Do you suspect that your partner is autistic?

Here are some signs that this may be true:

•    Do you feel lonely and isolated in your relationship?
•    Is there a lack of affection?
•    Do you often feel “crazy” in your family life?
•    Is your partner overly controlling, easily irritated and angry?
•  Are you frequently blamed for things that are out of your control?
•    Does your partner have a limited social life?
•  Is your significant other focused on a narrow range of interests?
•    Does your partner have difficulty with parenting, often over-reacting to normal child behavior, and/or not able to relate to your child?

If this sounds familiar, your partner may be autistic. In fact, if you have an autistic child their parent(s) are more likely to exhibit traits of autism themselves. [1]

Having an autistic significant other can be quite stressful and overwhelming.

The truth is that these types of marriages can be successful and you can find happiness. The key is to identify that your partner is autistic. Knowing that this is a neurological difference and that much of his/her behavior is because of that difference, can make it much easier to understand one another. You can change your expectations and learn tools and strategies to communicate more effectively.

•    Increase your knowledge – everydayhealth.com has a list of “17 autism and Asperger’s books that really get the condition”.
•    Communicate directly – verbally and/or in writing. Don’t expect your partner to pick up on hints or read your body language.
•    Have set rules regarding parenting. The autistic person can agree to let their partner handle a situation, realizing that she/he may not be picking up on necessary cues, or may have a tendency to overact.
•    Develop specific strategies to respond to emotional conflicts.
•    Use humor where you can.
•    Seek support – it is often too overwhelming to try to sort it all out yourselves.