My partner and I are both autistic but we mask differently in social situations and it's creating this weird dynamic where one of us always feels abandoned when we're with other people. They shut down and I overcompensate and then we both leave feeling like we failed each other and don't belong anywhere together.
More people experience this than they realize.
Different neurotypes within the same relationship can create competing strategies for belonging that inadvertently isolate partners from each other.
“Where Are You with Belonging for neurodivergent people?”
If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.