KimSayNamaste
Active Member
So I've been dating this guy for several months now. I'm crazy about him, notice he has a few quirks...seriously...nothing I can't deal with. One day, we're smoking on his porch and he tells me that he has some form of high functioning autism. I instantly accept this about him. I squeeze his hand tightly upon being able to tell by his demeanor that his admission of that fact was kind of difficult for him. In fact, in the months preceding our relationship, I've had some learning experiences surrounding autism. In FACT, I begin wondering...are some of the struggles that I have had in the past related to HFA also? What solidifies it all is wondering exactly what I can expect coming out of a relationship with someone that is a high functioning autist and then doing the research about it. I find that we identify about many of the things which turn out to be traits specific to HFA. Our seemingly graceful social habits are all learned behaviors, and our individual capacity for diverse intellectual obsession is an acceptable faucet in our relationship. We get that about one another, among many other things. Then I realize that there is no amount of dictionary definition that can truly lead me to understand what it truly means to be HFA. What I need is an interaction with others. It helps me most to understand things when I can talk them out, especially in a non-judgmental and objective space such as this forum. I'm crazy about this guy. He's brilliant and hilarious. He's sincere and positive. I want to make this work, and I need advice about what it really means to be a high functioning autist. What does it mean if he is and I am not? What does it mean if we both are? What can I expect being with somebody who has identified themselves in this way? I took the AQ I'm borderline, and I definitely don't have money for a formal diagnosis. Please submit your comments if you will. I certainly hope I have been sensitive enough in my wording as to propose no offense. If I have, please accept my deepest apologies. I would dearly appreciate your input and experience.
Thank you.
Thank you.