Advice: stop the video games and choose useful obssessions

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If I had the money and the time, I'd be playing a lot of video games. I love video games. There are also other things that I enjoy and I'll also be working soon. All I need to do is win the lottery and than I'll have lots of time to play them. I'd like to see more video games fashioned after classic movies and TV shows, though. My special interests choose me, instead of the other way around.

It's probably a hell of a lot easier to cut back on something than it is to purposely choose a new, more useful, obsession. You can't choose what you're interested in: something either interests you or it does not.

Frankly, I could think of a million more "useful" hobbies I could have, but I have no intention of giving up videogames. I'm really not that interested in learning a second language, or whatever.

Personal interests can be motivators to finish work.

Just make an agreement with yourself, for example:

"Today I will not watch that new DVD I bought until I finish this paper that is due soon."

Unplug the television, internet, etc. and do not plug it in again until you finish the paper.

I don't disagree with the OP. Actually I doubt for many its not an interest in video games at all, it as expression of said interest. I used to be a chronic gamer when I was a child to my teenage years, I mean every spare minute I was PC gaming and I am sure that is why I ended up needing glasses for nearsightedness. For me I wasn't obsessed with the video games themselves, I was obsessed with the topic of the game, racing cars, flying airplanes etc. Games were probably the easiest outlet for me to indulge in my interests. When I got a real race car for example the time I spent playing online was completely redirected to building, maintaining and racing the real thing and it was more fun too. The skills learned from doing the real things are much more useful too. So if your into guitar hero why not try picking up a real guitar, if you like shooting why not go to a gun range and try, if you like playing game sports try to find a local team to play for as example. I won't judge anyone for being a gamer, however there is likely more to the world then games. Your eyes will thank you!! !

I'm obsessed with computers, and for me video games are simply an extension of that obsession. Though I do like to game, I spend more time messing with things like overclocking and compiling Linux kernels. Theoretically, my knowledge of these things could be useful for a career. In practice however, I'm not really sure.

Do I think I can redirect my obsessions towards more "practical" things like learning how to drive, or how to impress a manager during a job interview? No. These things honestly don't interest me, but I know I need to learn them in order to get by in life. The fact that I have virtually no interest in these things makes it hard for me to motivate myself to learn them, and to be quite honest, I still don't quite understand what motivates me to do things, or how I can control it so I can be a productive person.

I think that people on the spectrum can use their obsessions to their advantage when it comes to building successful careers, but it's hard to control what one becomes obsessed with. Now, there may be exceptions, since it is a "spectrum" after all, but for the most part, I think most aspies are pretty fixed in what their obsessions are.

I don't think people choose their obsessions. It's more about learning to not obsess in the first place, or if you do, learning to manage time.

I love video games, but I still put my schoolwork, friends, art, family, etc. first. But it's not that easy for everyone. Especially, if like me, you have anxiety issues or other problems.

I think for people with autism, it's not just an obsession but a coping mechanism.

This ^^^

There are much worse things than wasting your time on video games.

"Useful" for what purpose?

Your definition of "useful" and my definition of "useful" likely differ.

Really? I think that's highly debatable. I personally do wish I was really, really good at something. Like, world-class at it. Even if it was something useless, like playing Tetris.

Of course, it somewhat depends on how good you are at everything else. If you're "good enough to get by" at everything else you need to do then I think being really great at one thing would be more helpful than becoming "decent" at everything else.

Sitting too close to the TV causing myopia is an "old wives' tale". Gaming did not damage your eyesight.

Actually, it is a rare phenomena that is associated with certain genes, but it can happen. However, in that case it only speeds up a process that will happen anyways and the better resolution of screen you have the less it affects you. Additionally, it doesn't distinguish between TV, word processing, or gaming because it has to do with the flickering of the screen. But in most cases, it would be correct to say that isn't a cause, only a correlation.
I don't think I described that very well...

I've tried to redirect my interest a bit, not change it entirely.

My interest is games (including, but not limited to video games) and I am trying to make it profitable by trying to build games to sell. I've failed so far and some tasks I know I need to learn to help me reach my goal lie outside of my interest, like coding. I've done some work with building video games, but learning coding was difficult because it was a means to an end, but not an end in itself... does that make sense?

@OP

I've been that way for a long time. Its depressing. Video games aren't 1/3 as fulfilling as my 'real' obsessions. Just reading this makes me want to change. I have a few projects lined up that would take only a little push to turn into a very fun obsession. Thank you for your post.

It is not healthy to be obsessed about anything.

No thanks JoFo, I think I'll keep playing my video games.

Video games are my special interest, so I am not;

- Hurting anyone (I don't play online much and even if I do, I keep silent)
- Doing any illegal like hard drugs or consuming lots of alcohol
- Bothering anyone (ex: I keep quiet while playing them and don't disturb others)

As long as you have a harmless special interest, why judge someone? We on the spectrum should understand each other better than neurotypicals. I don't judge others by their special interests, I judge them based on their personality.

I disagree that it is laziness to to have fun instead of doing something difficult, if one only does fun things and never bothers with more difficult yet necessary un-fun things then things aren't going to work out too well. But people cannot be expected to always be doing difficult things...it is healthy to have some fun in life or so it would seem.