Autistic Love Languages

People with autism show love in a different way than neurotypicals do. While not everyone is the same, a lot of people with autism do little things to show they care. I wanted to share how I show love to the people around me. This includes all different relationships; not just romantic ones.

One thing I do a lot is buy things for the people around me (when I have money). This can be buying a small gift randomly or just buying fast food for the people in my life. It can be hard for people with autism to find common interests, so for me sharing something I am interested in is me trying to connect. I also try to learn about other's interests if I care about them, so we can talk about them more.

I also ask a lot of questions. I know a lot of people find it annoying, but it is me trying to show I care about them and getting to know them. It helps me understand. Parallel play is something a lot of people with autism enjoy. It is doing separate activities in the same room. This works for us because we may not be interested in the same thing as the person next to us, but we don't feel as alone knowing someone is there.

Spending time together is another thing we enjoy. It is not always obvious, but we do enjoy spending time with our loved ones. Some people with autism may enjoy physical touch. I don't personally in most cases, but I have seen others who do.

I am not good at expressing that I care about people with words. I do better giving gifts or learning about other's interests. I enjoy asking questions to get to know people. I also know I can go on about my interests. I do enjoy being in a room with someone and doing my own thing. All of these things can be a form of showing love. They may not be as obvious as a neurotypical just saying it, but it is our way of showing love.

If you love someone with autism, I hope this helps understand them a little better. We do appreciate our loved ones more than they realize; we just are not as verbal about it. We may seem difficult at times, but we do care and are trying our best to show we care. I appreciate all of you for reading this!