We Believe You
Believe in Yourself
The Story of Cassandra
The Pain of Disbelief
During the times of ancient Greece, there existed a princess of exceptional beauty named Cassandra. Her remarkable intelligence and courage complemented her kind and compassionate nature.
The Olympian god, Apollo, held a deep affection for her and attempted to court her by endowing her with the gift of prophecy.
The love story turned bad after Cassandra rejected Apollo's advances. This enraged Apollo who, when unable to revoke his previous gift, punished her by giving the curse that nobody would believe her prophecies.
As Cassandra cried out her warnings, she was ignored and ridiculed. This cruel response caused her deep anguish and loneliness.
So this is how we have the term Cassandra Syndrome which is a type of Ongoing Traumatic Relationship Syndrome (OTRS).
The Impact of Cassandra Syndrome
Your experience, like many other Neurotypical (NT) women in relationships with autistic men, can be likened to the story of Cassandra, which serves as a powerful metaphor.
NOT BELIEVED
When seeking support from friends and family, you may be met with disbelief and blindness to your pain. They only see the positive traits of your husband for the short time they interact with him. So they conclude that there is something wrong with you.
Adding to your distress, when you turn to counselors who don't understand the ongoing impact of autism in a relationship, your story of trauma may be discounted or dismissed.
EMOTIONAL DESERT
We hear NT wives describe how their husband's struggle with empathy and focus on special interests leads to a breakdown of communication and never-ending disconnect. One client described her experience as:
"It's like living in an emotional desert."
This isolation often leads to anxiety and depression, along with physical symptoms such as digestive disorders and autoimmune diseases. Over time, emotional deprivation can have debilitating long-term effects. Deep resentment, burning anger, and a loss of self are common.
HOPE
As dark as the picture may look, it's important to know that recovery is possible. That is why we are so glad you are here! We would like to guide you step-by-step to hope and healing.