I wish I had a special interest

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...but I don't. Never have.

I really wish I had something to obsess about so I knew what to do with my time. Thing is, it seems to be the opposite for me. Nothing interests me enough to keep my mind on it for long. Even things I like don't feel very important to me most of the time. There's nothing I can put my heart into. It seems I am not capable of being really interested in something. I always get jealous when I hear Aspies talking about their special interests, or excelling in school and job because they are so dedicated. I never felt anything like that - for more than a few days, anyway.

Do all of you have a special interest? Or do some feel like me?

maybe you're depressed. When I am I have no interest in doing things I like. Nor do I care much about things.

Going along with what others are saying, you could be depress, faulting yourself, being a "downer" or maybe conditioned! When I'm down in the dumps I usually lose interest in everything and just resort to going to sleep or day dreaming. I'll think about this more though doubt it's going to be this simple.

I know that feeling. Even though I do have special interests, sometimes I don't feel very passionate about them at all and it makes me feel really bored. During times like those, I feel jealous of other people on the spectrum who are feeling very passionate about their interests. I also have a tendency to become discouraged and overly nostalgic about the times when I first discovered my interests (which was when they were at their peak).

It's OK to like things on a general level. There are plenty of things that I like on a general level that never became full-blown special interests. In fact, I have been told by my brother that the majority of people just have a collection of general interests rather than being super-passionate about only one or two things at a time. It would be nice to be able to control what becomes a special interest and what doesn't, but we can't, so the best thing to do is to enjoy what interests us to the fullest extent even if we're not overly passionate about it.

Hope this helps.

I used to be more "special interest"ed. Lately, that's not been as much the case, probably due to my severe depression. As others on the thread has pointed out, depression could indeed be a factor in your case. However, I noticed you said "never have", so I don't think it's the root cause. Don't worry, though. Whether or not you have one doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things.

My husband is a workaholic obsessed with computer programs. And guess what? He truly wishes he didn't have this "special interest", at least not with that extent of intensity.

He sounds completly insane when he says things like: " it's hard to work from home because I never feel like wanting to stop", or when he criticizes other workers for "just working the amount of hours they are required to by contract".

Having a special interest certainly feel as a curse too. If you think people with Asperger's suddenly get more popular because they're good at something, that is not always the case; and I personally wouldn't like to be called just because I'm useful at something.

I think all of us are interesting human beings with a unique set of skills and abilities, one just needs to discover what would like to do for a living. And if you find out that whatever you're doing is not making you happy, you can always start over again

Okay, maybe I should rephrase. It doesn't need to be an obsessive, special interest. It could just be any good old normal interest. As long as it makes my life feel less empty again.

Sometimes it's a blessing to not have one because then they always get in your way. You prefer to do them over other things or other people or your kids. You could have one and not even know it. if it's impairing you it could be a special interest. Can a hobby be one?

I used to hate having an obsession because I was made to feel bad for it and I always wanted to walk about it and everyone around me made it an issue I was obsessed with it. So I wanted it out of my head and all and I got diagnosed with OCD because of it. I am sure I was diagnosed with it for other reasons too besides my interest. Now I don't let anyone make me feel bad about it anymore and I prefer to keep them to myself and keep it private. Anyone that lives with me would know what they are because they would see me doing it all the time. I prefer to isolate myself in my room to do it.

Sometimes I envy others on the spectrum how they have a special interest that can turn into a career and mine have never been one that could be one. Plus having one that can give you a career in it but yet you don't have the skills for it or to get a career in it or have no experience with it. Like someone can be interested in music but they don't have the talent for it or they can be interested in reading but don't have anything that can give them a career in it like proofreading or someone can be into video games but can't get a job in it where they can test video games or design them because they don't have the skill or be interested in autism but can't get a job in it due to no experience working with it or the fact you can't go to college due to your disability to teach kids with it. Or how about having an interest in something that can give you a career in it but you have no desire to work with it such as if you are obsessed with movies, you don't want to be an actor or actress or even be a director or producer or even work in a movie company.

But it's never stopped me from wanting to work so I have always looked for jobs I think I can do and my husband says working is my interest lol. But I am not a workaholic and it would be too much if I was working all the time. But yet if i don't work, I don't function as well and I need something to do to keep busy so I don't have too much time on my hands. I would probably keep working even if I did win $1,000,000. Working part time is good enough because it keeps me busy and I never get bored at home. Plus I love earning money so I will do anything I can do. But if I were rich, I would probably still keep working so I can function better.

I'll give you a special interest. You're interested in spirits, angels, and demons. You're interest is so strong you must study them first hand or your life is worthless. The meaning of your life is to sudy spirits and nothing but first hand experience will do.

Oh wait, you can't study them first hand because either they don't exist at all or they do exist but you're not psychic. Now you're frustrated and depressed. The meaning of your life is to do something that is impossible for you to do. It makes you want to kill yourself because there's no point in living if you can't engage your interest. Your life is worthless without it.


Congratulations. You're me before I did try to kill myself. You're special interest has broken you.

Sanctus, I forget, do you have ADHD? I ask because I think I understand what you mean. Nothing can really hold my interest well enough. Even things I like. I have at least 30 partially completed art/craft projects in my house. Paper crafts, beading, sewing, painting...all of which I like, but apparently not enough to finish things. I can start off really excited and engrossed and then all of a sudden, it is like I couldn't care less about it. I would like to care about it. I just don't.

I'm NT and never had a special interest...so I wonder also what I miss out on, but anyway I just wanted to add that I became obsessed about learning and memorizing all the tarot cards and freak my friends out with my "psychic abilities"...I was really into it and didn't sleep until I was dead-tired but this obsession only lasted a week since my purpose was satisfied once I read the cards for my family members. It was quite fun being marveled at !I also become temporarily obsessed with certain movies and things like that, learning the actors and scenes of the movie. I guess just find something that you can be passionate in and work hard on. Right now, I have no temporary obsessions, I mostly am forced to work hard on school currently....