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Adult ASD and purchase decisions

ovidius_n

Is it a normal ASD thing to fixate almost haplessly on whether you should buy something or not? I've been known to linger outside shops in an almost frozen state trying to figure out whether I should put money down on something that I really really really want. Once I buy the thing, though, I don't recall ever having a moment where I regretted buying it or felt too awful about it afterwards, so I doubt it's impulsive per se. In fact I usually very carefully consider everything about buying it.

I imagine this is relevant to ASD (though I don't want to jump ahead of myself) because more often than not those purchase decisions have a lot to do with things that I believe will add to things that I'm interested in — e.g. I'm currently really fixated on a Moleskine notebook and a fountain pen (within affordable limits) because I fully fully believe that they will be nice and useful for this area of knowledge that I'm learning about. However, I also live alone in London and while my finances are okay for now it's clear that my in-flow/out-flow habits aren't always the wisest, even if I'm not exactly a wastrel. 

Do people share similar experiences, and does anyone have any tips or ways of coping with that strong sense of fixation when it hits? 

Parents

  • I have difficulty making decisions. It's not just making purchases, though that is difficult too. Pre-internet access I used to go to numerous shops and see what they had. Sometimes I would then go back to the shop with the item I had chosen on the day, but sometimes I couldn't decide or would run out of time and so I would need to go back another day. Now I tend to look on the internet for the ins and outs of products.

    There are some things which I find impossible to decide, but may eventually do so through necessity - such as a recent need to find a trades person to do some work in my home. Thankfully I identified someone through a channel that presented me with limited options, of which only one person responded so I chose them. I am conscious that it may not be the best decision, but try to be kind to myself in acknowledging that I am actually doing something which I found extremely difficult (actually impossible until the work became essential).

    For breakfast I have the same thing each day. I think that is probably do that I don't have to think and make a decision 1) every morning about what to eat and 2) each shopping trip about what to buy, comparing the prices, balancing that against flavour and quality. I have to just make a decision because I have ended up getting tired, hungry and overwhelmed when food shopping.

    So yes, I find this difficulty making decisions applies to one off purchases of bigger or more expensive items, as well as many other aspects of life.

Reply

  • I have difficulty making decisions. It's not just making purchases, though that is difficult too. Pre-internet access I used to go to numerous shops and see what they had. Sometimes I would then go back to the shop with the item I had chosen on the day, but sometimes I couldn't decide or would run out of time and so I would need to go back another day. Now I tend to look on the internet for the ins and outs of products.

    There are some things which I find impossible to decide, but may eventually do so through necessity - such as a recent need to find a trades person to do some work in my home. Thankfully I identified someone through a channel that presented me with limited options, of which only one person responded so I chose them. I am conscious that it may not be the best decision, but try to be kind to myself in acknowledging that I am actually doing something which I found extremely difficult (actually impossible until the work became essential).

    For breakfast I have the same thing each day. I think that is probably do that I don't have to think and make a decision 1) every morning about what to eat and 2) each shopping trip about what to buy, comparing the prices, balancing that against flavour and quality. I have to just make a decision because I have ended up getting tired, hungry and overwhelmed when food shopping.

    So yes, I find this difficulty making decisions applies to one off purchases of bigger or more expensive items, as well as many other aspects of life.

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