Work and obsessive interest

Post Reply New Topic

For the aspies that have life-long obsessive interests,
how much important is for you to work in a job who is related with your area of special interest? do you feel frustated if you work in an area non-related to your special interest?

Sort of. I'm interested in a lot of different things, so I guess that could be a good thing. I always liked school and children a lot, so I tried teaching... but I was undiagnosed at the time and for some reason I didn't take my sensory and social issues into consideration. It was quite a disaster. I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do with my life, but I'm trying to find a career path with a good mix of creativity, intellectual stimulation, doesn't overwhelm me, and allows me flexibility. I work in an administrative/research assistant job and I feel pretty dissatisfied. My dream job is to be able to work freelance as a journalist that specializes in healthcare. But most of us don't end up doing our dream jobs. I'm applying to medical school next year (or the year after, don't know yet) unless I get a terrible MCAT score. I'm nervous because I have ADHD and ASD and those don't really bode well with such an intense environment but I have a strong work ethic so may as well try. This is like, my third career change.... hah. I may change my mind again, who knows.

I have a passion for puzzles (mazes and jigsaws as a child) and presentation (theater scripts). I puzzle and present at work (network design) --- but come to find out I enjoy the strategic part of it and my new management is saying that doesn't fit any more on our team --- and hence I find that I don't fit. Albeit the new management doesn't respect me, so perhaps that's more so the lack of "fit".

It does occur to me that I would do just as well presenting a puzzle (TV show Investigator). Or that my puzzling could be applied to different areas. I like genealogy...

What will we do when we grow up?

I am not interested in anything financially productive

"Beggars can't be choosers"

Supermarket, gas station, burger joint, won't hire my worthless corpse


Your ideal job is just a clerical error away from reality





Autistics have a competitive disadvantage at

dealing with. Reality, or change





Otherwise autism would be called a superpower not developmental disability






f**k mister redelings

Absolutely. The problem is, my special interest is geology and astronomy. There are very few jobs near me in that field, and I can't move. I've been "laid off" from many jobs, probably in part because they were boring to me and I spent too much time on the computer reading about more interesting things than, say, the demographics of army recruits, or the different configurations of utility poles.

My special interests were never anything I could get a job doing. I cant get a job watching TV, listening to music, playing video-games, & spending time mindlessly on forums. The jobs I had were things like dish-washing & custodial. I tried to do my very best when I was working even if the job may of been boring to lots of people. I like routine & predictability. I was a workaholic when I was working & I only indulged in my interest when I was off from work & not sleeping.

I used to work with birds and I probably could have had a great career if I didn't end up with severe bipolar and also gaining a lot of weight so I can't do anything physical anymore.

I weigh myself everyday on a balance beam scale.