Can we truly control what interests us?

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wrongcitizen
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Joined: 22 Oct 2016
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12 Jun 2017, 3:13 am

I thought I could, then it changed. I went from a complete day night obsession with Dog breeds to cars and I actually believe I don't have control. Sometimes it can show it's OCD side a bit and be INFLUENCED by fear and anxiety but I can't control it that way either. I've had the same interests for years and it FEELS like I'm the one choosing them because I enjoy them. When you enjoy something you feel like you are naturally choosing to do it. Then I realize I cant talk to people because the ONLY Thing I am actually good at talking about is 2-3 sub areas of my main focal obsession. I also have negative obsessions which complement the positive ones.

For example: I've had an interest in race and phenotype for a long time. I deny it's existence like a lot of other people because it doesn't make logical sense to divide people into neat perfect categorized based on continent or region but I still like to study it and learn about 1800s century concepts. Most of the time I'm pretty happy with studying it but other times I suddenly get negative supremacist obsessions (NOT against any particular race) thoughts, which totally explode and overwhelm my mind. I begin to experience massive paranoia and fear that I will be persecuted based on my race (Which is not Black, White, or Asian).

So essentially, my interests seem to be spontaneous and only based off of loose fears and sudden sensory perceptions. If I think that rainbows are colorful and beautiful I become interested in them.That's never happened though, just as an example.



IstominFan
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Joined: 25 Nov 2016
Age: 59
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Posts: 11,114
Location: Santa Maria, CA.

12 Jun 2017, 6:45 am

My interest in Denis Istomin began in a way some might consider very strange. I turned on the television to watch the Wimbledon championships in 2014 and saw that Denis was having a medical timeout for illness. As he seemed like a nice person, I was concerned. I watched him throughout the match. What made me like him was his good sportsmanship and reaching out to his opponent, who had slipped and fallen on the grass. Denis wound up losing that match, but my interest in him began. I read his story about overcoming a serious car accident and said, "Wow, that's amazing." I have been following his progress on the tour ever since. I would like someday to meet him and write his story. It should be told.