Worried about daughter's new obsession

Hello, I’m new!

I’m Mum of a  gorgeous teenage daughter who was diagnosed Aspergers when she was 14 , she's now 17, following an eating problem. I often thought she was before she was diagnosed, from a very young age I knew she had certain difficulties, that she might be on the autism spectrum and overall she received very good care, has recovered from her eating disorder and is on the whole doing very well. I’m glad we were listened to.

The reason I’ve joined this forum is because I’m a bit worried. The reason being my daughter has always had seemingly random obsessions (some make her happy, and some, like her issues with food, don’t) and recently her focus seems to be, and I don’t know where she got this from, on HIV/Aids. She is very indignant about how people treat people with HIV and about the wrong beliefs people have on how it can be passed on. Of course it’s good for her to be aware of these things, I’m all for people educating themselves for the sake of their health and the health of others, and it’s good she knows things now about a very stigmatized illness and therefore if she comes across someone in her life who is effected she is unlikely to be iignorant and insensitive as some people unfortunately might be. The only issue I have is that I don’t know where this has come from and I think it’s a rather unhealthy thing for someone to be intensely focussed on, but when she becomes obsessed there’s not a lot  anyone  can do – is this a common sort of thing? Does anyone have any advice, or can throw any  light on where this might have sprung from?Any advice would be so appreciated.

Thank you,

YetAnotherMummy

Parents
  • I would also add, that obsessions are a form of control because of existential stress living as a person on the spectrum.  Like stimming is a form of release of stress, and focus, control or just a pleasurable activity.  You cannot remove a person's obsessional traits. (I have Asperger's myself)

    @Goldenlady1, that's interesting because my youngest who is HFA is also less obsessional than her AS sister.  She does get obsessions but I think she has ADHD as well as she changes obsessions and even complains about how obsessional her sister is who's obsessions are very long running and exceptionally intense.

Reply
  • I would also add, that obsessions are a form of control because of existential stress living as a person on the spectrum.  Like stimming is a form of release of stress, and focus, control or just a pleasurable activity.  You cannot remove a person's obsessional traits. (I have Asperger's myself)

    @Goldenlady1, that's interesting because my youngest who is HFA is also less obsessional than her AS sister.  She does get obsessions but I think she has ADHD as well as she changes obsessions and even complains about how obsessional her sister is who's obsessions are very long running and exceptionally intense.

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