Dating Someone On The Autistic Spectrum | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Swoon

Dating Someone On The Autism Spectrum Isn't Always Easy But My Boyfriend Makes It All Worth It

It's not what everyone thinks it's like, it's kind of just who he is and I love it.

1617
Birgetta Johnson
Birgetta Johnson

I am currently two years into a committed and loving relationship with my boyfriend, Gianni, as of this week, the twentieth of August!

I could not be any happier than I am now, it truly feels like I'm in love with my best friend. We have our ups and downs, we aren't perfect, but every day ends with an "I love you" and I wouldn't have it any other way. Relationships are tricky but in the end, you may find your "person."

Gianni is on the autistic spectrum, he has Asperger's syndrome. That sentence should not contradict anything I said before it because Gianni being on the spectrum is just who he is. Does that mean some things for him may be slightly different? Of course, it does. With that being said, he and everything that embodies who he is; is the man I fell in love with.

There are struggles in ever relationship due to the fact that your partnering with someone with a completely different walk of life than you.

You are never going to agree on everything, but you can control how you handle the disagreements. For us mainly we bump heads because we're both inherently stubborn and believe we're "always" right.

Sometimes Gianni doesn't understand what I'm feeling because it's difficult for him to read unspoken tone. I have learned it's best to take a breath and tell him "___ is bothering me because it makes me feel ___," because I can't expect anyone to be a mind-reader.

Other times I can't take his brutal honesty because as much as I love it sometimes it hurts to know the truth. I'm not telling you my struggles, our struggles, to make you pity him or me. I'm telling you because we're all human and we all have struggles nonetheless, ours can sometimes trace back to how our brains may work differently but they're still healthy struggles.

Relationships are all about learning how to be with someone who isn't yourself so a lot of times work is involved especially with things like insecurities, emotions, and jealousy which are completely normal feelings and emotions to experience and work on in your life. He has Aspergers but the root of our struggles are the base of many healthy struggles people deal with on a day-to-day basis.

Gianni has always said that his Aspergers isn't a disease, it's who he is.

To be honest, who he is, is what I love the most about him. I love that he's goofy and loud sometimes, he makes me smile and laugh at his jokes. I also love how straight up he can be because I really know he loves spending time with me when he says it.

Though brutal honesty is tough, it's almost a way you know they're honest people and don't lie to you very often. I also appreciate how intuitive he really can be, though he may struggle with reading unspoken communication he always knows when I'm upset or something is going on.

He also always knows how to be there for me and comfort me when I need it. He is an incredible human being and I seriously never even thought twice about loving him with my whole heart.

When he told me that he had Asperger's syndrome he was so nervous I'd be scared off, but that was the furthest thing from my mind. When he told me my response was a bit taken aback but I never had an issue with it because I knew it was just a part of who he is, and even then I knew I really liked who he is.

I can only speak to a degree about how him being on the spectrum is incorporated in our relationship, so I've asked Gianni for his take on his Aspergers and our relationship! When talking about the good and bad parts of it affecting our relationship he had essentially reiterated what I said about him sometimes having difficulty reading me.

He also said, "At times when I know she's upset, I'll ask why a bunch of times because I won't be 100% aware of if I caused it or not." He also told me he doesn't think being of the spectrum affects our good times, except for the fact that most people on the spectrum are very honest and rarely lie.

Gianni also opened up about what it's like telling friends and partners about being on the spectrum and his personal experiences. He talks about when opening up to friends or others in his past the reaction has been very passive aggressive and negative.

In his view, they start slowly removing themselves from his life to the point where they will avoid him. When he spoke about his experience with telling me he was on the spectrum he says it was very difficult for him. To quote him, he said "Telling you was incredibly difficult because of my past experiences, but to my surprise, you were very supportive and told me about your autistic brother. That gave me a huge amount of relief and it brought us that much closer."

My boyfriend is on the spectrum and that's never made me feel uncomfortable or think any less of him.

This is who he is and I adore the person he is and has become. if it's changed me in any way it's made me closer to him and more open-minded to the other people I cross paths with in life. He's made me a better person throughout our relationship and I don't regret any part of who we are as a couple.

Report this Content
Christmas tree
Librarian Lavender

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas is one of my personal favorite holidays because of the Christmas traditions my family upholds generation after generation. After talking to a few of my friends at college, I realized that a lot of them don't really have "Christmas traditions" in their family, and I want to help change that. Here's a list of Christmas traditions that my family does, and anyone can incorporate into their family as well!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Phases Of Finals

May the odds be ever in your favor.

1546
Does anybody know how to study
Gurl.com

It’s here; that time of year when college students turn into preschoolers again. We cry for our mothers, eat everything in sight, and whine when we don’t get our way. It’s finals, the dreaded time of the semester when we all realize we should have been paying attention in class instead of literally doing anything else but that. Everyone has to take them, and yes, unfortunately, they are inevitable. But just because they are here and inevitable does not mean they’re peaches and cream and full of rainbows. Surviving them is a must, and the following five phases are a reality for all majors from business to art, nursing to history.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

How To Prepare For The Library: Finals Edition

10 ways to prepare for finals week—beginning with getting to the library.

2913
How To Prepare For The Library: Finals Edition
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

It’s that time of year again when college students live at the library all week, cramming for tests that they should have started studying for last month. Preparing to spend all day at the library takes much consideration and planning. Use these tips to help get you through the week while spending an excessive amount of time in a building that no one wants to be in.

Keep Reading...Show less
girl roommates
StableDiffusion

Where do we begin when we start talking about our roommates? You practically spend every moment with them, they become your second family and they deal with you at your best and at your absolute worst. They are there to make you laugh just a little harder, cry a little less and make each day a little better. We often forget to thank them for the little things that they do to make college even a tiny bit easier and more fun. This list of 26 things are what you should thank your roommates for right this minute and every day that you live with them.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

20 Thoughts While Studying For Finals

I may or may not be stressing right now.

2987
Thoughts While Studying For Finals
StableDiffusion


That time of the semester has arrived once again, finals. The worst week ever. Who thought it was a good idea for all your classes to have exams all in the same week? Definitely not me. Here's 20 thoughts you may have studying for finals.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments