us on the spectrum can be very rewarding once you figure out how to make it work. But right now it's up to you to decide if you are prepared to try.

Thank you all for your responses. I suppose I did not present any of my reasons for wanting to remain in the relationship.
He is the smartest, most dedicated man I know. When he commits to learning something he learns everything about it and finds it all so interesting. Often he says "It is my business to know everything."
Despite his actions I know he cares for me. Once in a blue moon he has a bout of deep emotion that I can tell is genuine. He encourages me to do things that make me happier and protect myself from harm (I am an empath so I feel all emotions of everyone around me very personally. That's what I mean by draining and exhausting. I feel his problems and oppression personally in addition to my own).
He has introduced me to so many new things and taught me so much. I'm inspired by his many hobbies and interests.
I feel safe when I'm with him. He respects the boundaries I have because of my sexual assault and we talk openly about our sexual desires and restrictions.
I've read A LOT on dating partners on the spectrum and have read differing opinions as have also been stated here. Some say to talk with him and express your needs and encourage some sort of counseling; however, this feels like assimilation like @AO1501 said. Others have told me to cut my loses now; however, I love him more than I've loved anyone.
I know I have a lot of work to do on myself as well to not be so insecure and require reassurance. But I've also read that sometimes aspies do benefit from counseling specific to autism (@Sloth) .

I would strongly disagree with this. We both recognize and are angered by each other's oppression. While his reaction is limited, he is angered when I speak of being catcalled or have PTSD episodes. He usually replies with sarcasm and sass which I love because it helps me not wallow. I am also angered by his oppression. As I stated earlier, I am an empath, so my exhaustion comes from absorbing his negative energy, not from hearing him "complain."

This resonates with me, so thank you. I think I, and my family, have a set view of what a successful relationship is and what it should look like. I have a pipe dream of a romantic surprise that I don't think will happen. They think I need someone who emotionally supports me and who I agree with on all fronts.

This is a long post so I apologize, I feel like I had a lot to respond to.
Thank you all for your responses. I suppose I did not present any of my reasons for wanting to remain in the relationship.
He is the smartest, most dedicated man I know. When he commits to learning something he learns everything about it and finds it all so interesting. Often he says "It is my business to know everything."
Despite his actions I know he cares for me. Once in a blue moon he has a bout of deep emotion that I can tell is genuine. He encourages me to do things that make me happier and protect myself from harm (I am an empath so I feel all emotions of everyone around me very personally. That's what I mean by draining and exhausting. I feel his problems and oppression personally in addition to my own).
He has introduced me to so many new things and taught me so much. I'm inspired by his many hobbies and interests.
I feel safe when I'm with him. He respects the boundaries I have because of my sexual assault and we talk openly about our sexual desires and restrictions.
I've read A LOT on dating partners on the spectrum and have read differing opinions as have also been stated here. Some say to talk with him and express your needs and encourage some sort of counseling; however, this feels like assimilation like @AO1501 said. Others have told me to cut my loses now; however, I love him more than I've loved anyone.
I know I have a lot of work to do on myself as well to not be so insecure and require reassurance. But I've also read that sometimes aspies do benefit from counseling specific to autism (@Sloth) .

I would strongly disagree with this. We both recognize and are angered by each other's oppression. While his reaction is limited, he is angered when I speak of being catcalled or have PTSD episodes. He usually replies with sarcasm and sass which I love because it helps me not wallow. I am also angered by his oppression. As I stated earlier, I am an empath, so my exhaustion comes from absorbing his negative energy, not from hearing him "complain."

This resonates with me, so thank you. I think I, and my family, have a set view of what a successful relationship is and what it should look like. I have a pipe dream of a romantic surprise that I don't think will happen. They think I need someone who emotionally supports me and who I agree with on all fronts.

This is a long post so I apologize, I feel like I had a lot to respond to.
 
The book, 'Become the Most Important Person in the Room' may be of assistance to you. It instructs on how to utilize empath gifts to work for you rather than against you.
 
Right im here to give you the harsh truth. Im sorry if offends you but if I was in this situation id like to hear it.

You don't seem happy. Thats the most important thing! Do you want to be with this man if he doesn't make you happy?
This relationship is only 8 months... it may seem long but this is 'honeymoon period'. Everything lovley dovley at first because well ...science. This is how a lot of relationships end because both partners become comfortable to be themselves. One partner realises that this isn't as amazing as it used to be and it fizzles out.
You have to be prepared for putting in so much work. He isn't going to change (Not because AS, because people dont actually change completely)


1 point id like to talk about is that you said you dont know for defo if he is AS as he doesnt want to speak about it? maybe you should respect that.. you have been with him 8 months. It takes a long time for a aspie to open up. I for one hope he is not on this site reading the personal info that you have shared. But thats non of my business and im assure you've taken this all into account.

Anyway to conclude for you - If you're not happy end it and find someone to be happy with and let him be happy with someone else. Because this all seems unnecessary stress for both of you.
But if you are happy to give 100% and only get 20% back then continue. Because if you are not happy this would stress him out completely and you'd build your relationship on unhappiness and you both wont be happy at all and it would damage you but really mess him up.




*I have only read the original post and a few replies.
*My language I use is not to offend but express my point.
 
Hi Heather.

As was mentioned, if he is willing to work on his issues to make your relationship work, then you can only be winners.

Regards your family warning you off him. It is understandable; they love you and see you are not really happy and thus, do not want you to regret the relationship.

The problem is, that many of his traits cannot be changed and thus, it will be you doing most of the mental work and if it drains you now, then really, putting love aside, is it truly beneficial for you? Or, do you feel the pressure from family members is what superimposes the emotional upheavel in this relationship?

I would take time away from him and see how you fair and if in fact, after several month's your feelings for him are burning, then that is testermony that it is love.
 
He also sees everything in black and white, which I know is a part of autism.

It's a stereotype. You can express things in black and white to simplify them, but it's hard to know how someone thinks without being a telepath.

So when my sister or roommate joke with him he takes it seriously and to heart and calls them a name that means female dog. I told him I don't like it when he calls them that but he doesn't understand that its hurtful to me.

You don't understand that it's hurtful to him. Tell your sister and roommate to knock it off.

So now I'm stuck between loving him and wanting it to work, my family telling me to break it off, and him being generally clueless to what's even wrong in general.

Recent posts have me believing you have this worked out now. Best of luck.
 
Hello all--
It has been several months since I wrote this post and he and I just celebrated our anniversary. I'm very grateful for the insight and advice I received on this thread. I think it helped me to take a step back and evaluate all sides and made me feel heard by people who actually understand AS.
He and I definitely still have our problems, but we've gotten A LOT better. He has formally confirmed his diagnosis to me now.
I just wanted to update you all and thank you for your help. I really appreciated it then and still appreciate it now.
 
Thanks for that. We rarely get to find out how things have gone after the discussions.
 

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