11 Jul 2004, 11:05 pm
hi,
i don't have Asperger's, but my younger brother does. i love him and he's the sweetest kid, but it's often difficult to keep being patient when he goes on and on about things that are so unrelated to the conversation at hand or what other people want to talk about. i am curious if any of you know of any tricks that help you stop obsessing, so perhaps i could help my brother with this.
thanks 
annichka
11 Jul 2004, 11:57 pm
Hi Annichka!
Welcome to Wrongplanet! 
Well, sometimes a good way to "stop" certain obsessions is for new pastimes/objects to be introduced. Do your best to expose him to new topics that you think might capture his interest! It is often easier for Autistic people to focus on a few specialised subjects; it allows one to gain sanctuary from the hurly-burly that is life. Obsessing is a survival mechanism for many AS individuals, and in many cases, a handy one!
It probably won't be possible for him to cease obsessing to the point of normality, because it makes him feel safe. Exercising tolerance [and sometimes the art of selective hearing 
] will help you in weathering your brother's "tirades".
He is lucky to have such a caring sister 
Thankyou for your contribution
Greg 
