How to stop the nagging compulsion to pursue interests

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I feel like my interests/obsessions are like a drug and I'm constantly itching for my next fix. Does anyone have any good ideas on how to stop the nagging compulsion?

Are your interests/obsessions causing you problems? The only time I worry about this is when I am not doing things that "need" doing. Otherwise, I will take this drug

Try to develop more special interests so that you can rotate them. I wouldn't actively try to NOT do a special interest activity- they seem to help tremendously with stress and well-being.

You could try to expand your interests in order to form an interest rotation. For example, if you're interested in a particular video game, you could then read books that inspired the video game or do something that uses the skills you develop inside the video game. Like you could start going on hikes if you're into playing Legend of Zelda.

^This.
There's no reason to "fight" your special interest unless it's harming yourself or others. We couldn't even have this conversation if Dennis Ritchie denied his special interest.

You can try to tie your special interest to alleviate some of the negative symptoms of AS. For example, I'm obsessed with dogs and primates, and I have often used those interests to study social behavior in humans. Afterall, you can think of humans as chimpanzees with a developed prefrontal cortex. I have learned alot about social behavior just from going to the zoo and observing how other animals get along. If you can find a similar connection, maybe you can stop thinking of your special interest as a burden and start thinking of it as something constructive.

If you get into a situation where you can't pursue your interests, it could make you crazy. At least, it did me. Every time I happen across all my beautiful yarn I get more depressed. But I had to give it up, at least for now. I got in trouble for knitting at work but I don't have time at home any more.

If I couldn't pursue my special interests, I'd be seriously depressed, but I know how you feel like it's intruding on your life. I'd love to spend my entire day reading, and working on my jigsaw puzzles, but I must spend 8 hrs a day at work, plus the time it takes to get me to work, I don't have too much time.

Let the special interest swallow you whole, why fight it at all?

If only it wasn't for that silly little thing called money...

Thanks for your replies. I do love my interests, but sometimes I wish I could not think about them when I have other responsibilities. I am trying to redirect them a bit to make some money off of them.

Sounds like OCD but once you accept them and enjoy them, no longer OCD.

just try not to think about them. Avoid everything relating to them.

My advice is not to try to reduce your interest in your special interests, but instead try to figure out how to get more interested in what you need to do. For example, I'm interested in psychology, and lately I've been getting more organized by researching executive dysfunction and trying out strategies. Given my intense interest, this is pretty fun for me to do.