Does anyone else have passing obsessions?

[Probablier]

I do, for as long as I can remember. It can be any kind of subject- true crime cases, a specific period in history, an iconic figure who has passed on. I will spend a few weeks where the topic in question will occupy the front of my mind when it is otherwise idle, and I will seek out information about it and learn as much as I can. And then one day, BOOM, interest gone and I move on to something else. Often times, this will all have occurred without me even mentioning the topic in question to another living soul.

I'm currently obsessed with Elliot Smith, I had heard his music in passing and knew vaguely of his death but never thought any more of it until a few weeks ago when I came across an article about his life, and I've been hooked ever since.

Do other people get like this, or am I an obsessive oddball? I'm very level headed in all other aspects of life, so always find it funny how invested I get in random things

I tend to get obsessed with actors or music ( currently Billy Idol ) and I will hunt down and watch / listen to anything they have done , I have watched some god awful stuff just because xxx is in it for 30 seconds .

But i dont do it with history or places ( yet ! )

I am the same. It can cost me a fortune sometimes as I end up so obsessed I buy things related to whatever it is.

I can sometimes circulate back to previous obsessions so I end up with a lot of stuff.
The one that confuses me the most is drawing. I cant draw for shit, apart from when I become obsessed with it then I can actually draw! I dont understand that

Oh Yes! Don't worry. You are not alone.

I always think of Elliot Smith's death as quite Shakespearean in its tragedy.

I used to be obsessed with The Mighty Boosh and Noel Fielding years ago. No interest in him at all now he does Bake Off!
Before that it was Jack White and The White stripes.
I've also been fascinated by certain True crime cases like Charles Manson and The Family and Fred and Rose West.

I'm currently trying not to spend ages looking at anything to do with Harry Styles on You Tube or Instagram

I get obsessed with CAUSES. e.g. I will.be big into the environment and everything I do is led by this. Then it calms down and suddenly I'm all about FEMINISM and how to smash the patriarchy.

My current obsession is bees. Save the bees. I've bought books and t shirts, planted bee friendly plants in my garden, donated money to bee charities.

When my obsessions fade it isn't that I don't care any more, I still recycle and use less plastic and care about the environment it just doesn't occupy as much headspace for me.

These kind of obsessions are typical of high functioning autism/ Asperger's. I think there are lots of undiagnosed older women, maybe you are one of them?

This is like reading about me describing myself! Absolutely understand and have been like that since childhood as long as I can remember. I'm diagnosed bipolar and it definitely ramped up during manic phases before I found the right meds. I also have an ADHD diagnosis and apparently it is quite a common manifestation of that. It's really interesting and one of my obsessions was my own obsessive tendencies. Meta!

There's nothing passing about my obsessions. I get in deep and still have obsessions that I've had since a small child, 40 odd years ago. But I can only do one at a time and get very stressed if they collide, such as one actor having a guest part in another favourite's show. I explain it to DH like it's having lots of saucepans but only one cooking ring so you can only cook one thing at a time. He doesn't have obsessions and doesn't get it.

Yes me OP! I have had ADHD floated as a suggestion numerous times.

Yep, but I have ADHD. Not that having special interests (as the ND community refers to them) is solely a sign of ADHD, or necessarily a sign of anything at all.

But it's definitely a thing. I get SO involved in whatever my interest is for 2-3 weeks and then...poof, it stops giving me the 'shiny new thing' dopamine and I lose all interest!

Yep. I can be totally obsessed with something for two weeks then wake up one day and I’ve totally forgotten I was interested in it. Only to be reminded weeks later when I find something relating to it or something comes up as a reminder onto phone. I wish I could harness it to actually make some use of myself.

Glad I’m not the only one adored Gary Oldman 17 years ago, but that faded my Star Wars and Dr who have stayed with me, got most of Peter Capaldi’s stuff but have downsized and only kept the best.

Yes but I'm pretty sure I have adhd (and am possibly autistic but adhd suits best.)

I do this a lot, especially with subjects I want to study. Whenever I mention my new random obsession, my partner rolls his eyes. However, unless I find something incompatible about an obsession and drop it completely, I always cycle back to each obsession a few times and then eventually achieve what I wanted.

It just feels like there is so many interesting things in the world but it’s impossible to study them all at one. I can’t stick with one as I’m always finding new interesting things to get obsessed with.

I can’t imagine what it must be like to devote your whole life to one thing.

I can’t imagine what it must be like to devote your whole life to one thing.

Same! People who do this must have incredible self discipline. Or are easily pleased!

The members of my family with ADHD have this.
The enthusiasms can sometimes cycle back round again eventually, other times they are never seen again.

Yes, I am autistic so people would pathologise that behaviour and call it a special interest.

I'm trying to find somewhere to channel my obsessional tendencies but so far failing.

@Rockbird

There's nothing passing about my obsessions. I get in deep and still have obsessions that I've had since a small child, 40 odd years ago. But I can only do one at a time and get very stressed if they collide, such as one actor having a guest part in another favourite's show. I explain it to DH like it's having lots of saucepans but only one cooking ring so you can only cook one thing at a time. He doesn't have obsessions and doesn't get it.

This is such a brilliant analogy that I am absolutely going to have to borrow.

I think for me it's often the researching around an obsession that I enjoy the most, even when I'm hyper focused on one thing only for months.

It's rare that I go back to an interest, and many of my obsessions fade and then become subjects I have absolutely zero interest in at all.

@Rockbird

There's nothing passing about my obsessions. I get in deep and still have obsessions that I've had since a small child, 40 odd years ago. But I can only do one at a time and get very stressed if they collide, such as one actor having a guest part in another favourite's show. I explain it to DH like it's having lots of saucepans but only one cooking ring so you can only cook one thing at a time. He doesn't have obsessions and doesn't get it.

Yes I know what you mean. They all cycle round and every now and again a random new one will pop up and sometimes it stays and joins the cycle and sometimes it doesn’t

I absolutely do!

I do not have ADD/ADHD or ASD, I think I am just a really curious person and I love to know things!

If I hear of something that peaks my interest I make a mental note and will have a google when I get chance. I get really into things for a few weeks and then drop it and on to the next thing. I like that I carry that new learning with me though.

Some examples are:
Princess Diana
The wider royal fam
Jon Benet Ramsey
Other true crime cases also
Different podcasts (All Killa No Filla, My Favourite Murder, The Teachers Pet)
Brian Cox and astronomy
Different aspects of midwifery practice, often research based e.g. delayed cord clamping, safe sleep etc.
Did a phase of matched betting, got really into it then just got bored and dropped it.
Bon Appetit which was a YouTube channel based on a NYC food magazine but then there was loads of racism issues so have unsubbed, got so into all the chefs on there though.

I kinda also do it with people, which I feel weird about because it's a bit creepy but it's all internalised and i promise I'm normal and not a cracker (lol). Sometimes when I meet a new person and they interest me I just really want to find out loads about them and make friends and get really excited to see them. In my head I'm like 'chill out you weirdo!!!' But when I think back me and the person have always ended up good friends so maybe I'm over thinking it? Idk.

Just made myself sound crazy. Ah well!

Yes, I do and always have! My entire life can be mapped out by different obsessions since I was a small child. When I'm obsessed with something it's literally what I live for and I think about it constantly, research it, read about it, watch videos, buy anything I can (I get stupid with money because of it 😬), bore my friends talking endlessly about it.

My current obsessed is Queen which has lasted so far for several years and is the longest lasting obsession I've ever had! My family don't get it at all but I don't understand how other people live their lives without the absolute pure job my obsessions give me!

*pure joy, thank you autocorrect!!!

My husband does this. It drives me nuts. They are never returned to. I wish he’d get the gardening bug again as it looked beautiful, now it’s like an utter mess.

YES!

My DH calls my moments 'Chickens', after the month I spent researching how we could keep chickens at home.

Another time was learning to roller skate. By the time I found the perfect pair of quads, the obsession passed.

And I've got ADHD, dyslexia & dyspraxia.

Spot on @petridishmystery they all rotate in no particular order and sometimes a new one joins and becomes part of the cycle and others aren't successful and they become distant memories or tiny little side obsessions.

Actually, thinking about it, some have left the group...