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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

Does/has anyone else been though this in a Relationship with an Aspie??

26 replies

hoxtonbabe · 06/09/2018 14:28

So I have ( or had, as we seem to be more off than on) been with him for two years next month. He was diagnosed last year but as the months/years have gone on I’m not sure the diagnosis is correct, but that’s another story for another day.

We constantly argue and part of that is because he views everything I do as a pi*s take, he delves into things, doesn’t like what he sees, bottles it up and then lashes out in various ways. If I say anything he doesn’t like or want to discuss I get shouted and sworn at. Im not saying I’m perfect but his reaction to me is beyond unreasonable in most situations. He has friends, he socialises and even though he may get into disagreements with them no matter how terribly they have treated him, he will make it right with them, but I get held to a different standard, i get shouted and screamed at, get told I now have a black mark against my name so can never see me in a positive light, but the friend he will calmly discuss what happened, etc and then they are fine.

I’ve asked why is it when xxx takes the mick you can find a way to forgive and move on? I may simply ask how is your day is and if you are having a bad day I get told I am taking the pi*s because I should be aware the day is going wrong?!?! But his friend can ask and not get yelled at!

The other day we went out, there were some silences in our conversation but I was a bit tired and hungry so a bit moody, but I was talking to him, I was whistling along to a song and apparently that was me taking the mick as My whistling signified I was bored with him?!?! I was simply whistling! So low and behold I got sworn at etc..

I’ve been going through a lot this year with my landlord ( legal issues)!and the father of my son ( reduced child support with no warning by 80% and refuses to see son) he’s seen all this going on so not as if I’ve kept him in the dark, I’ve been focusing on all that, so been a bit quiet as I’m stressed, but apparently I’m taking the pis* because he didn’t cause my stress so he shouldn’t feel anything I may be going through, his friends have also boosted this by saying I’m treating him wrong because no matter what I’m going through I should still be having regular sex with him and be supportive to him etc. Please bear in mind he offers zero emotional support which I expect with an aspie but don’t moan at me when I am trying as best I can to keep it together without any support from anyone.

He constantly tells me what he needs to be happy in the relationship yet when I tell him what I need he says until I change he won’t ( my not fully understanding him or doing what he wants).

he has double standards, he often says he doesn’t like this or that about me, yet he will do the exact same thing and when I point this out or say what you are asking of me is the same of what I ask of you, he dismisses what I say.

The other week we were having sex, suddenly he pushed my off, I asked what was wrong and he initially got grizzly saying he didn’t want to talk about it, anyway after a bit he said I wasn’t doing what he wanted so just thought “sod it” so I asked why didn’t he just say he wanted xxx and then the whole sermon of he won’t outrightly say, he just gives clues and expects me to get it, started I keep saying I’m not a mind reader and sometimes he’s going to have to be specific but once again it was all about me not understanding him, not wanting to understand him, not making any effort..

I feel so devalued and emotionally bruised.he was constantly pointing out my faults and rarely my good. He lives 13!miles away I do not drive but I would often make dinner and bring for him, the current flat he lives in I helped with getting a solicitor involved when no one else bothered to help sort it, when he’s got himself in trouble it’s me he usually calls and I go to assist him.. I’m not saying roll out the red carpet for me but be balanced, don’t just focus on what you think is bad when you know there is also good.. but then again this is the same man that said anything good I have done is now void because of all my negative traits.

I am constantly getting laid into/given a hard time when others That have been nasty to him aren’t. I’ve now taken steps to leave so just need to try to be strong and stay away but I find myself thinking what could I have done different, was I being unreasonable, was I being an inconsiderate and selfish partner.

OP posts:
InezGraves · 06/09/2018 14:32

This man is a pig. Leave him. Your life will immediately be better.

fiercelikefrida · 06/09/2018 16:02

You will not get the balanced, supportive relationship you want (and deserve) from this man.

There's no working on it with someone so selfish, you need to end it.

busybarbara · 06/09/2018 16:11

Just because someone has a disability doesn't mean you have to put up with their nonsense, DTMFA.

Ariclock · 06/09/2018 16:15

He sounds like a twat op. Regardless of his diagnosis he has no right to be vile to you and you don't have to accept it. You're not his parent, you can leave and I would do so.

AmICrazyorWhat2 · 06/09/2018 16:27

Wow, get away from this man ASAP!

If he's able to be reasonable with his friends, he's obviously capable of being nice to you as well. The problem is, he obviously thinks you'll be there for him no matter what he says/does, so he's not making any effort.

That's not how healthy relationships work - IMO, you make the most effort with those you love. Forget about him, he's not worth your time.

Sorry you had to go through this. Flowers

KellyBailey · 06/09/2018 16:30

Yes, cut your losses now and leave. He's repeatedly shown he doesn't actually give a fuck about you, you don't have to put up with being used as a verbal punch bag.

JellySlice · 06/09/2018 16:37

My Aspergic dh would not even dream of treating me so disrespectfully. If he upsets me and we have a disagreement, and he won't see things from my POV, we back off from each other. Later dh will come to me and say something along the lines of "I still don't see that I did anything wrong, but I understand that I upset you and I'm sorry that I upset you." He owns his behaviour.

Your man's an arse. Nothing to do with ASD. LTB. You deserve the same respect that you accord others.

IWantMyHatBack · 06/09/2018 16:40

This is nothing to do with him being an aspie, and everything to do with him being an arsehole.

Assburgers · 06/09/2018 16:40

Those sound more like dickhead traits than aspie traits tbh.

hoxtonbabe · 06/09/2018 17:25

Thank you for your replies. I often wonder if it’s me just going a bit nuts. Exactly as most have pointed out and I have pointed out, if it really was his autism he would be the same to everyone but it tends to be me and people that he’s not overly fussed about like the people he has to deal with on eBay, the job centre, the council.. all his friends he is far more patient with but with me it feels like he wants to find any excuse to lay into me.

It doesn’t help that he will go to any and everyone that will hear his tales and he will always come back and tell me about someone else who has an aspie son or partner and their advice is “neither of us is wrong but I need to read up on more on how to mange his autism and I shouldn’t take his flare ups personally” but they are only hearing his side and they aren’t seeing that he is selective with whom he is being aggressive to so how am I not going to take it personally. I’ve often said his behaviour is more dick like and not autistic.

He had a rough upbringing, in and out of care, sexually abused, sold drugs for a while and went prison for it, all this was years ago and he’s not been into any of that since his mid 20s and he is now mid 30s but I strongly believe that has effected him and his non platonic relationships with women as he would tell me stories about women he had dated that left him after a few months as he was “hard work”

I didn’t see it at first but now I know what they mean, I was the idiot that invested 2 years though.

Sorry if I’m going in a bit. I’ve never really shared this so for most of the relationship I’ve just bottled how I’m feeling and what I’m going through

OP posts:
continuallychargingmyphone · 06/09/2018 17:26

I hate ‘aspie’ Hmm but nothing of this describes someone with autism.

ExceptionFatale · 06/09/2018 17:34

Having ASD myself as well as being married to an Aspie I can honestly say that none of this sounds like an ASD related issue, he just sounds like an asshole.

The mind reading part sticks out for me, both my husband and I are admittedly a bit derpy when it comes to "figuring out" peoples moods based on subtle clues (sometimes not so subtle clues too), so being clear and concise with each other is something necessary and appreciated. Now when we FIRST met there was definitely a bit of a learning curve for us both, and sure there were a few fights over misunderstandings but when we calmed down we sorted it out cause we love each other!

He sounds confusing and I honestly hate how often people throw out the word, but he does sound emotionally abusive. Even if he is ASD...as I've always said, developmental issues/neurological disorders/mental illness can EXPLAIN why someone behaves in a certain manner, it never EXCUSES their behavior though.

Musti · 06/09/2018 17:37

He's abusive in my opinion.

Loopytiles · 06/09/2018 17:39

He is abusive.

Shore up your self love and respect and protect yourself, and improve things for your DC too. End the relationship and all contact.

Loopytiles · 06/09/2018 17:41

Suggest reading Lundy Bancroft.

Doesn’t matter WHY he’s abusive: he is and won’t change. You’ve said you regret spending two years with him - act on that and don’t spend any more.

AlmaGeddon · 06/09/2018 17:42

He is horrible, misogynistic imv if he only treats you in this angry way.
It is probably due to his cruel childhood but if that is the case he needs serious long term counselling - so notsomething you can wait indefinitely for- please move on.

KitandPup · 06/09/2018 17:44

Leave. Whether they are Asperger's traits or whether he is just an arse you aren't compatable.

InezGraves · 06/09/2018 17:46

Look at your language, OP --

I get shouted and sworn at

I get held to a different standard, i get shouted and screamed at, get told I now have a black mark against my name so can never see me in a positive light

So lo and behold I got sworn at etc

-- you are making the abuse sound as inevitable and impersonal as a shower of rain. But it's not. He's shouting and swearing at you, because he chooses to, as is clear from the fact he doesn't do it to everyone. And you have to choose to continue to put up with it.

The thing is, it actually doesn't matter whether he behaves like this because of a neurological condition, or because he's a dickhead -- it's a miserable life for you, and he's using his diagnosis (whether or not it's correct) as a control mechanism. It's his way of circumventing your natural responses to his abuse and setting you up as the one who has to adjust and understand and make allowances, never him.

I know someone whose husband was in a horrible accident and whatever neurological trauma he suffered gave him a hair-trigger temper and he was violent towards her. Not his fault in the slightest, but the black eyes were the same either way. She left.

You say you're the idiot who invested two years in his. So don't be the idiot who invests three. And do the Freedom programme.

BackWhenIWas4 · 06/09/2018 17:48

It doesn't seem like you are getting anything good from this relationship.
You are not obliged to stay with him and put up with this shit just because he has a diagnosis.
Focus on yourself and your child.

overnightangel · 06/09/2018 17:48

Regardless of condition he is a shit person and making you unhappy, there is nothing in this for you, you are NOT responsible for him.
Run
Run
Run
Block him.
Why choose to be in a relationship with someone who makes your life worse not better? Hope you’re ok.
Bin him the fuck off , selfish aresehole

overnightangel · 06/09/2018 17:50

@InezGraves and @BackWhenIWas4 I couldn’t agree more hopefully OPheeds your wise words

ExceptionFatale · 06/09/2018 17:58

OP, I just saw your update, and it sounds like your DP has had a tough life but that's still no excuse.

I'm only adding this very personal information as I think it will offer perspective. I was molested for most of my childhood by an immediate family member. My husband went through far worse, long story short he was groomed and then taken thousands of miles from his home by a male neighbor at 10 years old. The guy gave him lots of cocaine as well, got him a nice habit before his 13th birthday. Now neither of us has been to jail and he managed to sort his life out almost a decade before we met, but we've had a conversation more than once about how we've both had not so great hands dealt to us, but we still manage to be decent people. It really is a choice whether you take the bad the world has thrown at you and use it as an excuse to be horrible and shitty to others OR realize what you endured was horrible so you don't want to ever inflict that pain on others.

As I said, there are explanations for why things are, but that doesn't give him an excuse.

hoxtonbabe · 06/09/2018 18:01

I’ve said many times to him his diagnosis/autism isn’t an excuse to emotionally and verbally abuse me, he’s claims it’s frustration and it’s the reason why he is this way, but Other then my friends whom children are on the other end of the spectrum where they need constant support, non verbal, etc I’ve not come across anyone on the spectrum as unpredictable as he is. My nephew is autistic and whilst he struggles to understand certain things and can get frustrated he is no where near as aggressive as my boyfriend/Ex.

The problem is basically now he has the official diagnosis ( which I believe is wrong) he is using that to his advantage, before I met him he told me many people would ask if he’s autistic as they couldn’t quite get him, so he read up on it etc and it’s almost as if he has read up on autism, convinced himself he is and taken on enough of the traits to get the diagnosis, although he’s said he’s always seen the world etc as he does now the same as when he was 3.

I’m not saying there isn’t anything wrong with him, I certainly feel there are some mental health issues, and some emotional issues but autistim... I’m not sure.. but hey what do I know.

I really do appreciate this guys, just being able to share this is a weight off my shoulders already xxx

OP posts:
hoxtonbabe · 06/09/2018 18:09

There’s nothing here that anyone is saying that I disagree with and I’m hearing it. I blocked him etc a couple days ago so he’s not been able to work his way back, and he wouldn’t just show up at mine.

I needed to come on here to basically release, to feel supported, which you have all been good at so far. I won’t be going back but I really did need to know if this was something other autistic/NT couples went through and the answer is a clear as day NO!

OP posts:
InezGraves · 06/09/2018 18:23

I'm really glad you've ended it, OP. It sounded absolutely awful. Just don't crumble if he appears, all contrite and needy -- you do not need to be his 'rescuer'. Put yourself and your child first.

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