Special Interests

Summary for tl;dnw:

This is a video response for doodlebuggy15... well not really. Kind of. basically just continuing the discussion of aspie special interests.

Link: http://youtu.be/LkhM7fGDpK8

I do not have a diagnosis of asperger syndrome or autism. The only official diagnoses I have are depressive episodes and social anxiety disorder. So basically don't use this as a guide to diagnose yourself if you relate or something. I have seen such special interests for potentially 'mundane' areas in five different cases. 1.Autism 2.Bipolar mania. 3.Stimulant use 4.Nerdism 5.Passion for a hobby. You will not find the 4th or 5th case in the DSM. But who knows in future editions?

I intended to talk about how special interests in general make me feel and what effect they have on my behaviour that make me seem to weird to my peers. But of course I need to use examples in my life to make my case, and typical nervousneuron style, get derailed. But I suppose that's what I like to do.

My special interests, or phases as I call them (or well a friend called it that) almost define me. And it most certainly did when I was younger. I no longer introduce myself as 'Hi, I'm Kris, and I love *insert interest here*', and it is friends that know about this. My interests are a big part of my life. And sometimes, they can get me into trouble.

My interests can be random, or usually they flow into each other. They have been such things like rabbits, space (how typical lol), the titanic, buildings, japan, pokemon, neurons, brains, amygdala, cutting, drugs, vivisection, ecstasy, contempt.... that's a few that just came to mind. Guess my current one lol.

Basically the topic (and I can be interested in more than one thing at a time) is the most interesting thing ever to me. The most fascinating thing, most awe inspiring, fantastic amazing thing that I must know everything about. The knowledge can be actual facts about the topic, or just knowledge of when the topic is mentioned in songs and TV episodes, even if it's not in context of the interest. Eg ecstasy can mean either the drug or the emotion.

Sometimes, the interest just passes, but other times, it can turn into a more normal or neurotypical interest, where I don't get shivers down my spine every time I hear the topic being mentioned. It would be very hard studying neuroscience if neuron was still my 'special interest'. I can explain why neuroscience is interesting, however with my special interest, I can't. Apart from 'feels good man'. It is like this topic has suddenly become intrinsically interesting at random. Sometimes it makes sense, going from 'ecstasy' to 'drugs'. Other times not, like going from buildings to neurons.

Oh, and here is a factoid not mentioned in the video. I never get the same special interest twice, except for one topic and that is ecstasy. I never noticed that until now.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• nervousneuron
• special
• interests
• aspergers
• aspies
• neurotypicals
• doodlebuggy15

[APerfectAsss]

By the way, you seem to have some weird kind of Aspergers-envy. That suggests to me that you are trying to self-correct your narcissistc nature with a show of the symptoms of OCD/anxiety disorder. Classic Penis Envy! I believe the cure to be anti-anxiety drugs adjusted according to the formula: "feelings of anxiety"/ "feelings regarding the adequacy of your 'penis' -size" x pi. Do you often dream about architecture? How does that make you feel? Do you find your clitoris "gross"?

[nervousneuron]

@APerfectAsss

lol it's all part of the penis envy because if you have asperger's, you are more likely to have a penis. Trufax. No architecture dreams but I do have this dream where I collect things like carrots,cucumbers and cigars. That dream must be telling me something. Maybe I'm obsessed with the letter c? I find my clitoris actually feels pretty good, but my nose does feel a bit gross.

[Johnny1gogh]

Your obsession had a trickle-down effect. I was forced to look up MDMA. I had heard of Ecstacy but not MDMA. So, they're one and the same. Anyway, it seems to me you would be good at research. Not necessarily in neuroscience, but say for instance, an author was chronicling a book on the history of rock music and drugs. You could research that, honing in with pinpoint accuracy anything and everything that would help the author with the subject. Just a thought.

[nervousneuron]

@Johnny1gogh

Yeah, that most certainly works for those with these special interests or for autistics in general.Although doesn't mean everyone will be good at it! For example, I am trying to write my thesis. But I am procastinating by instead searching for information on the current special interest. Even if they do match up, I'm wanting to look at irrelevent things (eg youtube videos, songs, etc instead of scientific articles).

[VideoGuyNC]

I really hate that humanity has labeled, (or attempted to label) everything as a "disorder!" You are who you are because you are uniquely awesome! I happen to think you seem to be a very cool person with a very high intellectual capacity beyond most other people. BTW - Marijuana is perfectly natural and is totally cool. :)

[nervousneuron]

@VideoGuyNC

Yeah, I'm half with you on that one. If it causes suffering, then yes, by all means label it so we can fix it. Though the problem with psychaitric conditions is that they are basically an exaggeration of 'normal' behaviour in the first place. Eg most people are anxious around other people and generally want to be liked but it becomes a disorder when it takes over your life.

[misspinkpunkykat]

I'm HFA and my obsessions have always been animal related.

[firejutsumaster777]

@firejutsumaster777 And then I did excel spreadsheets for the subjects/electives I would take if I was selected into each Law School.

Haha kind of obsessive. Wow, I wrote alot.

This topic is fairly interesting though, and self-reflective.

You're doing an amazing job on YouTube, keep up the good work! :)

[firejutsumaster777]

@firejutsumaster777 Also, as I grew older, I changed my obsessions, but I was still obsessed. I used to read the VTAC guide and memorise the ENTER scores for all these random courses, and just read and read and read about career options for courses I didn't want to do, just so that I knew. People used to go to me instead of the course advisor.

And at the moment, I'm kind of obsessed with getting into Law. Today I went to like 50 different sites soaking up information about grades needed.

[firejutsumaster777]

@firejutsumaster777 Even to this day, I know every Pokemon type there is, every move's power, and basically the number of every Pokemon in the first 300.

But is that just a side-effect of being a nerd? Didn't every nerd do that? Or was it just specific nerds, either neurotypical or not, who took it to this more manic/obsessive level?

[firejutsumaster777]

Hey! Great video. I probably quality as a neurotypical, and I say that I have had more than one obsession over the years. When I was younger, specific topics such as "barn owls", "corroberee frogs", "hawksback turtles", or "Pokemon" would get me extremely excited. I would continuously go to book shops and specifically shop for more knowledge on the subject, and I have a worn-out copy of the Pokemon Handbook which I got brand new, and now has lost it's binding and is in tatters.

[C01V1P4Q]

I account for 10% of the views.

[APerfectAsss]

@FiresideCider

Now that you mention it, I feel kind of like a dick! Of course, I am a mere dabbler, not an actual student! "Narcissistic fragility and instability of ego identity" ? Is there a pill for that? The comment was sort of a joke. I thought that most of Freud's ideas and his "tomes" were pretty much discredited by now. Especially the bizarre notion of penis envy. I would like to know more about the conditions you diagnose for me. Is there any hope?

[FiresideCider]

Obsessions = intrusive thoughts that tend to repeat, are intensely experienced, and difficult to suppress without acting out in compulsive ways (or taking high dose SSRIs/ clomipramine).

[FiresideCider]

@APerfectAsss

My guess is that you haven't read any of Freud's 24 volume tome on psychoanalysis. Penis Envy plays such a minor role in psychodynamic formulations of personality that most psychodynamic specialists don't even waste the time acknowledging it.

Turning that perceptive eye on yourself, o wise perfect ass, how does it make you feel to project your narcissistic fragility and instability of ego identity onto others? What do I know, though? I'm only a psychiatrist in training...