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I feel really thrown for a loop

Definitely a double message was given. Maybe she pulled back because she didn't want to come off as a hussy. Like you may lose respect for her. Or she was flirting to see if you were attracted, then said oops, l did it again, time to back off and talk friend zone. Or she simply has NO clue what she truly wants. I think this stage is just checking each other out. Definitely don't talk marriage this early in the game. That can be to much pressure. Just take it slow, maybe in a month, ask if she has feelings for you and be prepared. You made it to a date out. That's success in my book. Ask her what she is looking for in a guy, and what she is looking for in a relationship. A lot less woman are getting married. You may need to lower your expectations about that. Dating sucks, it's like applying for a job that you don't even know if you really want.
 
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She is on the spectrum like I am, but I had no reason to feel like she wanted to be friends first, not after an amazing first date, or her reaching out to me, or her telling me, ‘Smooth’ in response to a text I made.

As an affectionate person who craves affection and romance and we did what we did on the first date, gave no hints at friends first at all before tonight, you think I’m not going to want or expect more kissing and affection tonight on the second meeting/date?

I can be patient with her, just like others can be patient with me, and I hope she’s patient with me and remembers I’m on the spectrum with my own challenges, too.

If she said she was tired and didn’t feel like holding hands, kissing, cuddling tonight, I’d have understood that more than if she said she wanted to be friends first after a great start to things.
Understood. It was annoying. And yepp, you had no reason to think it was heading towards "friends". And yeah, I'd be anticipating more of the same on the second date, in general. But you can't force her to continue if she had a change of heart. Nor can you change her if this is in her nature. The fact that she appears to have trampled on your feelings - either intentionally or unintentionally - only has relevance to whether you're prepared to accept it or move on. The only thing in your control is whether you would like a relationship, and what sort of relationship that would be. You can't have expectations of her, only make your decisions with the information she presents.
 
Definitely a double message was given. Maybe she pulled back because she didn't want to come off as a hussy. Like you may lose respect for her. Or she was flirting to see if you were attracted, then said oops, l did it again, time to back off and talk friend zone. Or she simply has NO clue what she truly wants. I think this stage is just checking each other out. Definitely don't talk marriage this early in the game. That can be to much pressure. Just take it slow, maybe in a month, ask if she has feelings for you and be prepared. You made it to a date out. That's success in my book. Ask her what she is looking for in a guy, and what she is looking for in a relationship. A lot less woman are getting married. You may need to lower your expectations about that. Dating sucks, it's like applying for a job that you don't even know if you really want.
She said on her profile that she wants someone to geek out with her on things.

I know I want to get married, and I know stuff with women rarely happens for me.
 
Understood. It was annoying. And yepp, you had no reason to think it was heading towards "friends". And yeah, I'd be anticipating more of the same on the second date, in general. But you can't force her to continue if she had a change of heart. Nor can you change her if this is in her nature. The fact that she appears to have trampled on your feelings - either intentionally or unintentionally - only has relevance to whether you're prepared to accept it or move on. The only thing in your control is whether you would like a relationship, and what sort of relationship that would be. You can't have expectations of her, only make your decisions with the information she presents.
If I can salvage this, I’m going to. I put time, effort and energy into this one already, and I don’t want to do that again with someone else.

If she wants a relationship, that’s a decision she’ll have to make on her own, but I’ll be moving on if I can’t enter one with her.
 
I can be patient, that’s fine. What can’t I be someone is someone to play games with, and she wants friends first, I respect that.

Just don’t mind me if I feel hurt and confused.

The strategies described in the other thread are games, though, even if well-intentioned. Strategy over honesty will probably not lead to a good outcome.

Her quickness in being affectionate and your sense of this being a relationship--after one date--might be exciting, but aren't very grounded. The easier the passion, the faster it will probably fizzle out. Especially if there is no friendship there. If you aren't willing to be friends and just want romance, you will have excitement but little satisfaction. It's all going to be a shot in the dark and these are the experiences you're likely to have. If you're lucky. There are also lots of people who will rush into a relationship so they can use you. You might want to consider your own safety and wellbeing, going forward.
 
@BewilderedPerson

I haven't read all this. But it sounds like you were either trying to move too fast, or making overt assumptions that indicated your goals for the evening didn't match hers.

You should see this as a protocol error rather than necessarily a relationship-terminating disaster.

If you want to discuss it with me specifically that might be possible, but not in the public forum, and not if you're "shopping around for the advice you want". Your best way forward from here is by no means the easiest way.
 
I had my second date tonight, and for those of you haven't read the other thread, here are cliff notes.

- First date at a Mexican restaurant, I offer afterwards to see a movie, go bowling or go by me to listen to The Beatles and watch Jeopardy. She chooses the third option.
- We're on my couch snuggling, hand holding, hugging and kissed about 3 or 4 times, including one she initiated when I dropped her off. We took a selfie and she put her hand on my face.
- We've been in contact for much of that time since then, including when she wasn't feeling well and I checked in on her and we rescheduled us making dinner tonight.

So, she comes over, hugs me, I kiss her on the head. She drops a bombshell on me she wants to be friends first, says we could possibly be just friends or something more, but I make us dinner and I surprise her with a Shamrock Shake, which she turned out to like.

She said she wasn't feeling well, feeling tired, stayed two hours with me, and we talked for a bit and watched some episodes of Jeopardy from recent days. While watching it, she initiates a little contact, as we snuggle up for a bit, holds hands a little and I put my hand on her leg (just trying to get comfortable) and she told me the shoulder is fine but she rather not the leg and accepted my apology.

She apologized to me for not being a lot of fun tonight. I asked if we could talk, she said, "We'll see." I told her to feel better and she told me get some rest.

And I deleted all my dating apps and I made that picture of us the wallpaper on my phone.

Sorry, how could I feel anything but mislead? She's on the spectrum, too, and I feel really thrown off and I wanted to vent tonight how I could be friends first, but not just friends, how my ultimate goal is a relationship and how I felt completely misled and thrown off.

My screen name, BewilderedPerson, that's me to a T right now.

I'm not angry, just massively confused and slightly hurt. I want to be a husband. I'm not just looking for sex. I want to be some woman's husband.

Not just that, but I really want to talk to people now.

T

I had my second date tonight, and for those of you haven't read the other thread, here are cliff notes.

- First date at a Mexican restaurant, I offer afterwards to see a movie, go bowling or go by me to listen to The Beatles and watch Jeopardy. She chooses the third option.
- We're on my couch snuggling, hand holding, hugging and kissed about 3 or 4 times, including one she initiated when I dropped her off. We took a selfie and she put her hand on my face.
- We've been in contact for much of that time since then, including when she wasn't feeling well and I checked in on her and we rescheduled us making dinner tonight.

So, she comes over, hugs me, I kiss her on the head. She drops a bombshell on me she wants to be friends first, says we could possibly be just friends or something more, but I make us dinner and I surprise her with a Shamrock Shake, which she turned out to like.

She said she wasn't feeling well, feeling tired, stayed two hours with me, and we talked for a bit and watched some episodes of Jeopardy from recent days. While watching it, she initiates a little contact, as we snuggle up for a bit, holds hands a little and I put my hand on her leg (just trying to get comfortable) and she told me the shoulder is fine but she rather not the leg and accepted my apology.

She apologized to me for not being a lot of fun tonight. I asked if we could talk, she said, "We'll see." I told her to feel better and she told me get some rest.

And I deleted all my dating apps and I made that picture of us the wallpaper on my phone.

Sorry, how could I feel anything but mislead? She's on the spectrum, too, and I feel really thrown off and I wanted to vent tonight how I could be friends first, but not just friends, how my ultimate goal is a relationship and how I felt completely misled and thrown off.

My screen name, BewilderedPerson, that's me to a T right now.

I'm not angry, just massively confused and slightly hurt. I want to be a husband. I'm not just looking for sex. I want to be some woman's husband.

Not just that, but I really want to talk to people now.

Thank you.
If it was me I would not reach out to her. Give her space. Any sort of relationship whether it's friends or more she will come to you. . It sounds to me that she's not ready for any kind of relationship right now.
 
My partner was a bit like this at first. I was the one to tell him I had feelings for him (we met through our children being best friends) and he got physical with me and later backed off.
In his case he'd had a lot of relational trauma and he got scared. Things were moving too fast.
He did say he wanted friendship with me.
So initially, after hot steamy attraction. I was friend zoned and I was devastated because I had zero doubts about him. I was so attracted, I quickly became obsessed.

I had to back off. And I respected his boundaries. I accepted the friendship and eventually he was ready to trust that I was a safe enough person to proceed with and now we've been together for 14 years and we're still crazy about each other.

You know what I did? I played the field while waiting for him to be ready for more. I got on with my life. I studied. I worked. I got in great shape. I cried a lot in the shower. I had some shallow meaningless sex with people I wasn't invested in too, which, I'll admit, I'm not super proud of, and I don't particularly condone or1 recommend but I was nursing a broken heart and doing whatever I could to distract myself.

We talked a lot on the phone and we both valued each other as a friend, first and foremost, because both being autistic people we have both had a lot of loneliness, bullying, very hard times and a decided lack of real friends, so the most beautiful thing WAS the fact that, FINALLY, we both found a friend.

It sounds like there is attraction between you, so my advice would be to relax, take it easy, see her as a person, as a friend, don't try to get heavy or rush things.

As a woman you get sick of the fact that, pretty much nearly every man you meet, wants to get in your pants and that's about all he really seems interested in. That's boring because any woman will do. We all have the right body parts. But a guy who sees you? As a person, first and foremost? That's rare. Someone who doesn't have that same Ole obvious agenda? Who is willing to get to know you and see if you really are compatible for a long term relationship? That's worth taking your time for. That's worth pursuing.

I was the one to initiate in my relationship, which, I know, is rare for a female. I'm an unusual woman, to say the least, but, I am in a successful relationship, after a lot of very painful, lonely and hard times and I've got there by being respectful, being patient, letting go of my expectations and attachments time and time again, listening to my heart and honoring myself, doing self care and being proactive in developing myself, being courageous and reaching out and communicating, time and time again, getting over feeling sorry for myself while at the same time, having compassion and understanding for myself, putting myself "out there" and building social confidence and just generally getting on with my life and that made me infinitely more attractive and alluring to the person I wanted to attract.
 
The strategies described in the other thread are games, though, even if well-intentioned. Strategy over honesty will probably not lead to a good outcome.

Her quickness in being affectionate and your sense of this being a relationship--after one date--might be exciting, but aren't very grounded. The easier the passion, the faster it will probably fizzle out. Especially if there is no friendship there. If you aren't willing to be friends and just want romance, you will have excitement but little satisfaction. It's all going to be a shot in the dark and these are the experiences you're likely to have. If you're lucky. There are also lots of people who will rush into a relationship so they can use you. You might want to consider your own safety and wellbeing, going forward.
I’m willing to be friends first, but not friends only.

Consider me a cynic with all women going forward, that they’ll really have to earn my trust.
 
@BewilderedPerson

I haven't read all this. But it sounds like you were either trying to move too fast, or making overt assumptions that indicated your goals for the evening didn't match hers.

You should see this as a protocol error rather than necessarily a relationship-terminating disaster.

If you want to discuss it with me specifically that might be possible, but not in the public forum, and not if you're "shopping around for the advice you want". Your best way forward from here is by no means the easiest way.
That’s what I hope, that last night was just a hiccup and we can get through this.
 
If it was me I would not reach out to her. Give her space. Any sort of relationship whether it's friends or more she will come to you. . It sounds to me that she's not ready for any kind of relationship right now.
So be it if we can’t have a relationship now. I’ll just keep it as small talk and hope to do some small stuff together.
 
My partner was a bit like this at first. I was the one to tell him I had feelings for him (we met through our children being best friends) and he got physical with me and later backed off.
In his case he'd had a lot of relational trauma and he got scared. Things were moving too fast.
He did say he wanted friendship with me.
So initially, after hot steamy attraction. I was friend zoned and I was devastated because I had zero doubts about him. I was so attracted, I quickly became obsessed.

I had to back off. And I respected his boundaries. I accepted the friendship and eventually he was ready to trust that I was a safe enough person to proceed with and now we've been together for 14 years and we're still crazy about each other.

You know what I did? I played the field while waiting for him to be ready for more. I got on with my life. I studied. I worked. I got in great shape. I cried a lot in the shower. I had some shallow meaningless sex with people I wasn't invested in too, which, I'll admit, I'm not super proud of, and I don't particularly condone or1 recommend but I was nursing a broken heart and doing whatever I could to distract myself.

We talked a lot on the phone and we both valued each other as a friend, first and foremost, because both being autistic people we have both had a lot of loneliness, bullying, very hard times and a decided lack of real friends, so the most beautiful thing WAS the fact that, FINALLY, we both found a friend.

It sounds like there is attraction between you, so my advice would be to relax, take it easy, see her as a person, as a friend, don't try to get heavy or rush things.

As a woman you get sick of the fact that, pretty much nearly every man you meet, wants to get in your pants and that's about all he really seems interested in. That's boring because any woman will do. We all have the right body parts. But a guy who sees you? As a person, first and foremost? That's rare. Someone who doesn't have that same Ole obvious agenda? Who is willing to get to know you and see if you really are compatible for a long term relationship? That's worth taking your time for. That's worth pursuing.

I was the one to initiate in my relationship, which, I know, is rare for a female. I'm an unusual woman, to say the least, but, I am in a successful relationship, after a lot of very painful, lonely and hard times and I've got there by being respectful, being patient, letting go of my expectations and attachments time and time again, listening to my heart and honoring myself, doing self care and being proactive in developing myself, being courageous and reaching out and communicating, time and time again, getting over feeling sorry for myself while at the same time, having compassion and understanding for myself, putting myself "out there" and building social confidence and just generally getting on with my life and that made me infinitely more attractive and alluring to the person I wanted to attract.
If she’s scared, I would appreciate knowing that. Since we’re both on the spectrum, I can’t speak for her, but sometimes you need to spell things out for me.

Funny, I felt zero doubts and felt an obsession and instance attraction after the first date with her, too.

So, I want to re-establish I’m safe, just focus on the friendship for now and rebuild trust.

I’m nursing some tough feelings now, too. I’ve got a job that kept me very busy, which is good. What may or may not be good is I’m tired of putting myself out there to women and would like to salvage this if I can.

I hope there’s attraction, but I now feel I have a clearer mind after last night, which I wasn’t ready for.

Maybe I’m not looking just to get in her pants, but I am the affectionate and romantic type.

I have no reason to be attached anymore. It just is what it is. I’m certainly not falling for anything again.
 
If she was scared she wouldnt have come back. You did nothing wrong.

Sexual attraction is not equivalent to objectification.
 
I don't know. She seems flaky to me that's all. I'd look elsewhere.

Showing you're living your own life might increase her attraction. Don't make yourself too available.
 
Look elsewhere and most likely get hurt by someone else?

I’ve already started with something with this one to an extent, if I can avoid it ending badly, I’m going to do that.
 
There is such a thing as throwing good money after bad, but it seems you see something in her worth pursuing because of the talk of marriage and you know the situation the best!
 
There is such a thing as throwing good money after bad, but it seems you see something in her worth pursuing because of the talk of marriage and you know the situation the best!
Here I’m hoping as someone on the spectrum, she’ll be patient with me as I would her, that she’ll understand me, that she won’t play game.

Let’s put this shoe on the other foot for a second. She brings me over to her place after a meal and I start putting the moves on her and I put my hand on her face for a selfie she wants and she wants to kiss me and I kiss her not just once, but multiple times and she wants to see me again and make my dinner.

Then after all that I tell her I want to be friends first and I meant to say that, and say it could be platonic or romantic.

Don’t you think that’d be pretty scummy of me to do that to a woman? I’d never, ever, ever do such a thing to a woman.

I’m sure I’d get condemned for such actions. And guess what? I’d deserve it.

I want a woman I can spoil and pamper. I’d feel good about myself by showering my better half with love, affection and gifts, just how good I’d feel.

Being an only child, very few friends my whole life, I was spoiled. Now, I’m looking for someone to do that to.
 
Here I’m hoping as someone on the spectrum, she’ll be patient with me as I would her, that she’ll understand me, that she won’t play game.

Let’s put this shoe on the other foot for a second. She brings me over to her place after a meal and I start putting the moves on her and I put my hand on her face for a selfie she wants and she wants to kiss me and I kiss her not just once, but multiple times and she wants to see me again and make my dinner.

Then after all that I tell her I want to be friends first and I meant to say that, and say it could be platonic or romantic.

Don’t you think that’d be pretty scummy of me to do that to a woman? I’d never, ever, ever do such a thing to a woman.

I’m sure I’d get condemned for such actions. And guess what? I’d deserve it.

I want a woman I can spoil and pamper. I’d feel good about myself by showering my better half with love, affection and gifts, just how good I’d feel.

Being an only child, very few friends my whole life, I was spoiled. Now, I’m looking for someone to do that to.
I think it's so beautiful that you are ready for love. It's fair enough that you feel confused and hurt. She's given you mixed messages and that would do my head in too.
I think it important to communicate and get things clear. Lots of us aren't particularly good at that, though, so I hope she's will be straight and clear with you, you deserve that from her. IMO. I think it's important to guage how considerate and respectful she's willing to be. If she just wants it all on her terms with no respect for your feelings, well, that would be a deal-breaker for me.

It might be that she doesn't yet know what she wants. But it does sound like she is in to you, and maybe just wants to slow things down a bit. Yes, she moved too fast. Her body knew what it wanted, perhaps, but her head said other things, after the fact.it's just such early days yet, so it's hard to definitively say, either way.

The uncertainty of these kinds of situations are really hard, I know. I think it's important to let yourself feel how you feel and find a way to put in self-protective boundaries, even though, it seems she's broken through your defenses and that is disconcerting and scary. An emotionally vulnerable time for you, so say the least.

It's good you can be busy and have a job to keep you focused on other things as much as possible. I got into working out in a big way, while I was waiting for my guy. I wanted to make myself as irresistible as possible, I'll admit. I was shamelessly besotted. It turns out I was right to be crazy about him. He's a goody and we are perfect for each other. I hope people don't read this and hate me for saying that. We've been through absolute hell, before we found each other for many decades so when we met, we were both in terrible emotional shape from abusive other people and I don't think anyone can last too long in such a hostile environment that we'd endured, so finding each other was "God's Grace" if you ask me.

Figuring out what we actually want is half the job, in life, I reckon. Maybe she's just not clear about that and needs time to figure herself out. In hindsight, my guy was very wise to "put the brakes on" as he puts it. We both had a lot going on, at the time and such a big thing as this needs time. Committing to a relationship is one of the most important and life altering decisions of one's life, so moving at the pace that keeps people feeling in control of their own lives is important, and at the same time, it's a huge "letting go" You know the old adage "If you love someone, let them go". I had to do that in a big way, with my guy. It was very hard and painful at first, but then again, I was in a huge amount of emotional pain, already, as it was. So I had to find ways to work through that, and not project that onto the person (I was already) in love with. I fell hard and fast, he much slower, but no less, as he's completely into me now. He's a faithful, loyal and deeply committed man and I'm very, very, fortunate.
 

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