Special interest as a form of relaxation

[wanderer03]

Do any other aspies lose themselves in their special interest to relax and just de-stress? At the end of every day, I try and do some writing, photography, and researching because they seem to be the only things that are keeping me sane. If it weren't for those special interests, I'd probably split at the seams :-D

 

[Nitro]

I immerse myself in my special interests. I made a career out of most of mine.
Please excuse me for not claiming to be aspie,I am an autie

 

[wanderer03]

I guess I'm more autie than aspie anyhoo

 

[Nitro]

There used to be a fine line drawn in the sand that defined which was which. My claim to being autie was a history of slow speech development in the earlier diagnostic criteria. The other deciding factor was slow advancement in perceived intelligence which I did not have. The new DSM autism spectrum disorder umbrella only classifies each individual as to severity of symptoms and has eliminated the aspie designation,but as I have told others,it is only a label and many still want to be recognized as aspies,another variation of autism.

 

[wanderer03]

All I know is that I'm diagnosed HFA. I guess the rest is all what I make of it About the only thing the diagnosis does is help me get some state benefits and allow me to work (mostly) without discrimination, albeit as a Security Guard. But the work is easy and on weekends, I can actually immerse myself in my special interests so long as I occasionally look at the cameras.

 

[Nitro]

Yeah,they are only labels
Every human being is different is some way,they only try to classify us to try to make sense of the chaos each of us on the spectrum has to endure. It is funny how it all works. I like to be considered human with a loaded up option package

 

[Judge]

Absolutely. My plastic modelling hobby takes a lot of dexterity and concentration. Yet I find it relaxing, to the point where my heartbeat is probably much lower than when I'm doing other activities. Where I can mentally and physically shut out the rest of the world.

 

[Datura]

Right now I have a rekindled interest in evolutionary biology. I bought this book called Prehistoric Life: the Definitive Visual History of Live on Earth. I have been pouring over it. I also do quite a bit of internet research on the topic.

I am particularly interested in cephaplopod evolution. Unfortunately information on the subject is scarce as most of their body structures are soft and therefore do not fossilize well. Ammonite shells are plentiful, and occasionally you will find beaks and tentacle hooks, but it is their nervous systems and epidermises that are of prime interest to me and the hard anatomy doesn't offer many clues.

I wish I found composing music more relaxing. I find it fulfilling, but also very stressful as I can be a real perfectionist.

 

[watersprite]

My drawing is intensely soothing, allowing me to "go away" from troubles and annoying emotions, whereas my painting is stressful and difficult, but amazingly satisfying when it works the way I want.

 

[wanderer03]

I've found creative stress to be so much different than occupational stress. Creative stress is fun, for me at least.

 

[AsheSkyler]

I love to blank out to a simple puzzle or object-swapping game. Well, not a full blank out, my mind always goes 90-to-nothing, but I like to just like to calm down and let my mind wander all over whatever it wants like favorite fantasy stories or fairy tales.

 

[watersprite]

Yes, my odd pen and ink drawings are kind of that meanderings and stories thing AsheSkyler, and I let them out on paper. Tis fun.

 

[Suzanne]

Yes, I do cross stitching and although it is pretty challenging, I find it incredibly relaxing, but find that sometimes, I just cannot sit and do it, due to housework and other times, hurry my work, so I can cross stitch. Also, when I have to go out, I look so forward to coming back and working on my project.

When I see it is time for bed, I get vexed lol

 

[Suzanne]

My drawing is intensely soothing, allowing me to "go away" from troubles and annoying emotions, whereas my painting is stressful and difficult, but amazingly satisfying when it works the way I want.

I guess your painting, could be equated to my cross stitching lol stressful and flipping annoying, when it goes wrong and so satisfying when I rectify the problem

 

[Dryope]

I could rearrange my sock drawer for hours. Folding is so relaxing. I don't like it, it's not a special interest (I'd rather be drawing), but it does something magical to my brain. Afterwards I feel rejuvenated.

 

[Beverly]

My things are music and games. If I'm stresses and wired, music will unwind my nerves, if tired but too stressed to rest, two or three hours in my favorite game will help. I can get lost in the game world, forget my troubles and, worry about those of my character there for a while. There I can be perfect, well almost, my character does overestimate his skill now and then, and get himself killed LOL.

 

[Licorice]

Sometimes they're relaxing, sometimes they're not. Mostly, they're my life, my companions, my pride, my joy, my pain, and my keys to human interaction. I'm friendly and not too awkward (confirmed by many NTs), but am unable to make friends.

 

[Marycv]

I usually like to write, that I totally forget what is going on around me. I find it relaxing and forget what is really going on in my life.