Alcoholism and autism?

My autistic partner had been an alcoholic for 13 years when we got together. She was very open about it and when I said it would need to be addressed if she wanted a future together, she was very ready and willing to engage with doing something about it. At the time, we didn't realise she was autistic. 

When she was ready, she started attending a support group and began reducing down, reaching zero consumption within four weeks without the need for medical support or rehab. We approached this together very carefully, and I wouldn't recommend reducing that quickly without seeking advice first. It can be dangerous depending on the level of addiction and the individual. 

Against all expert advice and expectations, she's been able to return to moderate social drinking so long as it's approached with care and caution. It has been about a year and a half since she was drinking as a necessity, and she began experimenting with social drinking about three weeks after being completely clean. She has a few beers at least once a week now, and there has been no sign of any likely return to problem drinking. 

My observations throughout this (and I speak as a qualified counsellor) suggest that there is no single definition of "alcoholic" and it's a label that's applied to a wide variety of problem drinking types. I believe what happened with my partner is that she began drinking to soften the sensory overload associated with autism, and to enable her to relax into what she felt was more a version of herself, less inhibited by autistic social difficulties. Because of her life circumstance, this became a regular pattern, and she slipped into addiction without realising it.

So my opinion - and it's just an opinion - is that autism can predispose some people to abuse substances as a coping mechanism. I also believe that alcoholism in autistic people doesn't therefore necessarily fit the expected pattern of alcoholism in neurotypical people. We found throughout my partner's recovery process that her experiences and behaviours simply didn't match what other alcoholics and professionals would expect. She never lied or tried to conceal her drinking. I was able to keep alcohol in the house, even during her recovery, and she never touched a drop of it. She was able to return to social drinking (I do have to reiterate though that this is something she needs active support and engagement with, and I'm not sure it would be possible if she wasn't supported and in a stable environment). 

Between us, we've noticed that she has an urge to turn to alcohol to flatten difficult emotions and to cope with stress. Part of the journey to safe social drinking has been her learning to differentiate between drinking from desire or need. When she wants a drink, she will ask herself "why do I want this drink?"

So to answer the original question - yes, I definitely believe there's a link between alcoholism and autism. Your experience with easing overstimulation reflects what I've seen in my partner. And from our experience, I wouldn't assume that alcoholism or alcohol abuse will necessarily fit the same model that's seen as the norm in neurotypical people. 

My autistic partner had been an alcoholic for 13 years when we got together. She was very open about it and when I said it would need to be addressed if she wanted a future together, she was very ready and willing to engage with doing something about it. At the time, we didn't realise she was autistic. 

When she was ready, she started attending a support group and began reducing down, reaching zero consumption within four weeks without the need for medical support or rehab. We approached this together very carefully, and I wouldn't recommend reducing that quickly without seeking advice first. It can be dangerous depending on the level of addiction and the individual. 

Against all expert advice and expectations, she's been able to return to moderate social drinking so long as it's approached with care and caution. It has been about a year and a half since she was drinking as a necessity, and she began experimenting with social drinking about three weeks after being completely clean. She has a few beers at least once a week now, and there has been no sign of any likely return to problem drinking. 

My observations throughout this (and I speak as a qualified counsellor) suggest that there is no single definition of "alcoholic" and it's a label that's applied to a wide variety of problem drinking types. I believe what happened with my partner is that she began drinking to soften the sensory overload associated with autism, and to enable her to relax into what she felt was more a version of herself, less inhibited by autistic social difficulties. Because of her life circumstance, this became a regular pattern, and she slipped into addiction without realising it.

So my opinion - and it's just an opinion - is that autism can predispose some people to abuse substances as a coping mechanism. I also believe that alcoholism in autistic people doesn't therefore necessarily fit the expected pattern of alcoholism in neurotypical people. We found throughout my partner's recovery process that her experiences and behaviours simply didn't match what other alcoholics and professionals would expect. She never lied or tried to conceal her drinking. I was able to keep alcohol in the house, even during her recovery, and she never touched a drop of it. She was able to return to social drinking (I do have to reiterate though that this is something she needs active support and engagement with, and I'm not sure it would be possible if she wasn't supported and in a stable environment). 

Between us, we've noticed that she has an urge to turn to alcohol to flatten difficult emotions and to cope with stress. Part of the journey to safe social drinking has been her learning to differentiate between drinking from desire or need. When she wants a drink, she will ask herself "why do I want this drink?"

So to answer the original question - yes, I definitely believe there's a link between alcoholism and autism. Your experience with easing overstimulation reflects what I've seen in my partner. And from our experience, I wouldn't assume that alcoholism or alcohol abuse will necessarily fit the same model that's seen as the norm in neurotypical people. 

this section is for people with autism, do you have autism ? 

u need large studies before you can claim such a theory