Special Interests and What they Mean to Autistic People

One question I always hear from autistic people and their families is, what makes a special interest a special interest? Why is it different from a hobby?

Like most autistic traits, the difference is frequency, duration, and emotional response.

Special interests are not usually something you can easily put down and change tasks for. There’s a certain compulsion and drive to stay on the task once the itch has started. To put down the task before your attention naturally waivers can feel not only uncomfortable but often also distressing.

Like all autistic traits, the “severity” differs from person to person and even then, it fluctuates!

Sometimes changing tasks midway is as simple as a coin flip, while other times it feels like ripping a particularly strong Band-Aid. The overall stress level of day to day life also can have us begging for the relief of routine our special interest brings.

Having a special interest can be both a strength or a weakness depending on the day and the interest. Most special interests originate from childhood, which is why often times our interests can be seen as “childish”. But other times special interests can just be a happenstance that happened due to timing and stress.

But the feeling from special interests can be a range of emotions. It’s comforting, thrilling, and overall, one of the best feelings I have ever known. Which is why they can be dangerous when left alone to run wild.

What to the outside world looks like me “over working” as I research my special interest for the thousandth time is me feeling like I’m racing to a finish line and earning a trophy. Our special interests can seem strange, “life stealing”, or a number of things from the outside perspective.

But to each of us, it’s a deep comfort or drive and can be a motivator to get up each day which is why it is not a simple task to stop.

To get a job related to a special interest is one of the greatest victories for an autistic person.

Like most things in life, overdoing anything can be harmful, but patience from both sides can make a world of difference.

From us it’s realizing how the world doesn’t feel the same way we do about our interests, but it doesn’t mean the world doesn’t care about US (although our special interests feel so closely entwined to who we are).

As for the world, patience of understanding there is no harm meant and sharing concerns with us out loud makes a world of a difference.

We genuinely don’t notice if we accidentally overshare our interests or monopolize a conversation. It takes deep mindfulness, awareness, and practice to balance sharing our interests in an acceptable manner.

To us, our special interests are apart of who we are. It’s almost like sharing our love of life with those we care about or wanting to share a bit of joy with others. Feel free to return the favor and share a bit of what you find important to you.