I just told my crush and admirer I have AS ...

Page 1 of 1 [ 14 posts ] 

Villette
Velociraptor
Velociraptor

User avatar

Joined: 7 Feb 2010
Age: 32
Gender: Female
Posts: 415

21 Mar 2010, 8:27 pm

There's this guy who's fond of me and I am fond of. I just emailed him last night telling him I have AS. I feel scared now that someone knows this about me ... and whether we can have a relationship or not. He seemed very keen to have a relationship (before I told him). Sorry. Just felt like ranting. So far he accepts my social inadequacy, but knowing you have a condition is another thing.



HopeGrows
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 5 Nov 2009
Age: 50
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,565
Location: In exactly the right place at exactly the right time.

21 Mar 2010, 8:53 pm

If he's the kind of person who is worthy of you, he'll understand, be curious, and ask questions. I agree that it's different when you reveal a condition to someone, but there are positives to that: now he has a context he can use to understand your behavior.

I think the preamble to a relationship is always scary, because everyone is afraid of being judged by a prospective mate. Whichever way this works out for you, try to remember that your value as a person, partner, etc. is not determined by this prospective partner. Your value is real and immutable, and readily apparent to the right person. Now have a cup of tea and try to relax, okay?


_________________
What you feel is what you are and what you are is beautiful...


Roxas_XIII
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 8 Jan 2007
Age: 33
Gender: Male
Posts: 3,217
Location: Laramie, WY

21 Mar 2010, 8:55 pm

I agree with ^^^. If its any consolation my girlfriend knew I had AS before we even started dating. If he cares about you truly then it won't make a difference.


_________________
"Yeah, so this one time, I tried playing poker with tarot cards... got a full house, and about four people died." ~ Unknown comedian

Happy New Year from WP's resident fortune-teller! May the cards be ever in your favor.


Northeastern292
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 16 Sep 2008
Age: 33
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,159
Location: Brooklyn, NY/Catskills

21 Mar 2010, 9:32 pm

I would assume that people can tell by looking at me that I have AS. I've told countless girls, and they've understood, and then they rule out any chance of a relationship with me.



Sound
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 3 Oct 2009
Age: 42
Gender: Male
Posts: 746
Location: Seattle

21 Mar 2010, 9:58 pm

Villette wrote:
There's this guy who's fond of me and I am fond of. I just emailed him last night telling him I have AS. I feel scared now that someone knows this about me ... and whether we can have a relationship or not. He seemed very keen to have a relationship (before I told him). Sorry. Just felt like ranting. So far he accepts my social inadequacy, but knowing you have a condition is another thing.
So long as you've already had a strong social rapport with this person, enough that they have a good sense of your personality, and like you, then it's not gonna be a big deal, and shouldn't cause much judgment. I think you'll be fine. ;)

On the other hand, if he does not know you very well, and doesn't have much to go on, then it becomes a major piece to stereotype you by.



techstepgenr8tion
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 6 Feb 2005
Age: 44
Gender: Male
Posts: 24,196
Location: 28th Path of Tzaddi

21 Mar 2010, 10:24 pm

I think its fine, though its likely better if you can tell people in nonchalant ways, as matter of course in a conversation. Seems best when it brings understanding without raising the question in their minds on whether its a request to be handled in a much different way, enlightening others on why you are the way you are is one thing - requesting accommodation is another. That said I think people may even be understanding of the later, just that I think its still better left as a last resort rather than first - unless it is that present in your social interactions.

Sound wrote:
On the other hand, if he does not know you very well, and doesn't have much to go on, then it becomes a major piece to stereotype you by.

That's another good point, when at all possible I'd rather have people draw a picture of me without that and then let my AS (more accurately PDD-NOS in my case) fill in a few blanks rather than have it be the template for their understanding of me.


_________________
“Love takes off the masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within. I use the word "love" here not merely in the personal sense but as a state of being, or a state of grace - not in the infantile American sense of being made happy but in the tough and universal sense of quest and daring and growth.” - James Baldwin


Villette
Velociraptor
Velociraptor

User avatar

Joined: 7 Feb 2010
Age: 32
Gender: Female
Posts: 415

22 Mar 2010, 2:03 am

Thanks so much for your advice, everyone!

We get along well and can understand each other. He's very supportive and I try to be supportive. Recently though (before this email to him) he wrote that he is lonely and he wants to spend time with me and ease his loneliness.

We have a strong intellectual and emotional connection, one of the best I have ever had. He understands me better than my buddies do. I've told him I'm hopeless at socialising and he told me not to conform. The trouble is that he thinks I am perfect so I feel that I should correct him. If we are to start a relationship, it is only right that he knows my deficiencies in case he can't cope later on. He also mentioned some time ago he thinks he is mildly bipolar. Btw we've known each other for more than a year. He's hinted before that he would like to marry some day. (He's in his twenties.) And I fear I can't have a proper relationship, especially I am not at all physically attracted to him, and he is an affectionate person with a great need for affection.

I still await his reply ... (he is a slow writer)



PLA
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 10 May 2007
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,929
Location: Sweden

22 Mar 2010, 4:35 am

Villette wrote:
Thanks so much for your advice, everyone!

We get along well and can understand each other. He's very supportive and I try to be supportive. Recently though (before this email to him) he wrote that he is lonely and he wants to spend time with me and ease his loneliness.

We have a strong intellectual and emotional connection, one of the best I have ever had. He understands me better than my buddies do. I've told him I'm hopeless at socialising and he told me not to conform. The trouble is that he thinks I am perfect so I feel that I should correct him. If we are to start a relationship, it is only right that he knows my deficiencies in case he can't cope later on. He also mentioned some time ago he thinks he is mildly bipolar. Btw we've known each other for more than a year. He's hinted before that he would like to marry some day. (He's in his twenties.) And I fear I can't have a proper relationship, especially I am not at all physically attracted to him, and he is an affectionate person with a great need for affection.

I still await his reply ... (he is a slow writer)

And you still like him so much? That's quite cute. :) Good luck!


_________________
I can make a statement true by placing it first in this signature.

"Everyone loves the dolphin. A bitter shark - emerging from it's cold depths - doesn't stand a chance." This is hyperbol.

"Run, Jump, Fall, Limp off, Try Harder."


Villette
Velociraptor
Velociraptor

User avatar

Joined: 7 Feb 2010
Age: 32
Gender: Female
Posts: 415

22 Mar 2010, 5:24 am

To be honest, I don't really get physically attracted to guys. Is this common among aspie women? I might think, "This person is not bad-looking" and promptly forget about it. I do love him very much, but in a more transcendental way. Why do you think it's cute? Oddly enough my friend told me the same thing when I confessed to her I liked him. She then went and made up an imaginary story involving the person I am fond of and me. 8O



sgrannel
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 20 Feb 2008
Age: 48
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,919

22 Mar 2010, 7:06 am

Northeastern292 wrote:
I would assume that people can tell by looking at me that I have AS. I've told countless girls, and they've understood, and then they rule out any chance of a relationship with me.


This is why I say "don't tell them"! Any blemish or imperfection you reveal (if you're a man) gets you friendzoned because to get into sexual relationships, you have to at least give the appearance of being in that upper layer which is distinguished from all those other guys she's had to sort through. Otherwise she'll say "Eh, next" even if her imperfections are comparable to yours.

Maybe there's a way AS can be presented as a distinction rather than a defect. For example, you might find a niche in technology or some gainful employment, rather than getting into bar fights, having an arrest record, or other things that people sometimes do to be "interesting".


_________________
A boy and his dog can go walking
A boy and his dog sometimes talk to each other
A boy and a dog can be happy sitting down in the woods on a log
But a dog knows his boy can go wrong


GrimmRomance
Velociraptor
Velociraptor

User avatar

Joined: 16 Mar 2010
Age: 33
Gender: Female
Posts: 466

22 Mar 2010, 10:50 am

Villette wrote:
To be honest, I don't really get physically attracted to guys. Is this common among aspie women? I might think, "This person is not bad-looking" and promptly forget about it. I do love him very much, but in a more transcendental way. Why do you think it's cute? Oddly enough my friend told me the same thing when I confessed to her I liked him. She then went and made up an imaginary story involving the person I am fond of and me. 8O


I don't know if it's common, and though I'm not diagnosed yet, I can tell you that I'm the exact same way.
It's as though I don't become attracted to men in the same way others do. I cannot feel drawn to someone purely based on looks. But a brilliant mind and a kind heart can melt me so quickly, I feel as though I'm struck by lightning. And THEN comes the attraction. :} My friends have often told me, the guys I've fancied in the past were hideous, but I found them very handsome, just because they were who they were.

Good luck with the guy, I'm sure he'll accept you for who you are, as you seem like a very dear girl/woman. ^^



PLA
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 10 May 2007
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,929
Location: Sweden

22 Mar 2010, 1:34 pm

Villette wrote:
To be honest, I don't really get physically attracted to guys. Is this common among aspie women? I might think, "This person is not bad-looking" and promptly forget about it. I do love him very much, but in a more transcendental way. Why do you think it's cute? Oddly enough my friend told me the same thing when I confessed to her I liked him. She then went and made up an imaginary story involving the person I am fond of and me. 8O

Because it sounds good. Sounds secure.

I suppose I'm not very different, with the exception that I assert a fair degree of control over my physical attractions.


_________________
I can make a statement true by placing it first in this signature.

"Everyone loves the dolphin. A bitter shark - emerging from it's cold depths - doesn't stand a chance." This is hyperbol.

"Run, Jump, Fall, Limp off, Try Harder."


loko
Blue Jay
Blue Jay

User avatar

Joined: 17 Aug 2009
Age: 45
Gender: Female
Posts: 76

22 Mar 2010, 9:46 pm

i was in this same boat, it was scary at first, and also i haven't even been diagnosed (or suspected for that matter) for a year now so theres still a lot i dont know, so its kind of hard to really explain the whole thing very well.

but not only did he not get scared off, but one of our new trainees has a daughter with asperger's, diagnosed 14 years ago, and apparently he's been asking the trainee a lot of questions about it :D



Villette
Velociraptor
Velociraptor

User avatar

Joined: 7 Feb 2010
Age: 32
Gender: Female
Posts: 415

26 Mar 2010, 1:46 am

He STILL hasn't replied. (quite normal, he always takes his time.) Anyway i called up my teacher whose brilliant son has AS. She said we aspies are mentally healthy and unique, and that her son and I are "too intelligent for normal people". So whatever turns out for me, I thought this phrase would encourage you aspies out there. She seems to think that he will NOT jilt me. Sigh ... Don't think I'm suited for relationships.