Remove The Stereotype Of Knowing Everything About The So Called Special Interest, I Have Never Had One,

Remove the stereotype of knowing everything about the so called special interest, I have never had one, but I'm curious why is it called like that, when it isn't for Neurotypicals?

So the list you posted, it just sounds like something a person likes, but why is that it is called special interest?

Because if a Neurotypical would say, if they had those interest(s) that are on that list, or more. Its just...likes. hobbies even. But when a Neurodivergent has any of that, its called a 'special interest' why is that? It just occured to me too this question, I find it strange. That it has a name like that for Neurodivergent but not for the Neurotypicals.

I also feel like, if you utter you like something, then people just assume straight off the bat that it is a 'special interest' when it may not be.

Its the same with the Autistic Meltdown, or that other thang I forgot what the name of it is. Why is it called like that? Because again, if a Naueotypical has, like a big outburst of anger and they get real mad even throwing stuff, whatever someone does, it's not called specifically a meltdown, or that other thing i forgot the name of it. I'm genuinely wondering btw, not trolling.

This is a good question, and completely understandable.

Firstly, a special interest is specific to autism. My post lists a variety of ways that they can manifest, but obviously it's not the only ways.

A special interest is different to a hobby in the way that an autistic engages with it. A hobby for a neurotypical is something they know all about and do to pass the time. They may even take breaks from it.

A special interest for an autistic may not even have a physical component, we have anxiety about not interacting with it, and it's not to just pass the time. It can feel like a core part of us.

Which is why if a special interest fades, we can be left in a state of deep loss. It's like losing a loved one. It can cause grief.

Autistics can also just have hobbies.

Now, an autistic meltdown or shutdown is once again specific to us because it's linked to how we engage in the world. Specifically, sensory input.

A neurotypical can have a "meltdown" after a bad week at work, a break up, plus their car won't start and they'll scream and need a day off. It may even lead to a breakdown. They are serious, and they need self-care. But it's a long build up of stressors.

An autistic meltdown is a painful experience of no longer being able to endure sensory input. We need to escape, and harmful stims, screaming, crying etc are our only coping skills we have left in our arsenal. There is no emotion behind it, no end goal, except to make the pain stop.

if you want to actually truly support autistic rights, you need to accept the fact that many autistics will forever and unchangeably be wildly socially incompetent, and this does not make them bad or dangerous.

I don't know if it's an autism but when I was a kid or even now I smile when looking at people, being around them or talking to them.

Sometimes it didn't happen but most often it did and I'd turn my back when passing by someone because I couldn't stop myself from smiling and laughing even though I didn't want to.

To this day I don't like looking at people because if that, and when I'm mad I can't express my thoughts correctly and end up smiling and laughing which bugs me because I don't want to smile and laugh.

This isn't something I've experienced, but it could be a trigger effect...your brain associates smiling with laughing... So any smiles can trigger laughter. But I can't say for certain.

I decided to create something that I wish I had when I first got diagnosed with autism - so here’s my comic for ASDComicTakeover! You can find out more about the project here!

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today im thinking about the huge buff bread guy from kikis delivery service. highly underrated guy