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Emotional/psychological attachment to objects/belongings

Deleted user
11 months ago

I was wondering today if this is an autistic thing.

I've spent several decades collecting objects and the last decade+ trying to rid myself of the majority.

However, I have given up on the idea of ever being minimalist.

I notice that I remember where everything came from, even, when purchased, which shop in which town.

I try not to be sentimental about things, but sometimes I can't help it.

My mother, who I believe was autistic, was a hoarder in quite an extreme sense.

My autistic friend finds it very hard to part with belongings.

Everything has an association.

Are others like this and are there contributors here who are genuinely minimalistic and don't have an attachment to things?

Parents
  • 11 months ago

    Just realized I originally posted this accidentally to another thread string with another user rather than to you directly so I'll repost it properly...

    I don't think it is generational for me tbh, I admit it was a value my Dad held dear but I don't think that is the reason why I try to fix things before I replace them (and even then some things, the sentimental ones aren't really replaceable.) I think I have a bit of overlap where the artist meets the engineer and that is why I love crafts and science experiments and all that kind of thing. I think I like fxing things for the satisfaction of being able to do it. Also if something isn't a lot or work to fix or can be done by getting replacement parts cheaper than replacing the whole thing it makes sense to spend a little time and save a lot of money.
    Also I like working order antiques and to a lesser degree retro (new but looks old) stuff, so I think I also have a tendency to place a value on things that have survived long enough to become their own little snap shots of history.
    I actually did a few fixes recently. both on items over 10 years old: https://community.autism.org.uk/f/miscellaneous-and-chat/21964/3-good-things/303040#303040

    Oh and as for

    I just Googled feeling that inanimate objects are alive, having feelings, as this is something I experience.

    I found this article. 

    I haven't read it myself as I'm just about to go out but will read later:

    https://adultswithautism.org.uk/autism-feeling-sympathy-for-inanimate-objects/

    It's dated 2015, so possibly there is now more up-to-date research.

    personally I blame Toy Story in my childhood, and being part of a spiritual path with animism as a feature lol. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animism :)

Reply
  • 11 months ago

    Just realized I originally posted this accidentally to another thread string with another user rather than to you directly so I'll repost it properly...

    I don't think it is generational for me tbh, I admit it was a value my Dad held dear but I don't think that is the reason why I try to fix things before I replace them (and even then some things, the sentimental ones aren't really replaceable.) I think I have a bit of overlap where the artist meets the engineer and that is why I love crafts and science experiments and all that kind of thing. I think I like fxing things for the satisfaction of being able to do it. Also if something isn't a lot or work to fix or can be done by getting replacement parts cheaper than replacing the whole thing it makes sense to spend a little time and save a lot of money.
    Also I like working order antiques and to a lesser degree retro (new but looks old) stuff, so I think I also have a tendency to place a value on things that have survived long enough to become their own little snap shots of history.
    I actually did a few fixes recently. both on items over 10 years old: https://community.autism.org.uk/f/miscellaneous-and-chat/21964/3-good-things/303040#303040

    Oh and as for

    I just Googled feeling that inanimate objects are alive, having feelings, as this is something I experience.

    I found this article. 

    I haven't read it myself as I'm just about to go out but will read later:

    https://adultswithautism.org.uk/autism-feeling-sympathy-for-inanimate-objects/

    It's dated 2015, so possibly there is now more up-to-date research.

    personally I blame Toy Story in my childhood, and being part of a spiritual path with animism as a feature lol. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animism :)

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