#itaspin

[autism-asks]

iiaat to be fascinating by bra sizes? it’s honestly not even a sexual thing I just find them really interesting and enjoy making lists of them.

This could be a special interest, in which case it would be an autistic thing.

-Liz

[autism-asks]

I always feel like spins are only considered spins (or hyperfixations) if you know a lot about a topic or research a ton about the topic you're "obsessed" with. I don't do that at all, but I still feel like my spins are spins. For example my spin was Supernatural but I bearly knew anything about the show (actors, watched interviews, looked into the script/behind the scenes) I just loved all the episodes. I also tend to only have spins with tv shows(only watching them).Could they still be spins?

Yes, they can still be spins.  There are no hard rules about how you engage with your special interest, and there’s nothing wrong with having a special interest in a fictional world or story while also being not terribly interested in the real world stuff that goes into making that story.

-Liz

[autism-asks]

Acronyms

As we get a lot of questions that follow similar themes, we’ve created a list of acronyms to use when tagging posts. The new (and a couple old) acronyms are as follows:

AIA - am I autistic

IIAAT- is it an autism thing

ITAAT- is this an autism thing

ITAMD - is that a meltdown

ITASD - is that a shutdown

ITSO - is that sensory overload

ITASPIN - is that a SpIn (special interest)

ITASTIM - is that a stim

For a full list of acronyms used on this blog, please check out our acronym page. 

-Sabrina

[autism-asks]

Is it possible for random people (like teachers) to become special interests? I've been accused of having a crush on or even stalking some of my teachers, and even my dentist, just because they catch my interest or I really like them lol.

Yes, anything can be a special interest.

However, it is important to make sure you respect other people’s boundaries.  If people have commented that it seems like you’re stalking your teachers or your dentist then you are probably crossing a line.  I’d recommend trying to redirect your energy into other interests to avoid making people uncomfortable.

-Liz

[autism-asks]

is there a limitation what can be a special interest? recently all I've wanted to do was go through websites and look at cute products not to buy them but just. to look at them and I'm very invested in it and have a blog where I post those finds and I can spend hours on it but idk it seems too weird?

There are really no limitations on what can be a special interest, and everyone experiences them differently. Spending a lot of time looking at websites relating to a particular topic could mean that that’s a special interest for you. You may want to check out our resources on special interests:

Special Interests

What’s So Special About a Special Interest?Special InterestsHow Do I Know for Sure What My Special Interests Are?Autism A-Z: S is for Special Interests

-Ash

[autism-asks]

Are there any common special interests, sort of like trains except less well-known / cliche? Would be really curious to learn whether there are!

Harry Potter, animals (in general and specific ones), anime, science, music, video games (especially pokémon), psychology + mental health and social justice seem to be pretty common, though we’re all individuals with widely differing interests. I’m sure there’s followers that tick off every single one of these and there’s followers that have not ever had a special interest in any of these things. 

-Kath and Wren

[autism-asks]

I’m trying to figure out the difference between a special interest and just repetitive behaviour. Because you say that SpIns look different in different people, and some people don’t want to look for everything to know about their SpIn or collect things related to their SpIn. But does that mean it’s a SpIn if you love a TV-series so much that you watch it over and over again? Like literally start over once you’ve watched the last episode. Or is that just repetitive behaviour in general?

Sounds like both to me.

The key here is you love it so much you want to watch it over and over again. You’re engaging with it because you love it, not purely because it’s a routine (which is what the repetitive behavior would be in this case).

So yeah, that can totally be a spin.

- os

[autism-asks]

About special interests: I've only ever heard of them as things that you wanna learn everything about etc but it's not like that for me exactly & I'm wondering if it's still AAT. I obsess over different subjects for long periods of time & this happens all the time w/a various number of things. Example I watched Call Me By Your Name a few weeks ago (I know it's problematic no one lecture me) & I've thought about it every waking moment since in a way that makes it impossible to do anything else.

The DSM-V defines special interests as follows:

Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus (e.g, strong attachment to or preoccupation with unusual objects, excessively circumscribed or perseverative interest).

I’d say thinking about a topic every waking moment would count as an unusually intense interest!

-Kath

[autism-asks]

Until recently I thought I wasn't really autistic, they must have made a mistake. One of the main reasons is that I didn't think I had any spins. But, I like books. I don't obsess factually over books. I don't know how they're made, or publisher or authors, and I don't care. But I read one every day or two and until I got my phone with its insta books I refused to leave my house without one in reach. Is that really my spin?

It’s possible to have reading or books be your special interest. Special interests manifest differently for everyone - and sometimes within the same person (i.e. excessively seeking out information on one spin but being content to merely consume the content related to another spin without any additional research etc.).

Anyone else have reading or books for spins like anon?

-Kath

[autism-asks]

Could it be possible to have special interests within special interests? For example, I love Gravity Falls, but within that I REALLY love Fiddauthor, the AU Relativity Falls, and Stan, Ford, and Fiddleford in general. Could these be their own special interests, or just part of my Gravity Falls SpIn?

Yep! There’s no rules to this, you can say you have a SpIn in Gravity Falls, and specify that it focuses on who/what(?) you mentioned, or you can list each as a separate SpIn or do a combination or whatever else feels right for you.

-Wren

[autism-asks]

iiaat to get really attached to certain people? like overly attached/more than NTs/allistics? kind of like when people with BPD have FPs?

It could be you have a special interest in those people. If that’s the case, yes. Otherwise, no

-Wren

[autism-asks]

Could my cat be my special interest? I am "obsessed" with him and he makes me so happy whenever he does anything and I love him SO much. We have a special bond (he follows me around everywhere) and he's super cute but I just get so happy and flappy whenever he's around and does extra cute things. Rn he's sleeping in my bed and every time he adjusts positions I can't stop smiling and flapping/wiggling.

Anything can be a special interest so yes! Also give your cat a pat for me.

Os

[autism-asks]

i wanted to ask if it was possible to have a specific character from a series to become a special interest? and also sometimes ill be with my family and theyll be talking and all of a sudden their voices just sound too loud and grates at my ears and gives me headaches... itaat? thank you for your time

Any time!

As for your questions, yes, it is possible for a character from a series to become a special interest. Sudden sound sensitivity and headaches could indicate sensoy overload which is a response to too much sensory input that many autistics experience.

From our definitions page:

Sensory Overload

A state in which a sensory input is too much to handle. Sounds may seem louder. Lights may seem brighter. Smells may be more intense. Etc. A person generally become very irritable and may have difficulty functioning. Often leads to a meltdown or shutdown.

-Kath

[autism-asks]

Is it possible for one's SI to be food? I don't have samefoods, I need different/new foods. Sometimes I must force myself to eat/don't eat if there's nothing that is intellectually interesting to me. I study cuisine from around the world and historical cuisines, trying for as much authenticity/accuracy as possible when I cook. I am struggling with self-dx because I have no texture issues--I stim with smooth or slimy food. Are there other people like me who have an autism diagnosis?

I don’t see why food couldn’t be a special interest!

There is also a wide range of sensory hyper- or hyposensitivities and needs in autistic people, so it’s possible to have no issues with texture and still be autistic.

Does anyone relate?

(Side note: SI as an abbreviation is often used to mean self injury so we ask our followers to either spell out special interest or use a variation on SpIn so as to not trigger anyone for whom the association may be difficult.)

-Kath

[autism-asks]

Can drawing be a special interest? Most of the time people talk about special interests being something that you gather information on and infodump about. I love drawing so much, it's such a huge part of my life and I draw every day.

Yes, drawing can be a special interest!

-Kath

[autism-asks]

ONE: I've been looking at self diagnosis and I experience everything listed apart from special interests (although I do have a big interest in musicals and will rewatch the same ones 3-4 times a week and always watch new ones, but I don't really share this with anyone because I feel conscious that others do not like them and just feel embarrassed about it) but I also feel that I have lots of small interests that last for a week to a month and I will research a lot about them but then get bored

something going onTWO: Also I really don’t understand executive function. It is really complicated to understand and I just can’t comprehend it. However, I have dyslexia and dyscalcula, would this count as some type of executive function not working…? I’m not sure. Thank you if you reply :)

THREE: Sorry for sending this later than the others, but I just realised what I sent could have been really vague and I want to send something easy to understand. So, do you think I could still have autism even if I don’t relate to having a “special interest” because I understand a special interest as oversharing and info dumping and having only that one interest. Whereas I don’t relate to sharing at all and have multiple? And is dyslexia/dyscalcula related to autism/ executive function? 

Honestly anon this sounds like you do have a special interest. Infodumping is something that a lot of us experience in relation to special interests but it’s not a requirement. It’s also very possible to have special interests, that may or may not be related to each other. 

Because executive (dys)function is a very broad thing you asked about, for now I’m just going to link you to our resources, where we’ve got some information on that. If that doesn’t help, feel free to send in another, more specific ask once the inbox reopens.

Dyslexia and dyscalculia both are often comorbid with autism. 

-Wren