Dedicated interest

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A special interest (often abbreviated to SpIn) is a deep and abiding curiosity and fascination about a particular topic. The topic could be anything, and could range from a very broad field, such as physics or ocean life, to as narrow a subject as a single species of mushroom or an individual episode of a cartoon.

Special interests often come and go over a person's lifetime and may last a few months to many years. Some people have several special interests at a time while some have only one, and sometimes special interests that had faded away can come back and be a central focus again.

Terminology

As some find the term "special interest" somewhat patronising, especially when applied to adults, there are a few alternatives: Autistic area of expertise (AAE).

Any others? I always used passion, vocation, and obsession before realising I was autistic...

Distinction from hobbies

What distinguishes a special interest from a plain interest or a hobby is its intensity and the distinctive way a person interacts with it. A special interest draws your attention so strongly that you feel like you never get tired of it. You want to spend time on it every day; you might wake up thinking about it and still be thinking about it as you fall asleep. You might go looking for more information or reread your favorite passages about it whenever you get a free moment. It may be an important part of how you organize your understanding of the world, a framework you relate all your other knowledge to. It may fill you with a deep sense of satisfaction and happiness to engage with it, and you may feel frustrated and overwhelmed by the world when you have to spend too much time away from it.

Hyperfixations

What's the difference between a hyperfixation and special interest?

See also: hyperfixation

Importance

Special interests are often a source of great joy and fulfillment in life for Autistic people, and it's important for Autistic well-being to engage with and encourage them. Some people build careers around their special interests, but that's not the only way to make a place for them in your life. Special interests that no one else understands, that you pursue only for your own satisfaction, are every bit as valuable. Spending time on special interests can be a good way to relax and get some relief from an overwhelming world. And bringing joy is enough reason to celebrate their existence.

Bias in autism research

As doctors and scientists originally only looked for autism in white boys, they incorrectly believed — and sometimes still believe — that special interests can only be in things like trains, planes, and math. It's just as common for people to have special interests in horses, literature, and art. It's not about what you're interested in, so much as how deeply you're interested in it.

Examples

Let's add a few varied examples of special interests, emphasising how it's not just stereotypical ones such as trains (although that's fine too), preferably with off-site links to photos of people's collections.