Why do you engage in your special interest?

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Just curious.

I use the term "obsession" when describing my special interest, and for a reason - that's what they are, for me. When I'm really into a special interest, it usually consumes every thought I have throughout a day. There really isn't much of a choice but to engage in it in some way. This is really a problem when I occasionally become obsessed with something I don't actually like. I was obsessed with the band Slayer for a few weeks and felt compelled to listen to their music and learn all the lyrics even though I don't actually like it. Or more recently, I happened upon a movie called Thanatomorphose - basically watching a woman rot while she's still alive, plus bonus sex. I haven't seen the movie, and I don't ever want to see it, but I felt compelled to learn absolutely everything I could about it and if I had easy access to it, I probably would have watched it even though I didn't actually want to (I'm very glad I didn't).

When it's past that initial "complete obsession" stage, I continue to engage in my special interests because I enjoy them and since I have no job, no family of my own, not even a place of my own, I oftentimes don't have much better to do. I can easily have several hours go by in what feels like no more than half an hour while engaging in a special interest. I haven't been fortunate enough to get special interests that are actually useful for anything, but they make me happy (usually). There's a sensation I get from engaging in a special interest that I can't really explain, but it's definitely a positive feeling.

Because it is more interesting to me than other ways to pass the time. I also have hopes of helping others by doing it well.
Once, when I was very depressed, it took me weeks to deduce that people do anything at all because they have hopes for what might result.

I have problems with anxiety and when you consider that this has causes a mild autoimmune disease, life is incredibly stressful yet I am not supposed to be stressed in order to not let the illness get worse. In my special interest I find an escape and genuine, extreme joy. I love the happiness it brings me and drinking up as much information as possible is delightful. It is my escape.

I like cycling because its an escape. The soft focus required for steering stops any anxiety and the exercise releases endorphins. Finding somewhere secluded to camp exercises my intuition. I don't have to talk to anyone. There's no discussion. Every action made is based on my decision.

When I have one, it's like an obsession or an addiction - it's the only thing I want to do or to think about.

I have two main ones, though one is more dominent then the other. They are kind of part of who I am. Both I have been involved in from an early age. I have not really known life without them.

I can't add much to what's already been said. I to use it to escape the real world and it brings me much happiness. My present obsession is ironically ASD. Listening to my 2nd book on the subject, on my commute and sometimes elsewhere ("Look Me in the Eyes", by John Elder Robison"). This forum is great for me because I have limited opportunity to unload my obsession IRL .

originally it was because i detested phonographic surface noise/crackle, and tape hiss.

Mostly because music was and is the only subject I ever excelled in, other than history, without, for the most part, being considered to be a jackass.

I didn't know how good cycling was for me in all those ways, as well as the exercise and sunshine chasing away depression. I liked it for the speed and economy primarily. Now, all those good memories are enough to get me to ride that same adventure machine on rollers. My exercycle gets very regular use.

One morning, I was leaving Sweetwater Campground, expecting to be in granny gears all day. I loathe carrying water uphill, but I had noticed a thinning of water stops, as well as a diminished speed. I tanked right up. When I got to the top of the pass, the sign said "campground closed- no water" I still had two litres, and easily found a place to camp. Good times.

Because these things dominate my thoughts and stuff...

Birds/ other nature stuff since I was a young age, Pokemon and Sonic at various times, ASD too. Oh and sometimes the occasional reading up on exoplanets and where in the world food plants and animals are native too , with birds I like to read up on taxonomy and biogeography a bit too...

Right now I'm trying to learn subspecies distributions in North American birds a bit better, I got for Christmas the latest version of the Nat Geo bird guide and what's great about it is that it includes the Latin names of subspecies and maps of distributions. Sibley's app that I like, despite having superior drawings and more hybrid illustrations, is more limited in this department...
A couple of subspecies are proposed to become full species next year, the Great White Heron and the Mexican Duck based on genetic evidence....

I find this all fascinating why? lol

Because I like it. It stimulates me.

I can escape my world.

Because it's my special interest, weird question.

Why do I engage in my special interest(s)? They are my life. Without them I don't know what to do. I would have nothing to think about. I am always thinking, so if I don't have them, all my thoughts would likely fixate on negative situations and push me into stress. I relax when I dream about trains... Think about new designs in my mind, or what I would like to do with them etc.

For me my special interests on productive times are about 95% thinking and daydreaming about them and 5% actually doing something with them. Less productive times are more like 98 or 99% thinking/daydreaming about them....

How can people live without a special interest? What do they do with their lives? What do they think about?

Before I came on this site I thought that it was normal for ones mind to be in thinking mode most if the day. If I am not thinking I am asleep, or I am in mind blank or even in straight stare mode (I don't realize I am doing this when it happens, and I have had a distressed lady shout at me thinking I was a wierd person fixating on her... I didn't even know I was. Why didn't she realize this? What am I supposed to do? Close my eyes when in public incase I go into straight stare mode? What does she do when she gets this? Can I then judge her in the same way? Stupid lady!)

But is it normal to be thinking all the time when one is awake? If it is not normal, how then do people do things without thinking. Even walking needs some manual thought to start off the process. You don't just walk. You think "I need to walk" and then you start to walk once you have decided which foot goes first... Once one starts to walk it carries on automatically and one then thinks about other things when one is walking...Or hums a tune in onss mind... One does not not think? Is it possible?
Haha. Maybe with some people I have met! Hahahaha! (I say that in a humourous love for them! I like people that do funny thins through not thinking.... But how can one not think? Umm. I need to think about this! Haha!)

Oh no. I am now manually thinking about everything that I am thinking about! Grr. How do I now stop thinking about thinking before I end up thinking about thinking about thinking?
Sorry. Mad moment. Going to do something like get myself some food or something so I am not thinking about thinking... Diversionary tactics!