I wish I had a special interest

Post Reply New Topic

Your post reminds me that I know a lot of NTs who have different obsessions with things. For example, I know one who's into Edgar Allen Poe, another who's into Skyrim, another who's into writing novels and another who's into the benefits of eating organic foods and holistic medicine. My brother has told me that NT obsessions are different than Asperger's obsessions. But from the outside, the obsessions of my NT friends and family members don't seem to be too different from the obsessions that I've had, aside from maybe the intensity (when I'm obsessed with something, I talk about it nonstop, daydream about it constantly, and base all of my creative pursuits around it). Then again, I don't know how my friend's/family member's minds work, so maybe they think about their obsessions all the time even if they don't always talk about them.

Out of curiosity, cakey, could you please explain what it feels like when you get temporary obsessions, like with the tarot cards and when you get into certain movies? Do you think about them all the time, and do they inspire you to make projects based on them?

I'm NT and finding a special interest for me is a process similar to that of falling in love. The dictionary defines passion as an "emotional response to a situation or a person".

When I was 18 somebody gave me a box with a linux distribution (it was Red Hat 5.1) and i truly fell in love with it. I wanted to know everything about linux and other unix based operating systems. I knew then I wanted a career in the computer business. My interest -unlike my husband's- was not compulsive, and the difference is that I actually got pleasure, an emotional reward from it.

But even people with compulsive behaviour such as my husband can improve greatly, and learn to enjoy life a little

Not everyone with autism is going to have a special interest. If you don't, that's okay. Instead of trying to get one, embrace it.

I enjoy life more now that I'm not as obsessive.

IdahoRose, when I get my temporary obsessions, I feel very happy and anxious at the same time. I feel as though I want to accomplish so much in so little time and I get anxious that it will take a while for me to master or get fufilled by the obsession. Projects? Yes, I was even thinking of having a side job of tarot readings in the moment, but the obsession ended and I don't aspire that anymore. Oh, emimemi, I forgot about falling in love, I have gotten obsessed and in love in the past. Being in love hurts more than feels good since you can never know for certain what the other person feels. I don't get obsessed in love anymore since I understood love more as I grew.

Narrow and obsessive interests are my blood. I guess I am stubborn, BUT I LIKE WHAT I LIKE! My special interests usually last for a good 4 years. In this period I refuse to try new things and most of what I talk and think about is my interest and can't figure out why no one else is into it. There is just so much you can know about a single topic and I am never satisfied until I know everything.