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Hi, I have no special interests.

MelonCauliflower
over 2 years ago

Hello,

I got diagnosed 7months ago, just before my 28th birthday. Ever since people have been telling me that all my social issues will be solved by going on forums and finding people who share my interests, but the problem is I don't really have any. I like things but not so intently that a person's negative opinion about them wouldn't make me consider dropping that interest. And I don't know lots about stuff I like. I like movies but like I've never seen most of the big ones people seem to always want to talk about. I remember when I heard my friends watched Community I was like "Oooh I've seen that!!" And then they made all these references I didn't get and I started to wonder if I'd missed half the show.

So yeah, here's me trying to join a community forum when I don't even know what I want to talk about with you Upside down

  • over 2 years ago in reply to SpaceOctopus

    Hi SpaceOctopus,

    Yeah, I'm pretty sure I don't have the special interest trait, but I just generally struggle to like things at all. I'm very good at supporting other people's interests though. If anyone wants to info-dump at me I'm happy to sponge up all the data, I'm just not very good at striking up new conversations.

    It's cool to have autism as a special interest, I guess that makes it easy to learn alot about it.

  • over 2 years ago in reply to Martin

    Hi Martin,

    I'm jealous of your clearly defined interests.

    I find history a bit overwhelming because I want to know all of it, all at once and I can't. I like the video on YouTube "history of the entire world, I guess" by Bill Wurtz.

    I'm sure if you started a thread on those things (maybe not on here but like a bigger forum) the people will gather and you can inflict on each other Slight smile

  • over 2 years ago in reply to NAS79091

    Hi NAS7909,

    Clearly I don't know how to use this yet since I replied to the wrong message already.

    I'm sorry to hear that you (your wife) has had a tough time on here. I hate cancel culture, I think it is the most unhelpful thing disguised as "doing the right thing" that we ever invented. I follow africabrooke on Instagram and she talks alot about cancel culture and self censoring and I find it nice to just see that there are some people on the internet who don't feel the need to tear everyone around them down. 

    Keep trying, you do you and if people don't like it, then they are not for you.

  • over 2 years ago in reply to Sporadic Sparkly

    Hi Sparkling autistic,

    Yeah, I think I don't have the special interest trait. It's just a shame that all the advice for socialising while autistic seems to revolve around mutual special interests. 

    Thank you for welcoming me Blush

  • over 2 years ago

    Not all autistic people have special interests, some autistic people have consistent special interests that last for years, and yet others have lots of special interests that fade in and out of their lives. We are a diverse group of people. 

    I wouldn't let it worry you, just continue doing the things that you enjoy doing. If you can find a community around some of those hobbies or interests then that could be a good way to interact with people.  

    In case you are interested, my special interests are science fiction, fantasy, and autism.

    - Sp. Oc.

  • over 2 years ago in reply to Sporadic Sparkly

    I am sat here with my wife who was diagnosed some weeks ago. Trust me she was told to communicate with her tribe. Today her tribe reported her. Now I have to navigate to make her feel good again. 

    I honestly believe that being in this community can cause more stress because if you say the wrong thing you will be demonised. 

    My advice to you is.....be yourself, my wife found you tube channels that were educational and fun. 

    Find your tribe is a lie.

  • over 2 years ago

    My special interests include Napoleonic period cavalry, Byzantine history, taxonomy and evolution, I haven't inflicted them on anyone so far in posts on this forum, so I think you should be OK.

  • over 2 years ago

    Hello NAS75737,

    This is just a thought, but maybe you have yet to discover what your special interest is. As autism affects people on the spectrum differently, it's possible that maybe you don't have the special interest trait. There are traits that I know I have, and traits that I know I definitely don't have.

    I have only been a member of this forum for a short while. When I joined, I had no idea what to expect or if it would be my kind of thing, which I guess is probably how everyone else felt when they joined.