Many Autistics have special interests, which are interests that they absorb themselves in. I am no exception. I have a few that reoccur or rotate throughout the year. My big ones are Pokémon, Harry Potter, and Dolls.  I do have many more, but the list is way too big for me to remember them all at this moment. My bigger ones tend to rotate throughout the year, usually depending on if a new book, movie, or game relating to one of them has come out. Usually I only focus on one special interest at a time. Last fall, the world had a different idea. Both the new Fantastic Beasts movie and the new Pokémon games were released on the same night. I was happy flapping and info dumping so much about both to my husband. Somehow, I did manage to split my time researching both things – when I am focused on any special interest I do tons of research on the subject to either learn about or update myself on it.

The three special interests I listed above are actually lifelong ones for me, to which I have now added Autism research as well. Pokémon has been part of my life for 19 years, Harry Potter about 17 years, and doll collecting… technically since I was a kid, so 20+, however the kind I mainly collect now just hit 10 years. I always come back to these interests, although sometimes I get distracted by others. When I am focused on one of my big ones all I want to do is talk about it and nothing else. It’s very hard to get my attention away from them, though I have gotten better over the years on listening to friends and letting them info dump as well.

I am very happy that my online store allows me to combine all these interests. I sometimes get to make weighted plushies of Pokémon or magical creatures. I also get to make doll clothing to sell. The weighted plush and stim toys fit in with being Autistic and wanting to help others like me.

I love seeing other Autistics get happy flappy about their special interests. And I really love it when I find others who have the same ones as I do, so we can info dump and flap together!