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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

Married to someone with Asperger's? Support group here!

941 replies

picklemepopcorn · 03/08/2018 10:04

This thread is for partners seeking to understand the dynamics of their relationship with someone with ASD. It is a support thread, and a safe space to have a bit of a rant. Avoid sweeping generalisations if possible, try and keep it specific to you and your partner.
(ASD partners welcome to lurk or pop in, but please don't argue with other posters and tell them they are wrong.)

OP posts:
Floppywillow · 24/12/2018 21:49

Merry Christmas everyone. We decided to go away for Christmas. Means no stress and feeling piggy in the middle when people visit. No disappearing acts and me feeling awkward as he virtually ignores everyone and watches car programmes. So far it is working!

TimeIhadaNameChange · 24/12/2018 23:35

Merry Christmas!

I'm home alone for a fortnight so reckon will win on the peacefulness comp. Sorry! Does mean I'll miss him, though...

wizzywig · 24/12/2018 23:41

I found that relational article too wordy to understand, what is it in plain english?

wizzywig · 24/12/2018 23:43

Sorry i meant that its the 'affective disorder' link that i didnt understand

Peachsnowpop · 25/12/2018 09:26

@moffa - I feel you. I've been there many a times when mine were younger and now with hum having to set up techy stuff now they are older. Mine also totally sucks the life out of everything too. He ruins most events when he has to 'do' something as he has zero patience, tolerance or botheration. Sorry not much help but just to say it not alone

Peachsnowpop · 25/12/2018 10:18

Has currently screaming fuck off over and over again as he tries to set up a gaming console. Trying to keep the children from hearing him/witness it. All he needs to do us set up a games console. I despair

Bluebellforest1 · 25/12/2018 15:19

@ChristmasBleatings said “. It's like having a dreamy 5-year-old who needs to be instructed in minute detail on how to do every single tiny thing...”

Oh yes yes. “Where shall I put this?....shall i put the dishwasher on?......shall I put the washing in the tumble drier?.......the phones ringing I wonder who it is?.......I wonder who that is at the door?”
(Answer the fucking thing you twat!).

@Peachsnowpop yes to the joysucking. I call mine a dementor under my breath.

Christmas Day has been managed with prosecco and wine.

Flowers
Thewitcher · 25/12/2018 21:58

I need specific instructions to do things. Apparently that makes me a twat. Good to know.

Bluebellforest1 · 25/12/2018 23:11

Doesn’t make anyone apart from my “D” H a twat.

SalitaeDiscesa · 26/12/2018 19:40

We've had a lovely low-demand Christmas. My family arriving tomorrow, so hoping things will continue to be peaceful. I'm prepared to cut DH a bit of extra slack now I understand why he has to retreat from time to time. He usually tries hard when we have guests.

How are other people getting along?

SalitaeDiscesa · 26/12/2018 20:24

I'm not new btw. Name change because I was spotted

Moffa · 26/12/2018 21:34

Frustrating one here. Been ups & downs but kids loved it. Just not sure how much more I can take. Hope you’re all getting through.

@bluebellforest can I ask why you’re still there? I don’t want someone to ask me that in 10 years or more. My H has been a twat too. I built the kids toy by myself on Christmas Eve wishing I had a H who would get drunk & laugh with me. He woke up as I got in to bed so I told him he could have a lie in instead of an early start to build said toy and he just swore at me repeatedly and walked out of our room. He ruined my Christmas on Christmas Eve because then I couldn’t sleep wondering what I did to get this relationship. I’m struggling. I thought after our last big blow out row things were improving but I think it’s his natural ways that are my biggest problem. Sad

ThisWayDown · 27/12/2018 05:34

Hello all 👋🏻 I started a thread in AIBU and some nice posters suggested I join this thread. If you feel like having a read of my posts on there, do feel free to tell my your thoughts here.

Moffa · 27/12/2018 08:03

Welcome @thiswaydown. I read your thread. My H would behave in the same way, he doesn’t like any ‘unplanned’ outings (or planned ones either unless they involve his work) so an emergency trip to A&E would cause a row here too, even if I was dying (it happened....I unknowingly had Sepsis, he dropped me at A&E but “had to go home to let the dogs out”). Does your DH show any other traits of Aspergers? Flowers

midcenturylegs · 27/12/2018 10:47

Hi all.. checking in to say Happy Christmas and for those who it isn't so happy for a bunch of flowers 💐

I'm not sure what I'm going to say is going to be helpful but I think the reason I'm posting on here - still - after having left my AS-ex - is that I'm still feeling the impact and after-effects of how he made me feel.
I have just started seeing someone else - I'm amazed that someone actually likes me! But this man is using words such as "mindful" and "invalidating" and "confidence" and "you're sexy", "gorgeous', "I love talking to you".

I'd not heard those words from a man in such a long time.

My thought on reading your messages is you don't need to stay unhappy.

bifflediffle · 27/12/2018 10:53

Just popping in will read whole thread later - was married to someone I am sure had undiagnosed AS and one son has high functioning. I'm long separated and divorced, but due to kids still have to have a level of contact.

I find Christmas very hard because it triggers all the memories of how hard it was when we were married (were married/together for 25+ years) and I'm angry with myself for not seeing it before we got married.

SalitaeDiscesa · 27/12/2018 11:50

Welcome @ThisWayDown. I've read your thread, hope your knee is feeling easier.

My husband has recently been diagnosed with autism. It's making me look back on many occasions over the years when he let me down or abandoned me in a crisis.

Now that I can understand better what lay behind the behaviour, it doesn't hurt as much.

I still had to manage without any help, support or understanding from him and I have to expect more of the same in future. That's not always easy to contemplate.

Maybe if you have been a bit over-dramatic at times (not saying you have, just a thought about your thread) it was a kind of desperation to get a response from him? It's not hard to imagine that partners faced with a chronic lack of support, which they don't understand, can respond in dysfunctional ways. I know I have.

We've been told it's possible that my husband can learn to change some of his behaviour (and he's willing to try) but he's not going to learn to understand how I feel. That's quite a bleak thought (especially today as I'm not feeling well). I'm afraid this isn't a particularly cheerful thread & I don't know what we can do about that.

At a recent autism conference the line about it being a difference not a disorder was dutifully trotted out. In my DH's case, the difference is he needs someone to run his life for him. I'm a housekeeper, PA, secretary, nurse, sex worker and I'm on hand to deal with any and all emergencies because he won't. The cost, and the health burden, is all on my side and it's hidden.

I'm still coming to terms with all this and I don't know what I will do. For now we're trying to focus on achievable changes and it feels as though there's a mountain to climb ☹️

Kikidelight · 27/12/2018 11:54

@bifflediffle If you had spotted the signs before, would do you think you'd have done things differently?

I ask this because my recent ex had undiagnosed ASD but chose not to mention this for months. I was furious firstly because of the deception and because he knew I'd previously been in a relationship with someone with AS, that ended very badly - due to him.

bifflediffle · 27/12/2018 13:09

I wouldn't have married him if I had realised how much it was going to affect me and I definitely wouldn't have had kids with him. It was just awful. So much of what you all describe was my life and it nearly broke me.

ThisWayDown · 27/12/2018 14:50

Thank you @Moffa and @SalitaeDiscesa Smile

Absolutely I am/have been dramatic at times to get a reaction from him.

And yes, he exhibits other Asperger traits. Although he doesn’t have a couple of ‘classic’ ones like having strict routines.

I am going to read this thread fully tomorrow to get to know everyone’s situation.

midcenturylegs · 27/12/2018 18:17

@ThisWayDown completely resonate with the being dramatic bit. The amount of times I completely over/exaggerated illness symptoms or family issues just to get some bloody attention! I became a person I did not like.

middleage3 · 27/12/2018 21:51

Hi everyone
I find this time of year to reinforce the loneliness and feeling of isolation.
DH is trying hard and doing lots of practical things like cooking - but honestly we can’t have a conversation above the mundane.
Ah well.....it was a relief in someways to go back to work and interact with NT peeps
I have noted that DH struggles to communicate with his family and that vice versa they seem very disinterested on our lives in general (DH family lives far away) I haven’t had a conversation with MIL for 8 years now - in the past I found this really hurtful but now I don’t want to think about it too hard - but they are a strange lot with no social niceties. You would think MIL would ask to speak to me or the kids .....

To the poster from AIBU - I was impressed that your DH will go on holiday - including long haul and with kids - and by the sounds of thing actually do activities.
My DH and I haven’t been on holiday for 15years. He admits himself he gets ‘travel stress’ . In the past he would shut down for most of the week. It’s not enjoyable and now I go away on my own.
DH is very reluctant to stray far from home

ThisWayDown · 28/12/2018 10:44

@middleage3 I’m the poster from AIBU Smile and your comment has reminded me that when I got together when DH 19 years ago, he would repeatedly say “I don’t like holidays”, although he went on them.

I love travelling and got him into it, and he doesn’t say that any more. He still gets stressed about packing and travel arrangements and airports and will get v overwhelmed if things go badly wrong, like when snow caused our flight to be cancelled years ago, but that hasn’t happened for a while. On a related note, this is the first year in 19 that he hasn’t said “I hate Christmas” more then once. Progress Wink

I feel for you that your DH won’t go away and you can’t share that with him. Flowers

WhatOnEarthDoIDoNow · 28/12/2018 14:24

Can I post here for some advice? I'm almost 24 and have aspergers and I'm interested in a guy whos just turned 21 and also has aspergers. As far as I'm aware neither of us have ever dated and from what I can tell he's interested in a relationship. Yet neither of us can quite make the next move. I suspect in part it's down to the fact we're both not great at reading people and also because we're such good friends.

Any ideas of what I should do or how to proceed? This is all very new to me and I've never been interested in anyone before either.