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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Can partners of Aspies please help?

5 replies

RobynZ · 11/02/2015 19:38

My husband has been diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome. Can anyone tell me about their AS partner to reassure me that this might not be that bad?

OP posts:
SunshinePickle · 11/02/2015 19:41

Just remember that he's the same person you married, having an official diagnosis doesn't change that. Knowing that my DH is an Aspie helps us in a lot of ways. I know not to change plans last minute & to explain things clearly. It also makes it easier to understand that he's not just being an arse a lot of the time.

maras2 · 11/02/2015 19:59

There's a whole thread in the place that can not be named on this particular difficult subject.Lots of help there.

SunshinePickle · 12/02/2015 10:30

Would be happy to provide a bit of support via DM if you want.

neverputasockinatoaster · 12/02/2015 10:40

My husband is an undiagnosed Aspie. My son has a dx so I'm happy to say DH is an Aspie.

I knew what my DH was like when I married him. The DX doesn't change who he is as a person but might help you understand his behaviour or attitude a bit better.

Tony Atwood said something along the lines of being loved by an Aspie is to experience something so very very strong.

And, sometimes, he is just being an arse!

sixandtwothrees · 12/02/2015 11:36

Mine is - no diagnosis either but his son is under assessment and his dad exhibited even stronger traits than his son!

Read this!
www.psychologytoday.com/blog/spectrum-solutions/201006/what-everybody-ought-know-about-aspergers-and-marriage

I think the thing is here that there are things that will be very difficult and things that you don't even realise are so valuable. Like real integrity.

Also, the 'label' only goes so far - like anything, there are Aspies who are nice people inside and there are Aspies who are not. Similarly, I know two people with borderline personality disorder: one is a fucking nasty piece of work and one is one of the kindest people I have ever known. But both exhibit similar dynamics and responses to stress, etc. So it's up to you to decide what you can and can't put up with really.

How did this diagnosis come about? Is it a surprise to you? What aspects of it are you worried about?

Some of my observations: despite the caricature of the Aspie man as being cold and like Spock, mine is in fact warm, loving and extremely devoted. He is very organised and a very very attentive and caring father. If he finds something I like, he will do it over and over and over and over and over. He is however very rigid in his thinking (despite his protestations that every time he is minutely flexible this 'proves' that he isn't rigid Hmm) and very slow to change or act. He gets emotionally overloaded very easily. He can be very defensive and takes minor criticism badly. All of this is worse when under stress. He is emotionally naive and can (and has been) very seriously taken advantage of and abused by people who have very bad motives, but he doesn't see this coming because in his rigid worldview, all people are good and have good motives really. Changing this view is, to him, like changing the DNA of the universe and freaks him out so getting him to have self-protective measures and danger radars has been very slow and painful. Also despite being very caring, he is not practically very good when someone is injured or ill. He has a protocol - offer comfort (kiss on head, pat on back), tea, and a bath. Sounds great right? But this is the same whether someone has a sniffy nose/is a bit tired, has severe D&V, is having a nervous breakdown, is bleeding profusely, broken a bone, or has fainted.

I think the main thing I've had to do is to decipher some of the conflicts we've had and work out what I could do to communicate better. Like really clearly. It seems to have helped but the lack of understanding/listening did nearly end us. Wrote about it in a couple of posts on this thread

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/2305075-I-can-never-understand-our-arguments-help-me-decipher?

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