Project 2- Addressing Autism: Autism and dating/ relationship Research:

  As I have previously been focusing on camouflaging and how people with autism use this technique to maintain relationships, I thought that I would do some more research and I have found articles that talk about the possible challenges that a autistic person may face when dating or being in a relationship. 

The first article that I have discovered is called 'Autism Dating: An Honest Dating Guide for Autistic People.' The article contains information about why and how it may be challenging for an autistic person to date. The article states how "people on the autistic spectrum often misread body language, lack scripting and appropriate skills to initiate relationships, and cannot always communicate what is on their minds." The article continues to highlight certain elements/ situations that may cause someone with autism to struggle with dating. For example, "activities like speed dating can cause an individuals sensory system to overreact. This could be due to potential loud noises and music, flashing lights, and abrupt changes." 

Another article from a website called Help Guide discusses adult autism and relationships. This article clears up any false statements that people assume are challenges for autistic people. These false assumptions are: 

-People with autism don't crave social interaction

-They lack empathy

-They don't experience "normal" emotions

The real challenges that autistic people face when dating or being in a relationship are:

- Reading social cues- Having a hard time reading social cues and people's facial expressions can lead to misunderstandings.

-Anxiety- Can experience stress and anxiety that can lead to difficulty in sleeping and mood swings. 

-Desire for consistency- Disliking when schedules/ plans are changed. This can cause the person to feel anxious and upset. 

Based on all of these facts that I have learned from these web articles,  I'm now going to make rough sketches/ thumbnails that represent these facts.