By Keri Wiginton — 2021
Neurodiversity advocates suggest there’s too much attention on the impairments that come with conditions like ADHD. They think a better approach is to focus on what someone’s good at, not what they lack.
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Marianne Eloise knows what it is to be neurodiverse. Here, she unpacks the misconceptions that can make dating – and relationships – harder for autistic people
Forming relationships can be challenging when you have autism because you might not be the one to take the lead and engage with others.
Filmmaker Evan Mead, who has Asperger’s, exposes struggles with dating and intimacy for people on the autism spectrum and runs events featuring speed dating and exploring facial expressions.
Romantic relationships are hard enough, but what if your partner is autistic?
I put a great deal of emphasis on employment because I see so many very intelligent people with autism and Asperger's syndrome without satisfying jobs. A satisfying profession made life have meaning for me. I am what I do and think instead of what I feel.
1
The definition of emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, differentiate, and manage our emotions and the emotions of others. The notion of emotions being important in our lives goes all the way back to the ancient Greeks.
2
Many autistic people have trouble making and keeping friends. This has led to the myth that they don’t want friends3. In reality, they long for friendships just like anyone else. But they face unique challenges in forming and maintaining them.
Blurting, rudeness, and poor impulse control were sabotaging friendships for this woman with attention deficit. By stepping back and taking stock, she learned how she looked to others — and turned the trend around to improve her social skills.
While not everyone with ADHD experiences sexual dysfunction, some people are affected by hypersexuality (very high sex drive), hyposexuality (very low sex drive or a lack of interest in sex), and other sexual factors that may cause them or their partners' distress.
Not surprisingly, the romantic lives of autistic adults are just like those of neurotypical adults: never easy.