OBSESSIONS: Do they commonly arise from fears?

Post Reply New Topic

I have gone from obsession to obsession all of my life. Some have not been fear-triggered (such as with tropical fish), but many have (such as electric fans and animal attacks). I assume that a lot of aspies experience obsessions that arise from fears, but that the fears arise out of autistic learning and thinking, and that it feeds anxiety, and the anxiety enhances the fear and as a result of that the obsession. Who else notices this?

I think and see "obsession" has nothing more then a "State of mind" that can be corrected over time..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive- ... e_disorder

Where they come from? Can be 'fear' or anxiety. Can be "interest." Who knows?

I think obsessions for aspies are typically more interest related, while OCD obsessions are more fear related.

That sums it up nicely. You'll see people on this site obessessed with all sorts of things, but out of curiosity (I think) more than anything else. People with OCD supposedly do their 'rituals' out of fear that something bad will happen if they don't.

I would like to hear from aspies with anxiety as a co-morbidity...that is...panic disorder (which is one of mine, as well as OCD being another of mine). But if a fear develops out of autistic learning and responses, it triggers severe curiosity! I think they spoon-feed each other. I am REALLY curious about this!

Aspie obsessions are curiosity based. We are interested in something, we get saturated by detailed knowledge of it and we move on.


My husband is OCD. His obsessions are sometimes fear-based. No plastic ever because there are carcinogens in it. No carpet anywhere because there are all kinds of things in there you can never get out (I'm speaking wall-to-wall capet now). On the other hand, he has rituals that are not fear based, but he must follow to avoid going into overload. Only so many pictures on a wall hung in a certain way. The furniture must be arranged just so and never moved. The pantry is organized by type and alphabetized within that. The towels have to be folded a certain way. Clothes must hang in the closet in a certain way with exactly so much space in between. Certain brushes for certain cleaning. The list goes on and on. His non-fear based obsessions cause him just as much anxiety as the fear-based ones. For example, he wakes me up at 2 A.M. because the linen closet is in disorder and I just won't help him. In other words, one towel is askew. I actually think OCD people get worse when they are not checked by a normal person. He's developed more obsessions since being with me because I don't notice them or try to insert my opinion. I just don't disturb his order.

Yes, I would have said this if you hadn't. Admittedly some of my interests appear to be random, but I can't think of any of them that have stemmed from a sense of fear.

I'm obsessed with video games because I like them.

I've been obsessed with half-cab AEC Double Decker Buses my whole life, because I love them. There are three varieties. The Routemaster, the Regent-V and the Regent-T.

My obsessions come from interest not fear. I do theater because I love it not because I'm afraid people will go unenlightened and unentertained.

I'm not saying that MOST of my obsessions are fear-based. Tropical fish and computers are some examples of obsessions of mine that are NOT fear-based. But I am curious about my fascination with airplanes (because they scared me as a kid, thinking they were dangerous and terrifyingly fast, and THAT led to my learning all about airplanes...although there is no more fear, I still have an obsession with them), and that learning all about something often gave me a SENSE OF CONTROL...a HUGE issue with me! I always need a sense of control!
Remember, I also have three anxiety disorders as co-morbidities (along with ADHD).

The colloquial use of the word "obsession" means something that somebody really likes and can't stop thinking and/or talking about. True obsessions, as defined by the DSM-IV, are intrusive, persistent ideas or images that invoke fear and disgust in the person. This is OCD. Like others have said, OCD obsessions are all about fear, and they are extremely unpleasant. Aspie "obsessions" are really just things that we get so focused on that we can't think about anything else- but in a good way. We don't want to stop thinking about them. OCD-ers will try any way they can to stop thinking their obsessions. I should know- I'm both an Aspie and an OCD-er.
-OddDuckNash99-

My obsessions are often VERY pleasant...the LAST thing I want to do is stop thinking about them...but the FEAR ones I'm talking about started out as something, well, maybe some sort of fearful INTRIGUE rather than a terror. I'm really not sure. Maybe I'm over-analyzing this whole thing, but it sure is fascinating to hear from other Asperger people. Please continue to respond!