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404nf
Snowy Owl
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22 Jun 2014, 4:43 pm

I've had this problem for as long as I can remember. Just a couple days ago, I got fed up of it and decided I needed help on this.
I tried going as far back as I could without just making random decisions and filling in the gaps. I've tried to be as accurate as possible, but it might not be 100% correct.
Basically, what happens is that my special interest keeps changing, and it keeps changing between like a dozen things, literally. Almost all of the times, it involves computers, but that's just because all of my interests are related to technology and science. Sometimes my interests do go outside the realm of technology, design for instance, but its always designing websites or UIs and stuff like that, so it still does involve computers.

Firstly, here's the information I've collected thus far on my interest switches beginning from Nov '13.

(Just FYI : I don't ever seem to have two interests at once, for example, when programming became my interest in late Feb, the earlier interest was no longer something I cared about)

Quote:
Started Late November : Servers and Systems Administration

Started Late February : Programming

Started Late March : Electronics

Started Early April : Learning Programming

Started Early April : Cryptocurrencies

Started Mid April : Tech Incubators

Started Late April : Entrepreneurship

Started Late April : Economics

Started Early May : Atheism

Started Early May : Gaming

Started Mid May : Product Development

Started Mid May : Blogging

Started Late May : Astrophysics

Started Late May : Aspergers

Started Late May : Product Development

Started Late May : Learning Programming

Started Early June : Design

Started Early June : Entrepreneurship

Started Mid June : Designing UI/UX


So, I've had 19 changes in my special interest within like 7 something months. And I am sure I am missing a couple changes from the list.

Now as one can guess, this is getting pretty darn ridiculous and infuriating. I just cannot stay focused on a single thing for longer than a few months at most it seems. Also, none of these are brand new arrivals in my lists of interests. All of them have come and gone before. Sometimes new interests do come in, but very few make it into the cycle(ie, they don't recur).

I know my post seems way too detailed and long, and I do apologize for that.

I did know that Aspies could indeed have changing special interests, but this frequently? Oh, and I missed rock collection in the list.

So what should I do about this? I need some advice.



AspieUtah
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Age: 63
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22 Jun 2014, 6:05 pm

Like many Aspies, the special interests in my life have ranged from A to Z. But, maybe because my systemizing is sooo pervasive, I have always thought of my interests as "special categories" (genealogy, history, law and politics). At first glance, they appear to be four interests, but they also relate to each other and have subcategories. Within genealogy, for example, my interests include familial DNA, development of genetic mutations and haplogroup migration patterns. The same is true with the other categories. If a new interest (like my most recent study of PGP encryption) doesn't fit within an existing category, I give it no more than a few days of attention to give myself a detailed understanding of the topic without becoming an expert in it. This method keeps me on topic and prevents me from wandering from one irrelevant interest to another (at least for too long).

I amn't presuming to recommend this method to you, but you might want to try it out for a month or two.


_________________
Diagnosed in 2015 with ASD Level 1 by the University of Utah Health Care Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinic using the ADOS-2 Module 4 assessment instrument [11/30] -- Screened in 2014 with ASD by using the University of Cambridge Autism Research Centre AQ (Adult) [43/50]; EQ-60 for adults [11/80]; FQ [43/135]; SQ (Adult) [130/150] self-reported screening inventories -- Assessed since 1978 with an estimated IQ [≈145] by several clinicians -- Contact on WrongPlanet.net by private message (PM)


Aspendos
Deinonychus
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22 Jun 2014, 10:00 pm

It's hardly a special interest if it only lasts for a couple of weeks. Just because you are researching something doesn't make it a special interest. Special interests can change, but they last for years between changes. Your special interest might be something that the fleeting interests you mention are part of - seems more like you are looking at particular aspects of some overarching theme (maybe something to do with starting your own tech business)?



IdahoRose
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23 Jun 2014, 12:32 am

How old are you? If you are at or past puberty, it could be an age thing. During my childhood/adolescence I used to obsess over only 1 - 2 things at a time for years at a time (for example, being interested in the two anime Rurouni Kenshin and Inuyasha from age 11 to 14) but I suddenly stopped having these kinds of interests at the age of 21.

Starting about a year ago, I have had a group of less intense interests that I cycle through every couple of days, weeks or months. It's rare that I introduce new interests into this cycle. Additionally, most of them fall under a similar theme (specific fictional characters).

I don't know if they even qualify as Asperger's-level interests anymore, but I have been repeatedly told by my family that most people in the world have a variety of less intense interests. My mom says that even the people on shows like My Crazy Obsession or Totally Obsessed (anybody remember that one?) probably have interests outside of whatever interest is featured on TV, but the shows make it appear that their entire lives revolve around their one specific interest in order to get ratings.