i cant understand why Non Autistics dont have obsessions

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Joined: 26 Jan 2013
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02 Mar 2016, 1:37 am

And i bet Non Autistics cant understand that literally all i like is sonic.

This frustrates me around christmas time, when im trying to buy gifts for people and since they have no obsessions i dont know what to get them!!

And my dad asks me "what do you want for christmas" and the answer is obvious isn't it? Anything sonic, like anything Sonic at all, but he ends up getting me something COMPLETELY different, they aren't bad gifts but whats wrong with just getting something sonic- even if i already have it sonic makes me so happy so just get me that. plus my collection needs to grow.

The World would be a better place if EVERYONE just had 1 interest. Thats what i like about my autistic friends, i know exactly what to buy them for birthdays and christmas and they know exactly what to get me and they dont dare get me anything different than sonic.

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ashbabies
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02 Mar 2016, 1:52 am

it would be a lot easier if others understood us more instead of thinking it's weird ^^
if everyone had obsessions that might be cool. I think they have some but not as extreme, like just interests that they're not extremely attached too.

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Yigeren
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02 Mar 2016, 2:05 am

The world would be boring if everyone had only one interest. No one would be able to identify with those that didn't share the one interest.

Non autistic people do have obsessions. Just not to the same extent.

I have multiple obsessions that change. The only one that lasted a very long time was my first one. That one was for about 10 years.

It's easy to buy things for others. Get them exactly what they ask for. Unless they're like my father. He has obsessions, but he's very particular about what he wants, and just ends up buying whatever it is for himself before anyone else gets a chance.

DonTrump
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02 Mar 2016, 2:07 am

ZombieBrideXD wrote:

Non autistics do have OCDs sometimes as a coping mechanism aswell. Your question kind of makes me realize that most people have no interests besides making friends,getting drunk,and going to work. It's pretty interesting you brought this up actually.

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Feyokien
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02 Mar 2016, 2:11 am

DonTrump wrote:

ZombieBrideXD wrote:

People with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder don't have strong narrow interests connected to the condition. OCD is a tendency towards extreme bizarre rituals, like having to do a specific thing a specific amount of times otherwise they will feel really uncomfortable.

Everyone has interests and hobbies, no one lives their life off the model of "make friends, getting drunk, and going to work". Sports, Fantasy, Fiction, etc.

ZombieBrideXD
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02 Mar 2016, 2:25 am

Feyokien wrote:

No not quite.. i also have OCD

Its characterized by obsessive thoughts managed by obsessive rituals..

Some people with OCD have no rituals though, they have intrusive obsessive thoughts caused by anxiety

for me i obsess over my health, if i find a lump on my body or i bleed or get sick i obsess over it and it cant be helped, if im not doing anything the thoughts will get into my head and i cant get it out. It breaks me down sometimes, and sometimes i cant do anything else because im too obsessed.

Its not the same as a Special Interest because obsessing over my health doesn't make me happy it causes a lot of anxiety and distress.

thehandler
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02 Mar 2016, 2:27 am

I wish they at least understood what it's like to have a special interest. I got so much s**t from people who just assumed I was obsessed because I was a creepy person, and would info dump on purpose to be rude. I wish people understood that I can't help it, and a lot of times I don't want anyone to even know about my interests, but sometimes I can't hold back.

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Feyokien
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02 Mar 2016, 2:47 am

ZombieBrideXD wrote:

Feyokien wrote:

That's basically what I just said. By "interests" I meant super intense hobbies, not thought patterns.

Feyokien wrote:

a tendency towards extreme bizarre rituals, like having to do a specific thing a specific amount of times otherwise they will feel really uncomfortable.

= Its characterized by obsessive thoughts managed by obsessive rituals

I had Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I had really bad problems with trichotillomania in my late teens when my anxiety was at an all time high. I probably still have it. Now I have some thinking to do.

League_Girl
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02 Mar 2016, 2:59 am

Some NTs do have obsessions, I have heard of some who collect things, are a crazy fan of something so they also collect that also and anything to do with it, and there are none autistic people out there who do like a particular topic. But the difference is it doesn't cause them any impairments and they don't go on and on about it and have everything evolve around it. I am sure there are NTs out there who do have aspie knowledge about their interests but they don't info dump about it or go talking about it unless you are interested and they know when to stop and how much to share. One of my NT uncles knows every area code in the US and in foreign countries because he used to have that sort of job where he calls random numbers to sell things. He did info dump that on me when we were visiting and I was fascinated. I could tell he was also showing off because he was saying "I know the area code for New York City, I know the area code for San Francisco" and then tell us. If he were aspie, I am not sure how much different it would be since it is a spectrum.

I also have a hard time with Christmas shopping and birthdays and I found out just because an NT likes something doesn't mean they want all that for their birthdays and Christmas. Now I know. Gifts I buy are never good.

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thehandler
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02 Mar 2016, 3:14 am

League_Girl wrote:

I just wanted to say you put into words what I was having trouble articulating all this time, so thanks for that.

Even NTs who share my special interest still have a healthy amount of other things they can talk about. I have other interests, but my special interest is the only thing I want to talk about and I try to direct the conversation towards it.

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GodzillaWoman
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02 Mar 2016, 11:46 am

I think it's pretty hard for NTs to understand the difference between an amusing interest or hobby and an Intense Interest that completely TAKES OVER YOUR BRAIN SO YOU WANT MORE MORE MORE.

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TheInfinityGap
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02 Mar 2016, 12:05 pm

GodzillaWoman wrote:

I think it's pretty hard for NTs to understand the difference between an amusing interest or hobby and an Intense Interest that completely TAKES OVER YOUR BRAIN SO YOU WANT MORE MORE MORE.

That is exactly the expression I make whenever someone brings me something related to my special interests

But I totes get what you mean - I find the worst part is people who don't have particularly strong likes or dislikes, so you can't get them something that reminds you of them, and when you ask them what they'd like they go "I don't know"! Leaving me just like "please just tell me something you vaguely like so I have something to go off".

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CockneyRebel
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02 Mar 2016, 1:11 pm

What I don't understand is why our loved ones feel the need to attack us on account of our special interests, if they've never had a special interest in their lives.

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LaetiBlabla
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02 Mar 2016, 1:24 pm

I think they do have obsessions:
- their appearance
- money
- power
- others?

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02 Mar 2016, 3:32 pm

LaetiBlabla wrote:

I think they do have obsessions:
- their appearance
- money
- power
- others?

That's true for a lot of NTs I know. I think the difference is that while they might obsess about all of these things, they usually don't go about telling others how much they love money or power. As someone on the spectrum, it's really hard for me to not talk about my special interests ad infinitum. I can stop myself but don't always want to.

Mattoid
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02 Mar 2016, 4:37 pm

Honestly, the best gift I could get from anybody would be a dictionary filled with archaic and obsolete words.

But—oh yeah, we're talking about other people.

I try my best to educate people about the topics of my obsession and 'convert' them. I've met NTs with obsessions, though. One popular one, I've found, is video games, although that doesn't consist of a very narrow spectrum.

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i cant understand why Non Autistics dont have obsessions