All About Those Special Interests.
Welcome back to the Audacious Aspie! This week, we will be looking at the special interests of Autism/Aspergers. No, not the same kind of special interests like oil industries or big wind power (or so the small-town oil barons tell me), but special interests like sci-fi, history or the like. In other words, our Autistic/Aspie obsessions through the eyes (and touch, and ears) of a fellow Autistic/Aspie. What better way to get over the visceral nightmare of staring, wide eyed, into the dating world for a third time than to reminisce about our favorite obsessions?
Obsessions, or special interests, could be as wide, like sci-fi, horror, comedy or such. Or it could be as narrow as sci-fi horror, vampire horror, dark comedy or the like. See a link there?
Please welcome our next guest, Respectfully Connected (cue talk-show music) and it’s article “An insider's view of ‘Special Interests’ (cue crowd cheers). King DSM the Vth (DSM-V or The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual), which the article says is used when diagnosing someone (in America? Canada? Narnia?) with autism, has a weird definition concerning our obsessions. Namely “Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus (article’s authors notes: e.g., strong attachment to or preoccupation with unusual objects, excessively circumscribed or perseverative interests. Paragraph 1).
Respectfully Connected draws the reader's attention to the wording, specifically: Restricted, Fixated, Abnormal, Preoccupation and Excessively. What's with all the focus on words? Is it grammer? Nope, rather, it’s a focus on the meaning, and message, that you might gleam from reading these words. Advertisement is worth its weight in gold, and what these words advertise, so Connected believes, is that our obsessions are weird and rather unhealthy. So unhealthy, that it might be better to rid everyone of them completely.
But really: who would really want to freely give up their fiercely burning passions? I see these passions like the window art in religious buildings: Each one blindingly beautiful and awe-inspiring in their own right.
So, with the help of Respectfully Connected, lets put a different, albeit still true, spin on the presentation of our obsessions or special interests, however you choose to word it (as if the lesson is not already obvious enough, be careful of what word, or words, to choose). Throughout the article, the author uses his/her experience as an autistic adult, pointing out that they are important in the lives of those on the spectrum, plus “foster and celebrate with your Autistic child” (Paragraph 2). Assuming you have any kids (I’ll save the “why does society think we will all have brats!” rant for another time).
Throughout the whole thing, I will add some if my own experiences as will throughout the posts, and encourage you to reminisce on your own (not that that’s very hard). Has your own obsessions or special interests helped you throughout your life? What are those interests? Until than, this continues to be, the Audacious Aspie.
Sources used:
https://respectfullyconnected.com/2015/02/an-insiders-view-of-special-interests/