Ever get disgusted by your special interests?

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That about sums up my process as well. Nowadays I pretty much go back and forth between comic books and writing, with minor detours in any of my previous obsessions when something involving comic books or writing spurs me to further research one of my old haunts.

I would say mine evolve as well. Not to knock on Pokemon for example I know a large number of you still play it but while Pokemon got me into RPGs it's slow battle system irritates me to no end in present day.

I only revisit music though. I still listen to 90s pop on occasion.

No way! Often times my special intrests are the only thing that keeps me going.

Sometimes I feel embarrassed or even disgusted by my past special interests. I cringe when I think about how I used to record and watch every single episode, even the reruns, of What Not to Wear. But my current interests, never. I love having special interests because they make me feel energized and alive.

Disgusted????

Well, I suppose so since I began to feel as though I was chasing a situation that was never going to change regardless of how much time and energy (and $$$$$) I poured into it! After a while, it was like obsession/compulsion - caught up in a fixed idea, trying to fix, manage, and control the outcome of something I ultimately had no control over.

Although the fact-finding was fascinating and enlightening, the human factor of trying to convince a body of people to do what I thought was the right thing to do eventually took its toll, and I surrendered quietly.

My other interests are not as taxing...such as urban mass transit issues or cars. I don't get as technical as some people do, but I do get caught up in digging up information and arguing my point in forums. Cruise ships (especially those from the 1970s and 1980s) were a fascination of mine. Over the past couple of years, I was able to secure a copy of the deck plans from the SS France (later, Norway).

My level of intensity is not as heavy, but it's still there. I call them obsessive because I'll feel driven to find what I'm looking for or argue my point to the point of exhaustion and then I lose interest after a while. Some things that I pick up, the interest wanes and then I'm off to the races after a rest from it.

I suppose it can be a good thing if you develop a special interest that can help others. I was obsessed with developing a Twelve Step model for Survivors of Workplace Abuse. Then I got distracted in the process by the quest for knowledge of ASDs. I want to finish the model and redevelop my original website with the help of someone who does that kind of work. So far, I've made it to Step Four or Five by making PDFs to post with information about how to apply the Steps, Traditions, and some spiritual principles.

I've gone to the extent of digging up all kinds of information about different Twelve Step fellowships and their literature so that I can further develop MY OWN understanding and present a fairly unique perspective based on the experience of enduring an abusive workplace.

But that's just MY world

I pick interests that are very socially unacceptable for some reason. They end up getting me hurt. Does that make any sense? I was obsessed with the relationship between Jewish people and Nazi's for a while. (not the killing but Jewish people into Nazism) Now I can't even think about that without wanting to puke. I met actual Nazi's who ended up hurting me physically. The idea was never about wanting to kill off my own people but the concept of two opposing extremes meeting. I was also obsessed with the relationship between Anarchy and Fascism. Now I am obsessed with speaking out against injustice in the music industry. Which has cost me lot of friends because it was all they ever heard about from me. So I'm currently disgusted by all of these things due to the effect in which they have had on my life.

^^^^

Oh, it makes PERFECT sense...it's a controversial issue that will upset other people. My main one that I had for years (decades) did upset many while others thought it was intriguing!

I can sometimes be a little too fervent, especially at first. Sometimes, I realize that I've said or done something I'm embarrassed by because of the special interest, so the interest comes to embarrass me, too. Then I try to never think about it again.

That pattern is so common with me that at first, I worried about what I might say or do as a new believer that might embarrass me into apostacy.

However, I never say goodbye to special interests, exactly. We're more like friends whose contact beomes increasingly sporadic; eventually, we don't talk anymore, but we can reconnect at any time. (Generally not for long, though.)

i will eventually reject something vehemently due to bad associations .. once it starts to define my character, and i realize i have become lost in it (?)

Yes. Especially when they s**t on me.

Never felt like I had to make myself disgusted of them. I move to something new and my mind invents reasons that the old one isn't going to work or why I need to take a break from it...I don't really try to make excuses, but my mind starts coming up with stuff.

The one time I actually became disgusted with one of my special interests (one I'd gone very, very deep into for a good 4 years) was when I realized I had ascribed significance to a living person to the point where I had dislodged things I believe should have been greater priorities. (NOT taking a slap at fandom, please understand. I think we have some individuals here who are VERY big in fandom. What I am saying was is a very personal thing and others may have a better perspective on their fandoms than I did at that time.) I did rebel against that one and to this day I have a hard time with looking at or being around things that are associated with it.

(And I really don't want to talk about what it was, so please no inquiries. Sensitive subject. )

Works of fiction, acts of history, and aspects of nature...I have not had that problem with, nor with politics or theology.

I'll often feel I've "finished" working on an interest. My need will become "filled" and then I hit a stage of odd boredom where I'm not interested in anything. I think I have a general "problem-resolution" need and so a lot of my interests that result are based on figuring out how to make something work, or producing something with some kind of tangible outcome like art or writing.

I think a lot of this has something to do with my ADHD, since my executive function is quite impaired I run out of steam for the organization needed to keep up with x interest as well.

Ahyuh! "Disgusted" probably isn't the word I would use either, but I know what you mean...

I'd either just get sick of it (which is pretty darned close to disgusted I suppose), or realize over time and practice, I didn't really like what it took to accomplish, or continue obsessing. over whatever it was.

For example, I used to collect beer bottles and cans, but only if I actually drank them. I got sick of dusting them off and threw them all away after about ten years. I decided to study Web site design, because I love working on computers, but quit after two years, because I hated the process of programming in more than one language.

No... But i think some other people might be disgusted by my special interest! lol.

Like other people have said, mine have only ever really faded and/or evolved into new things. There have been things that i'd been kind of embarassed to be obsessed with, though.. But i've never consciously tried to suppress one.

Cute snake! My bearded dragon pooped on me once and I go, "Did you have to go potty?" She was probably thinking, "Stupid human! What does it look like I just did?"