Do you lose your special interests when things get too hard?

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I've gradually outgrown some of my special interests (or at least relegated them to the back burner where I might revisit them years later), but in general my attachment to my special interests is sufficiently strong that I'd move heaven and earth to pursue them - and at high personal cost.

I suppose that's one way in which my AS special interests differ from an NT; they're more like obsessions than hobbies that I might easily put down. I'll endure criticism and resistance, and will exhaust all available resources (time, energy and money) before I give up on my special interest.

Yeah, I had an interest for vehicle mechanics, more specifically for engine technology. I never could grasp the material, nor have the physical fitness for the job. I was also persuaded to stop half way through my course because tutors themselves saw I couldnt do it and wasn't something actually for me at all and eventually lost total interest in vehicle maintainence, cars in general and any desire to drive. Though losing the interest isn't frustrating, the frustrating bit is when such an interest gets powerful enough to convince yourself it's something you can do, and then know you can't do it and waste time trying to study for it only for the interest to completely go.

My lifetime interest is always IT though, parts are frustrating like the matamatics involved I can't do, but isn't enough to lose complete and total interest with computers.

That's pretty depressing.

My Special Interest/s are the only thing that gets me through hard times. They perk me up whilst I'm indulging in them (which is almost 24/7). Of course, sooner or later, you've got to face the real world again and life goes on but they help me cope.

I had a period in my life where my Special Interest got murdered by Oracle and I had nothing to replace it - I couldn't find anything to replace it and I basically went into mourning! It was one of the saddest times of my life.

It depends on what it is, but with things like languages or piano songs DEFINITELY. I know first-level phrases of about a dozen languages now or the intro to tens of piano songs, but once it gets to hard, my interest dwindles away.

I've had this happen, only with me it was wanting to become a cop (I have some physical problems that make it so I can't qualify... not to mention the potential problems from being Autistic). It was really frustrating when, after taking several criminal justice/law enforcement classes, I realized that it would never happen.

Not usually. I do give them up eventually, though, and they get replaced by other interests - which makes it difficult to try to do the super aspie thing and make one of them into my "life's work".
I actually seem likely to give them up when they are easy, because I get bored.