What separates an NT Obsession from an AS obsession?

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Obviously we have special interests basically things we are really obsessed over we talk and focus strictly on that one subject but I got to thanking while going to sleep don't NT's have obsessions? Surely IMO you MUST be obsessed with your field of interest in law or medical to become a lawyer or doctor or you wouldn't deal with certain types of law or Cardiology or other type of specialist etc. if you WEREN'T OBSESSED with understanding that topic. I looked through my past and thought I'd list some of my childhood interests for fun.

-Played with Action Figures into my teens (found no interest in make up,COSMO magazine Seventeen or fashion etc.)

-I remember watching a movie 1,000's of times as a kid.

-Goosebumps books

-Power Rangers

-Ninja Turtles

-Pokemon

-videogames

(Now as an adult it's)

Twilight series

Harry Potter series

videogames (more so than childhood)

Psychology


(Hopefully I can get opinions from other people with AS about this topic.)

Well it is hard to answer this question, I suspect that some parts of the "mental health industry" would like to label our every thought, word and deed as a symptom of autism.

This is plainly wrong, but I am sure that people with an ASD tend to be more likely to have a topic which they have as a special interest than the typical NT. I will have to consider the question at length to get a better answer for you.

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Health is a state of physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity I am not a jigsaw, I am a free man !

Diagnosed under the DSM5 rules with autism spectrum disorder, under DSM4 psychologist said would have been AS (299.80) but I suspect that I am somewhere between 299.80 and 299.00 (Autism) under DSM4.

What is nt. And mine is Wrll, watch, listen, look, read.

nt=Neurotypical.

i think the difference is that nt's don't HAVE obsessions. usually they're just interests that they're socially trained to have. whereas asd's go for things they're actually instinctively, biologically interested in.

it's what gets the 10 year old kid beat up for being into entomology or computers while the football jock does not.

think of what a great world this would be if people could actually do what they wanted in life instead of what's expected of them.

Theoretically, a person who has strong obsessions would not be entirely NT, I believe.

I know that the medical definition of an obsession is any thought or action that threatens a person's ability to act normally due to anxiety. Most NT people think that we are full of anxiety and can't seem to relax. Sometimes that is true, but it's just the way our brains are wired. We have "special interests" They have obsessions.

When I have a hobby or interest, I tend to think about it on my own terms and decide to do it alone.

I don't tend to do it because everyone else is doing it or I've been recommended it by other people.

I focus in on an interesting object associated with the activity and think:
"That's nice, I might try that." and take it from there.

Most other people seem to want to join groups and "crazes" not to feel left out.

I don't.
I tend to do more solitary things that don't require many people.

Also, if my family buy stuff for me.
But there I was in the garden using that stuff on my own.

If I do join a craze, it's usually because I can't buy any other clothes or shoes in my size; items are on special offer; I walked into the shop and found something alone; I listened to the radio/watched TV alone and a sparkly/fascinating gadget appeared on the screen.

I choose what I do.
Other people seem to be compelled by there friends to take part in certain activities and hobbies, or to buy certain things.

I don't see the people and peer pressure surrounding the item.
I just seem to see the item.

you live it, breath it, 24/7 and it interfears with your life like whatever year your living in. 2009

Yeah WRLL does that for me thats why when im 34 name change to Wrll this is because of the 10 year rule to become an expert. Also a ambigram on my arm and a number ambigram of 65 on my arm also.

I'm thinking that what makes an AS obsession different (going on my own experience here) is that our obsessions are omnipresent in our thoughts and conversations, whether we are doing anything related to them or not. Also, I am liable to dream of my current obsession every night for a month straight. I don't think many NT's do this.

Easy, it disables you as you can't do anything else but that one thing.

There are basically two things i think about, talk about and do. My special interests of Painting and also ASD's.
What happens when i talk to people? in reality i take them hostage and communicate to about my special interests and i veer each conversation around to these special interest topics. People then try to give their input and i somehow VEER the conversation back to my special interests. People are my hostage sounding boards. sad but true.

If I am to extend beyond that, it is deliberate, conscious, cognitive and exhausting.

I do or think about my special interests to the exclusion of people, and everything else is of secondary importance.
THAT is all-consuming ASD special interests in a nutshell.