What is Asperger’s syndrome? You may have heard this term, but many people don’t know what it means. Asperger’s syndrome is part of the autism spectrum. It used to be its separate disorder, but now, it’s known as ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder.) People with Asperger’s have symptoms that overlap with Autism, such as difficulty maintaining eye contact, having a hard time understanding social cues, and a tendency towards routine. One of the most challenging aspects of living with Asperger’s syndrome is that you have a hard time when things change. If you expect something to be a certain way or happen at a particular time and it doesn’t, it’s incredibly challenging to adapt.
Noticing signs
If you start noticing these qualities in your partner, you might think that they have Aspergers. Now, this doesn’t necessarily have to be a problem, unless there are challenges in the relationship. One of the things about being in a romantic partnership is that you accept the other person for who they are. That’s not always as easy as it sounds. It’s quite challenging when someone is different from you, but that’s the nature of humanity. We are different from one another, and we need to learn to accept those idiosyncrasies.
The symptoms might be confusing to you
You might not understand the symptoms your partner has. When a person has Asperger’s, they may get fixated on a particular routine. Maybe they feel like they need to have the same meal every day at a specific time so that they can feel comforted. In some ways, the tendencies of someone who has Asperger’s syndrome are very similar to those of someone who has Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. So, when you have a partner with Asperger’s, one of the things that you need to understand is that their quirks might be confusing for you to handle or relate to at times. However, they are not doing something to bother you on purpose. This is how their brain works.
Acceptance of your partner
When you decide to be in a relationship with someone, you need to be prepared to accept that person for who they are. If there are challenges in the relationship, it’s important to talk about it. One of the things that can be difficult when someone who is neurotypical is dating or in a long-term partnership with someone who has Asperger’s is communication. People on the Autism spectrum tend to take things literally and don’t necessarily understand subtleties or sarcasm all of the time. It can cause a disconnect in communication. However, if you’re with somebody for a long time, you can work out those problems so that they understand that you have a different way of communicating from them.
Relationships are hard
Relationships are challenging in general and if you find that you are having a hard time with communication or anything that has to do with maintaining a solid partnership, don’t be afraid to seek help. Seeing a couples therapist is an excellent way to mediate conflict in a relationship. Whether you work with a counselor online or in your local area, it can help you two navigate your relationship with someone who is not neurotypical.
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