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Why do we obsess?

Eponine

Hi all,

I have been thinking a lot recently and I've begun to wonder why we obsess as Aspies. A lot of people say it's "a control thing", but I think that sounds horrible, like we're all manipulative and playing power games. I prefer to think of it as anaesthesia, because life has been so wicked to us we need to feel something that takes us off into our own world so we can keep the pain a bit under control. I know that sounds ridiculously negative but that's what I think. What do you think?

Hope you're all well,

Eponine <3 xx

Parents

  • What I can tell you Longman, is that my recent qEEG showed up a lot of differences, in both brain activity and connections (areas of over & under-activity and areas of over & under-connection).

    This comment was also in the report:

    "Inspection of 1 Hz bins (following page) also observe excess 11-12 Hz alpha in the frontal region. This is a pattern often observed in clients who frequently ruminate."

    I don't really agree with your comparison of NT and autistic obsessions.  A key reason why, is that in autistic females the types of obsession are frequently "normal" interests in girls of their age, it's the intensity of them that is notable.

    http://www.autism.org.uk/About-autism/Autism-and-Asperger-syndrome-an-introduction/Gender-and-autism/Women-and-girls-on-the-autism-spectrum.aspx

    This is definitely the case with my eldest daughter.  I have never seen someone so deeply obsessed with their special interest, it strongly dictates her life choices - but to all intents and purposes is a popular subject.  Her peers, whilst only getting a tiny glimpse of her interest, have made comments on the level of it.  CAMHS made written comments about it too.  And none of them have seen how extreme it is.

    Autistics also are very prone to letting their day-to-day activities slide because of following special interests.  I am very guilty of this.  Even if my special interests are a little more "diffuse" than some autistic males, the effect of them is the same.

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  • What I can tell you Longman, is that my recent qEEG showed up a lot of differences, in both brain activity and connections (areas of over & under-activity and areas of over & under-connection).

    This comment was also in the report:

    "Inspection of 1 Hz bins (following page) also observe excess 11-12 Hz alpha in the frontal region. This is a pattern often observed in clients who frequently ruminate."

    I don't really agree with your comparison of NT and autistic obsessions.  A key reason why, is that in autistic females the types of obsession are frequently "normal" interests in girls of their age, it's the intensity of them that is notable.

    http://www.autism.org.uk/About-autism/Autism-and-Asperger-syndrome-an-introduction/Gender-and-autism/Women-and-girls-on-the-autism-spectrum.aspx

    This is definitely the case with my eldest daughter.  I have never seen someone so deeply obsessed with their special interest, it strongly dictates her life choices - but to all intents and purposes is a popular subject.  Her peers, whilst only getting a tiny glimpse of her interest, have made comments on the level of it.  CAMHS made written comments about it too.  And none of them have seen how extreme it is.

    Autistics also are very prone to letting their day-to-day activities slide because of following special interests.  I am very guilty of this.  Even if my special interests are a little more "diffuse" than some autistic males, the effect of them is the same.

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