Obsessions, and trying to figure out what people say

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Hello everybody, I have two questions.

Does everyone have obsessions on certain things?
I've always been obsessive. I can compulsively research for hours and hours on one topic and get set on certain things. For example, sometimes I just HAVE to have something. I will spend HOURS researching it, reading all the reviews possible ect. My obsessions rotate very quickly, but they are intense and they are all I can think about at the time. I've done tons of research on Asperger's/Autism, and I've seen videos of people with this problem, but I'm just wondering if anyone else has this issue. I can focus on what I want to focus on, but nothing else. I hope I have explained this properly.

Do you have a hard time trying to figure out what people are actually saying?
I have a hard time trying to figure out what people are ACTUALLY saying. For example, if someone is telling me a long story I have a hard time focusing because I'm trying to figure out the "point" of what they are saying. I've told some people close to me they just have to tell me the point of what they are saying before the whole story, for example instead of saying "I woke up this morning, went to the mall, and then my car was making this noise, so I did this, and then did that, and then..*goes on for 10 minutes" they have to say "My car broke down this morning, but I got a ride home" and THEN explain the details. Also, if I am upset I find myself not understanding things even more and just need a straight out, simple explanation and THEN a description. For example, saying "well, I think this way because of this, and this made me feel this way but I feel this way about you. I was thinking this when you did this, and.." has no effect on me, because I spend my time thinking what do they mean? It works better if someone says to me "I am upset/not upset with you because you did/didn't do this, here is how I felt at the time....."

I suppose this may count as figuring out people's intentions, but I'm not sure if this counts. Does anyone else feel this way?




I hope I have explained everything correctly, sometimes I think my brain thinks in a language I don't know. I understand what I mean, but can't quite explain it...

Affirmative.

About obsessions - It seems that most people with Asperger's Syndrome (including myself) have obsessions. It's even included as a symptom in the diagnostic criteria! However, not everyone with AS has them.

Yes, I realize this, I'm just wondering if everyone with obsessions has SPECIFIC obsessions or just obsess in general.

Ah, I see. Thank you for clarifying your question.

From both personal experience and observation, it seems as though people tend to have obsessions with specific things, hence the inclusion of the word "narrow" in the phrase "narrow, intense interests".

Interesting. I do have certain obsessions but seem to obsess with researching things. I've read some with ASD do that, rather than just over one thing.

I think that counts as obsessions

Mine are music, animals, and medicine. Thank God these are fairly acceptable to the NT world, my only issue with them really is that I go overboard quite often and get "the look". My most recent post before this is a good demonstration if you want to check it out.

Link to my post.

Last edited by shadowchyld on 15 Apr 2011, 9:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Does everyone have obsessions on certain things?
Maybe not everyone, but I do. If I am obsessed or interested in something I can have periods of time when I will become hyper-focused, I'll get caught-up doing something (normally related to my 'special interest') and I will loose track of time, not eat, drink or go to the bathroom for hours, I can't pay attention to anything else around me during that time, if someone tries to talk to me I can't listen and get irritated by them, and little can pull me away from whatever it is I'm doing.

Do you have a hard time trying to figure out what people are actually saying?
Yup, my partner takes an eternity to say anything, I often have to stop him and tell him to get to the point, or at the end of a story I have to ask him what the point was...or I look puzzled and he clarifies for me. The more stressed you are the more your brain is going LALALALALALALALA!! !! you have too much to think about and too much sensory information coming at you at a time when your brain is already being awkward with you...so trying to listen to someone can be tricky, more so when the other person is trying to express how they feel in a way that isn't straightforward - this is difficulty figuring out intentions of others and feelings of others.

Yes, I can't think about anything else. My obsessions just rotate every couple weeks or months. I obsess over electronics ALL the time. Sometimes I get so determined to get something, I can't think about anything else until I get it. (For example, I wanted an iPod touch, couldn't think about anything else.. didn't have enough money, got a fake nano.. wasn't good enough, got a real nano, wasn't good enough, got an ipod touch classic, wasn't good enough.. got an ipod touch gen 1 for 110$.. could've gotten a gen 2 for 120, but couldn't wait the extra day to put 10$ in my account for something better. Now I regret my decision and want a gen 2). This obsession lasted more than a year, but it's pretty much passed, but I spent hours flipping through ebay auctions, reading reviews, watching videos and what not.

I also am suspected to have a health condition called Ankylosing Spondylitis.. I read EVERYTHING I could about the subject and now seem to know more than my doctor's. It's unfortunately not a well or understood disease so most older doctor's don't know much about it. Similar to ASD, it was thought only men got it. I've spent more hours than I can tell you researching it, going to every web page possible and reading everything I could.

These are just a couple examples. I suppose I do have special interests. I collect Alice in Wonderland things, but I'm VERY picky and only like things that are related to the book. I can't help but buy stuff when I see it but I am SO picky and kind of stuck up about it!

I meant to reply to the second section of that as well but got distracted! Yes that is exactly how I feel!

I remember being like that very young, as well... my first CD I bought I became obsessed with it. I listened to it all the way through every single day for months and the one day I didn't I was very upset. I knew way too much about the band including their life stories, quotes by them, and even a couple of their birthdays...

Dirty_Diamonds, what you describe is very normal for me. Individuals on the spectrum have issues getting the whole picture, but they get details well. They also have specific obsessions and obsessive thought. I'm the same way. I can research for hours on a specific topic. I can be very obsessive on a specific topic as well as have obsessive thinking which can lead to greater anxiety if the obsessive thought is negative.

Yes, my obsessing leads to my anxiety being worsened as well. My anxiety is probably my #1 issue, I'd say. I'm extremely paranoid, and it doesn't help when I don't understand people.

Off topic, but you kind of look like someone I went to school with. Very interesting.