Autism and Social Norms: Challenges and Strategies for Mixed Neurofunctionality Relationships

Now You Know One Autistic! Podcast

In this episode, we navigate the world of social situations as a couple with an autistic partner. Through our personal experiences during the Jewish holiday of Pesach and regular social gatherings, we shed light on the challenging atmosphere for our autistic partner and how we handle such scenarios. Specifically, as part of the Orthodox Jewish community, we share the evolution of societal norms and expectations influencing our interactions.

We discuss our journey of becoming more religious and how it altered the dynamics with our friends. In a context, where respecting boundaries and discomfort of physical touch gain prominence, we provide insights into how many autistics resonate with this narrative while dealing with social scenarios.

We move onto exploring how the practices of Shomer Negev and kashrut in religion shapes behavior and life choices. We delve into the subtleties of social behaviors of those who consciously choose a different set of principles in life as opposed to being born into it. We reveal how aiding each other during these encounters allows us to understand our partners better.

As part of a religious setting, engaging in small talks can be difficult for some. Hence, we discuss strategies including eye contact, effective questioning and timing your exit from a conversation that smoothen these interactions.

In the next episode, we embark on the intriguing concept of social battery, crucial in the world of neurodivergence. We delve into the intricacies of this phenomenon, how it fluctuates, its effects and how one can rebalance. We discuss examples like self-isolation, 'fast charging' with a trusted individual to highlight the significance of comfort and recharging.

Further, we touch upon facets of neurodivergent communication like verbal, physical and unspoken in tandem with self-awareness and self-acceptance. We share the personal experience of Leah ‘the human squishmallow’ showing the distinct dynamics of an autistic in a relationship.

Unravel the complexities of autistic interactions with us in this episode. Using personal anecdotes, shared experiences, and well-crafted examples, we cover topics such as pushing for growth amidst discomfort, learning to set boundaries, and creating unconventional solutions to common problems in relationships.

We also discuss how we handle socially stressful situations, striking the balance between discomfort for personal development and preventing an imminent meltdown. This episode is a must-listen to gain a deeper understanding of autism and how it shapes interpersonal interactions.