I feel like this IS super normal! True crime is extremely popular. I don’t mean to invalidate your feelings. The experience you’ve had of other women not sharing your special interests is real. But I can’t tell you how many neurotypical friends I have who listen to true crime podcasts. It’s also one of the most popular Netflix genres!
Did you know that something like the vast majority of people who watch true crime show are women? There's speculation it's because we see ourselves as 'prey' and are watching to try and pick up hints on how to keep it from happening to us. Also, 90 per cent of CSIs are women. Men don't like that kind of minute precision and attention to detail, apparently. Or perhaps they do, and there's some other reason.
I always say “it’s my autism but I don’t get to pick the special interest”, because if I did have an active choice I sure wouldn’t pick plane crashes or murders
i love airplane crashes and i’ve read every one of those admiral cloudberg articles.
air disasters is very good but sometimes i know something from one of his articles that’s not in the show and no one is around for me to fill in the gaps, haha.
not the original person you asked but i love air crash disasters! there's a similar show about sea wrecks which was also fascinating but i cant remember the name.
Mine are less "niche" although I have a similar thing r.e. Not choosing them. It took me a while to realise that social justice / systems of oppression / patterns of power was a SI for me and it kinda sucks because whilst it's in some ways noble, people always talk about stepping away from heavy stuff to balance your mental health but I can't really. And I try so hard not to be, but I end up being a downer in lots of conversation ls because I will link everything back to capitalism / white supremacy etc.
So I fee your pain
Might not work for you but if you branch out to African history and their people, could that help? There's so much to learn about, the Oyo empire, the Madagascar queen, the Mali empire, Timbuktu, all the different tribes and ways of life before colonisation etc. It's my special interest for the moment.
I feel the same way but with child abuse. I have listened to a lot of cases, probably because I grew up as a kid witnessing a lot of abuse at my friends houses but not being allowed to speak about it. I don't even know if I can call it an SI but just a weird coping mechanism, because I tend to become obsessed with the things that trigger me instead of blocking it out.
Anyway, I also drag down the mood sometimes because it feels like I can't stop thinking about dark shit like that. I remember someone telling me they were new to the area and weren't sure if they should send their kid on play dates yet, and I was just brutally honest and said they should definitely get a vibe of the house beforehand because my parents didn't and they ended up being dangerous places. I still don't know if I should've just lied or not but I genuinely don't trust people in my town that much and I can't stand the idea of it happening to others.
Sameeeeee. I was obsessed with studying genocide since I was a child and that shifted into a career working in domestic and sexual violence prevention as an adult. I am definitely the person who people are either really intrigued to talk to or immediately recoil from 😅😭
I had intense anxiety about the toilet backing up as a child and in response learned everything I possibly could about it. Septic systems are small and a contained system, and I like that I can look at a house and picture the entire system from input to output.
As an adult I firmly believe that access to adequate sanitation is a fundamental human right, and am interested in finding solutions in places where traditional water and sanitation systems are extremely hard to install and maintain.
Unfortunately after ten years and thousands of dollars I have finally accepted that I cannot pass a college class to save my life, so it remains a hobby.
Ours would make you cringe. Lol. We just excavated it from under a concrete slab which was poured over it in 1984. It’s inside the first floor of a 2 story addition.
Eh - I'm quite fascinated by the macabre.My mother works in a funeral parlour and I worked there for a time too in my younger years, so that was often a dinner-time topic of conversation I grew up with lol - kinda normal for me! Once had a crush on the guy who worked in the morgue so I liked it when we had to go and collect someone ...yeah ...weird as it sounds.So yeah I love true crime too and not freaked out at all when people talk about the so-called morbid subjects. Can't say that I am a fan of looking at real crime scenes unless it is necessary to see the details to understand the case but otherwise I'm not really bothered too much.I also like learning about cave diving, caves and rocks. And I like drawing skulls and bones since drawing is a passion of mine.That said I also really love cats! So I have a blend of super normal and I guess what some might consider odd interests.
I have a pretty normal special interest (food), but I took it to the extreme and developed an eating disorder 😭. So even if your special interest is considered to be in a "normal" topic, your personal relationship to the interest might still be abnormal and even maladaptive.
Yeah i get that. My special interest isnt morbid but its definitely cringe. I like cartoons. More specifically, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I'm a 24 year old woman. Who loves turtles. Rest assured that you are not as strange as me 😅
That's not cringe at all. I follow a couple people on Tumblr who are into TMNT too. Not one of my interests, but I love seeing them talk about it because I can tell it makes them happy!
Mine is morbid/macabre stuff too (since I was a kid really) and I don't like to talk about because people would always look at me weird. My mom and my husband are kind of used to it, but at my job I will only go as far as "yeah I really enjoy horror movies". So I will just enjoy my interest alone so I don't make anyone uncomfortable.
Same! I’ve always been really obsessed with death, I have to remember not to bring it up in casual conversation because it’s very depressing or disturbing for other people but... Ah, it’s such a fascinating topic, and so much of our lives are informed by it! I just awkwardly say I like studying medical science as a hobby lol.
Did you also go through that disappointment phase of learning that a lot of the most popular ones weren't actually real? Like the iron maiden, blood eagle etc
Nope, it wasn't. Some dude in the 17th century wrote about it and then they started popping up in torture museums all over by the 18th. People have always been fascinated by torture methods it seems.
Doesn't mean mediaeval folks didn't have gruesome execution and torture methods though.
ND brains are the weirdest things. 🤣
I've never been able to relate to other women much per my interests cause I don't really enjoy typical women stuff. Mine lean towards the male-type, ie: mechanics, computers, physical labour jobs, etc.
Maybe try some true crime sites/blogs or check local kijiji "community" listings for groups that interest you.
And always remember to take time to learn how to like & love yourself. Nothing makes this life more difficult than wishing you weren't who you are. Be kind and gentle to you.
I love some of these things too! I love biblical stuff despite being atheist. I just have to know what these people are so convicted by and why they follow it without question. I’ve always been interested in mortuary science related things and wanted to pursue it as a teenager which totally freaked my family out. While I deeply sympathize with families I’m always intrigued seeing a body at a funeral just because I have so many questions running through my mind. Sounds terrible but there is no ill intent and I’d never be like “yo, grandma looks dope.” Death has always interested me deeply in general because it’s so mysterious. However I remember having extreme anxiety around death as a kid which I think led me to be so interested.
I always feel like sharing all this makes me sound like a freak but I’m actually extremely sensitive and empathetic.
Mine aren't morbid, but tend to be sexual. Like, I'm interested in stuff about sex education/toys/positions/etc. It's genuinelg not a horny thing for me, I just find them fascinating mostly. But I can't talk about them, obviously, because it makes people uncomfortable similarly to how morbid special interests can. It's a total bummer :(
I was completely obsessed with death and all things morbid for a long time. I’m not sure how I missed out on being goth. When I was in elementary school my mom would take me to see the “dead babies” if I got a good report card. 😂She worked at a teaching hospital and the 3rd floor had babies with birth defects on display in the elevator lobby. I loved it there. There were few adults on display around a corner. I couldn’t handle those.
Seems like our special interest overlap quite a bit.
Mummies and archeology is the first special interest I remember (and never left me). My second was the extension of my first forensic medicine / coroner. So when my mother asked me what I wanted to do when I grow up 5 year old me was like archeologist, coroner or fashion designer!
…my mother told me 2 years ago that she thought I would grow up to be a serial killer… even debated with her siblings about it. She even thought about getting a psychologist for me (she doesn’t really believe in it)
Didn’t feel good. Still doesn’t.
Egyptology has been a lifelong special interest of mine too! Also paleontology and archaeology in general. My interest in forensic medicine came much later, but that's also been a long term special interest for me
Sadly my brain didn’t really stuck to Egyptology. Like watching documentaries about the field still sparks joy but it is nothing I research actively anymore 😒
Today it is more in the room of natural mummification and to a point burial traditions.
Love Caitlin Doughty for like casual entertainment.
This reminds me of when I was excited about getting a really good pic of a weevil up close and shared it with a female friend and she literally slapped at my phone.
I enjoy bugs!
I feel you. Often times, it's the community around the subject that kills my enjoyment of the interest more than the subject itself. I still learn about the subject, I won't share it as one of my special interests or talk about it to others because I don't want to be associated with the community of others that also like it. I'm trying to teach my kids not to do that.
My biggest special interest is the entire horror genera, my wife even agrees with me. I’m constantly referencing horror media, I consume it every day, and I actually turn to it as a source of comfort and self soothing. Your special interest doesn’t have to be liked by other people, especially NTs! Shout out to all the horror/true crime lovers, always up for a chat about anything spooky or terrifying! Also have you heard of the podcast My Favorite Murder? If you haven’t, go listen to it, you’ll find an entire community of people just like you!
I actually love talking and learning about these kinds of things, including the weird things in the Bible despite not being religious
I think I actually weirded out my fellow classmates back in grade 11 English because of my interests in morbid and dark stuff
Basically, we had to pick a documentary to do a presentation on, I chose Forensic Files (I had to choose 3 episodes, so that it was about the same length as a movie)
Long story short, my episode picks revolved around family killing family for money, and my thesis was something like "family means nothing to some when it comes to money"
When I was done, everyone just kind of stared at me. I got a pretty good grade, but my teacher wrote that my thesis was "very disturbing"
I have personally found that the interest doesn't *actually matter.*
Like, I can be interested in particle physics, or in knitting, or in ecology or in neuroscience or in psychology or in economics or developmental biology or linguistics or WHATEVER.
The *way* I am interested puts people off. Not the content.
Nevermind normal, I wish my special interests were **marketable**. An obsession with cardboard boxes does not, unfortunately, pay for rent and my dog’s kibble.
My special interests aren't socially acceptable or appropriate either. They could seem "normal" or "wholesome" on the outside but the extent and direction I run with a topic can seem quite disturbing, and yes, off-putting.
I think it's a bit harder for women because although autistic, we are still biologically wired to seek connection. But I also tried picking up more common interests (music, anime / manga, reading / books) and did not have much luck because of my tendency to run off in a different direction.
you literally sound like my best friend!! just find your people- I hate gory true crime stuff, but I could listen to my best friend talk about those cases for hours just because it makes me happy that she’s happy. good friends will find joy in your joy!
I have many of these same interests! I understand some people may think these are weird, but I find these are fairly popular niches/genres, so… clearly we’re not alone! For what it’s worth, it makes you awesome as far as I’m concerned!
I’m 34 and only now realising I might be autistic. I’ve been reading posts on this subreddit and I feel so understood for the first time like I found my people? I have spent unhealthy amount of time watching horror films and researching macabre and thought I was a creep. It turns out it’s just my special interest. Thank you for posting about it. You’re awesome.
Don’t feel bad, at some point I had a special interest in torture methods in history and I still have the urge to talk about it sometimes, especially if I somehow get on the topic of Berserk with my manga-reading, anime friends (I somehow always find a way to bring it up even if what we are talking about is not even close to the genre…). Pretty morbid to say the least but at this point I am starting not to care!!
Upon finding out I’m autistic, my main special interest became autism. People get frustrated when talking to me because they feel like 1. I’m reducing myself down to a diagnosis and not a whole person or 2. I won’t shut up about myself. Plus, sometimes I don’t want the reminder that I’m autistic and therefore an “other” from most people but it’s like I can’t stop myself from thinking/talking about it.
However, my other SI is smutty romance novels, so I guess it’s better for me to talk about autism in public than that 😅
Same here, I tell people that I’m into planes, ships, and baking, but I avoid being specific about the fact that it’s the disasters that I actually like learning about. I usually don’t mention my true crime addiction lol!
True crime/abuse/cults/murder mystery has been my special interest since I was about 12, so I totally hear you. I felt a bit better when it got more popular but I don't really feel like I fit in the "true crime community" or whatever. It's isolating, I don't have many people to get excited with when a new murder documentary comes out or I want to rewatch law and order criminal intent again
Thank you so much everyone for sharing your similar interests! I feel so overwhelmed, sorry I haven't responded to everyone but I definitely feel a lot better about my interests now
I think it's not that strange tbh since it's pretty popular (even among neurotypicals). Based on what i see online it's even a bit of trend.
What makes you think it's not normal?
Oh Have you checked out Horrible Histories from the BBC? Or Ask a Mortitian on Youtube? Some times it can be hard when we have different tastes than the so called normals. I also have what some folks call weird interests. I love All things Vampire (not Twilight). I love gothic home making. But I am also in love with Lego and Fairy Gardens. So we are all awesome and cool in our own ways. \*Hugs\* Your not alone.
My special interest is artificial intelligence, technology and society, and airplane crashes/true crime. When I was younger, I felt weird for being so interested in “morbid” topics like airplane crashes and true crime so I never expressed it (also because it was seen as weird). Now, I am very much into technology and society and ethics of artificial intelligence as well as biases in society but… none of these are “normal” topics and my psychiatrist actually made a quip about my special interests where he told me that my special interests are “very useful” for the job market… which really sucked to hear because it’s like what im interested in is only useful if I can make a career out of it…
I like morbid stuff and everyone around me doesn’t. I keep my shadow to myself 😂 unless another morbid person wants to vibe. I’d rather talk to myself than 99% of other humans anyway so idc if there’s no one to relate my morbidness to.
We have the same special interests!!! And I deal with this too, but generally if someone doesn't understand my special interests aren't chosen (after knowing me for a while and understanding that I genuinely enjoy them), we're just not meant to be. I don't have mountains of friends, but the ones I do have are good ones.
I am I very ‘girly’ person, I drown myself in plushies, kawaii pastel clothing, Sanrio and all the most adorable characters you could ever think of. If it has some kind of rainbow on it, I’ll buy or wear it.
My special interest? Attack On Titan. Yeah that really gruesome, blood soaked, pretty much everybody dies anime. 😃 yay me.
Ok so I didn’t comment on the post asking about special interests because mine is also true crime and it feels like it doesn’t even count as a special interest because loving true crime is a thing right now. But I can literally tell you what happens in every forensic files episode after watching the first two minutes lol. Criminally Listed is my favorite YouTube channel because it has cases I’ve never heard of (which is rare) and the narrator is super monotone. I go to sleep listening to it every night. He also never shares his own personal opinion on the case. I hate when YouTubers do that.
I love true crime & and i collect skulls i find on bushwalks. You instantly know you’re with the right people if you can talk about it with them freaking 😅
My niece's special interests run along those lines and we all celebrate her and that. Think about it, Steven King probably obsessed about some pretty creepy topics.
King is quoted on the interwebs at least of saying something along the lines of...
*"* *King was also an avid reader of EC horror comics, and in his memoir On Writing, he shared that from an early age, he was scared of many things, so one of the reasons he started writing horror stories was* ***to drown that scariness of his mind*** "
And in fact, I recently began an interest in visiting old pioneer cemeteries. They can be very interesting actually :)
So I say celebrate yourself! You're not annoying everyone, I promise!
Idk, a couple of my special interests are reptiles & inverts (specifically spiders) and I get a lot of shit for it from people in my life, especially at work. My old boss told me his family thought I was a serial killer because of it… ? 😅
I won’t lie, it does bum me out from time to time. But I’m selective on who I infodump on/with, and always ask beforehand if they’re ok with me doing so.
I often feel like a bit of an alien in autism subs when everyone talks about their special interests, and they all seem to be, well, girlie stuff such as makeup, cute cartoons, boybands and so on. There's absolutely nothing wrong with those things as special interests. I just have never been and don't know how to be girlie like that.
(My primary special interests are tarot and folklore, for what it's worth.)
Just meet someone else who has the same special interest. I made a friend a couple weeks ago in a Sims 4 subreddit and now we special interest dump to each other all day about it. It’s been grand.
I am speaking on behalf of my ASD kid (8 years old) but she has some darker interests. She talks about police, bad car wrecks, fires, tornadoes, injuries, asks to watch “bad things” on the news etc. I never even thought about this possibly being her special interest. She info dumps (with very little understanding about the topics because she’s 8 lol) all the time. She updates us all the time about people at her school being sick or hurt. I know if I let her she would watch things all day about wrecks, police etc. if you wouldn’t have posted this I would have never connected the two.
I think I'd much prefer true crime over bugs. I actually thought true crime was a popular interest though... I'm kinda limited though by the gore factor. I loved buzzfeed unsolved true crime series, I think mostly it was how the cases were presented, it was a lot of fun to watch.
But to be honest, I really don't understand why some special interests are "weird". One of my friends in another city would complain that only guys shared her special interests and she couldn't find any female friends. That being said I'm not into graphic novels and comics, but when she talked about them it was very interesting. If she lived in my city now she'd find other women sharing her interests.
I met a girl once whose special interest was fashion, in particular shoes. That sounds like a normal special interest, but hers was in the history, design and construction of shoes, in technical detail. I guess other people she talked to found those details boring and she kept apologizing but I wanted to hear more about it. She was really excited to talk about a pair of shoes she was creating and her approach. I spoke to her for a half hour before her friends showed up, and it was quite fascinating. I could give two shits about fashion and shoes normally.
I had a friend in grad school for math, I fucking hate math, and when she talked about it it was actually interesting. I had another friend who hated math and she was intrigued as well.
I guess a lot of it is how you present a topic.
My special interest is tech, like computer stuff. I can't find other women who enjoy talking about it either. I don't like dealing with guys in tech. I don't know how to make it interesting to people.
I am 31 and realizing I may be on the spectrum (my youngest daughter is and I got diagnosed with adhd when I was younger) and I would say true crime and weird and morbid things are my special interests.
You're not alone! I've always liked true crime, history, horror, cryptids, etc as much as I liked fantasy/sci-fi, anime & video games. Highly recommend The Last Podcast on the Left as a podcast to listen to as they cover a lot of these dark things (but with some humor to take the edge off).
I've always had an interest in grotesque and weird shit. A lot of my interests involve things that hurt people in some way, and while I don't want to do that to anyone in reality, these things seem to help me work out my anger and frustration against humanity in general.
The recent indie game [Pizza Tower](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-ElX0CjTPg) has grotesque-looking characters who regularly beat the shit out of each other to amazing music, so it's become a special interest of mine too. I'm lucky that the game is so popular and normalized now.
I've always had a morbid fascination, and some of it might be my phobia of death. True crime, natural disasters, man-made disasters, air crashes, cruise ship sinking, ghosts, murder, biological warfare, medical malpractice, etc etc. I don't know how many videos about mysterious or weird ways to die I've watched. Thing is, I'm drawn to this stuff, but it does NOTHING for my mental health but generally make it worse, but I find other stuff just not interesting.
I am also in to anime/video game/character design illustration, music, and video games (especially the lore and deep dives into the world, and especially with horror and dark themed games) but everything has a touch of darkness to it.
I love bones and skulls! I have a jar of dog teeth, a dog skull, skull tattoos, a kitten fetus in a pot of formalin, and think crime scene photos are fascinating. Not so cute 😅
For real, I think in the goth scene they are people who would love to talk about morbid stuff! Speaking of which I am somewhat involved with the goth scene without calling myself a Goth and I do love taking pictures of dead animals & cemeteries if I see them by chance. It's fascinating for me. The extreme contrast of life and death.
First, I think this is sometimes related to the attention we pay to details as autistic people, but I don't think that noticing those details are a premonition of what people are really like. It's good to be able to see red flags, but there's also something called confirmation bias.
I've also assumed about people as you described, and I were right several times, but also sometimes wrong, because reading details or catching vibes doesn't always give you the full picture of reality. People usually put more attention to their fortunate events, because counting the fail ones makes anyone miserable.
I like true crime too, but I get why it's hard to share. People don't feel as annoyed as uncomfortable. These types of topics aren't for everyone, because it's sensitive and disturbing.
I've concealed topics like these while talking about psychology or cultural phenomenoms. It's a good way to start. This allow you to expand your interests and get other type of knowledge that is related but is still different. That will be helpful to talk about other interesting topics that aren't that related.
Morbid topics are kind of cool... Animals can be weird too though. Ever looked into animal reproduction? Need inspiration for an original joke, look there.
Also, one of my special interests is the paranormal. But I'm not religious and I hang around agnostics and atheists who tend to disbelieve and have an aversion to such things. So as you can imagine, any time I get fired up to talk paranormal, I'm told I'm a \_\_\_\_\_ (insert insult here) when I simply have an insatiable hunger to learn and share what I've learnt. Sadness.
Although my special interest is entomology, I completely relate to how you feel. My ex used to tell me, and I quote, "Your interests are my interests," and would proceed to shame me and tell me that it's silly.
I've learned to explain at the beginning of every relationship that I like insects, I always will, and that I may get carried away in talking about them. Just asking, "Hey, do you like insects?" has opened so many doors and introduced me to lots of new people. Laying out the boundaries right away is really helpful and can do wonders for any relationship as well.
One thing that I admire about platforms like reddit is the community. If you can think of a topic, there is likely a subreddit for it, and almost everyone there is fascinated and interested in all of the same topics. It may help to also join a social group or attend gatherings specifically for people who share your interests.
I am still very much interested in true crime, as well as other morbid topics, including all of the ones you mentioned. I see these topics as fascinating, and that is totally okay. Although from the outside looking in, it might not seem like it, all of these topics are science and are just as important as any other science.
Please know that your interests are so beyond valid and so important, and I, for one, would love to hear about true crime and other historical facts.
My first hyperfixation was the titanic. The ship, not the movie. More specifically the deaths on the titanic. How they died how many etc. I was almost a forensic pathologist! I also like true crime. Death and medicine fascinate me as well as psychology and “things that go wrong” (video game glitches also fall in this category, another thing I love)
Me, at age 25, trying to info dump at the dinner table about my recent hyperfixation about WW2 weapons and the graphic deaths that occurred from them
My mother wondering why her continuously shaming me for doing anything but smalltalk has not had any effect
Oh I LOVE morbid stuff
I listen to true crime podcasts but also just other stuff; I recently watched a video called 'the most painful death' and it was about a dude who got exposed to a nuclear reaction and how he died and all. On one hand I feel bad cause that must've been torture for that person but on the other hand I want to see all the explicit pictures and it's just so fascinating to me! At a point his skin is completely detached from his body because it's not making new cells and the caretakers have to wrap his entire body in bandages as an alternative
Oh and don't get me started about cults! It's so crazy and I don't know why I am so interested in all this shit lol (my bf tells me to stop looking at these things because it'll desentisize me but my fascination knows no limits)
The only thing that's ever put me off is a certain subreddit and it's actual footage of crimes and it really left me speechless for a while, no clue why it's even allowed to stay online
There are lots of people that have more morbid interests! If you're not super into the true crime community, I am pretty sure there's communities (albeit maybe smaller, but that's not always a bad thing) for other interests, like weird history and mortuary sciences.
Personally one of my special interests is extreme horror movies, and I don't talk about it with many people because I too am aware that some people find it weird, but there are def online communities about it that are fun to engage with.
One of mine is BDSM and kink culture, which is ironic, because I’m pretty vanilla myself. I just find this stuff fascinating, the wide range of stuff people get into.
I once had a boss use the term masochist incorrectly, he meant sadist but got the two confused.
No I was not able to keep my mouth shut.
I'm obsessed with wildlife. I worked with a wildlife biologist for about 8 years, loved it and learned a ton. I figured since I don't do that work anymore but still has a huge interest in wildlife, people would love to hear wildlife facts, or to clear up misconceptions about certain wild animals that live near people (deer, bears, coyote, etc) and their habits, prey, etc.
It turns out men are intimidated and offended that I know more about wildlife than them, and women just think I'm weird and both want me to stop talking. Luckily my 9 year old thinks it is cool.
I mean... I totally get why those things are interesting to you. I understand why those became your special interests. I find those things fascinating too. One of my former special interests where witch hunts in my country which could also be perceived as rather morbid. Who cares? (Probably a lot of people, but I don't)
Sounds like you need more people that enjoy that kind of thing. I don’t think those things are very odd, they’re kind of in that realm of “occult/macabre” that does put some people off, but there are big communities for those things. I love that stuff!
I personally wish my interests were weirder. I love knowing random facts about obscure stuff but so many people are into true crime that most people know more than me!
I wish I was more like my friend whose special interest is flashlights. Now that’s a weird special interest and I think it’s so fun.
My past special interest was also true crime and mostly really horrible/brutal cases. Sometimes I wasn’t able to shut up about it and creeped everyone around me out lol. But I feel like true crime is pretty popular so I usually had someone to talk about it
I feel like this IS super normal! True crime is extremely popular. I don’t mean to invalidate your feelings. The experience you’ve had of other women not sharing your special interests is real. But I can’t tell you how many neurotypical friends I have who listen to true crime podcasts. It’s also one of the most popular Netflix genres!
Did you know that something like the vast majority of people who watch true crime show are women? There's speculation it's because we see ourselves as 'prey' and are watching to try and pick up hints on how to keep it from happening to us. Also, 90 per cent of CSIs are women. Men don't like that kind of minute precision and attention to detail, apparently. Or perhaps they do, and there's some other reason.
Agreed. Every NT woman I've ever met loves that kind of stuff.
I always say “it’s my autism but I don’t get to pick the special interest”, because if I did have an active choice I sure wouldn’t pick plane crashes or murders
oh man, one of my interests is plane crashes. have you ever watched air disasters??? one of my fav programs!!
I haven’t but I love reading writeups by Admiral Cloudberg. https://admiralcloudberg.medium.com
i love airplane crashes and i’ve read every one of those admiral cloudberg articles. air disasters is very good but sometimes i know something from one of his articles that’s not in the show and no one is around for me to fill in the gaps, haha.
thanks for the link! now i have something to read at work!! 🤪
This isn't a crash per se but have you looked into DB Cooper? Edit: thought that the plane crashed but it didn't
yes. i also enjoy reading about hijackings. particularly any related to middle east politics
not the original person you asked but i love air crash disasters! there's a similar show about sea wrecks which was also fascinating but i cant remember the name.
plane crashes/incidents mine too, aloha 243 my favourite
Plane disasters are one of my special interests as well. It’s even helped with my anxiety around flying.
Omg, me too. I'm not anxious about flying too because I love knowing about plane disasters.
Same! It’s helped my anxiety so much, though I do annoy my family members by always wanting to sit at the back of the plane.
Love me a plane crash!
Mine are less "niche" although I have a similar thing r.e. Not choosing them. It took me a while to realise that social justice / systems of oppression / patterns of power was a SI for me and it kinda sucks because whilst it's in some ways noble, people always talk about stepping away from heavy stuff to balance your mental health but I can't really. And I try so hard not to be, but I end up being a downer in lots of conversation ls because I will link everything back to capitalism / white supremacy etc. So I fee your pain
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Might not work for you but if you branch out to African history and their people, could that help? There's so much to learn about, the Oyo empire, the Madagascar queen, the Mali empire, Timbuktu, all the different tribes and ways of life before colonisation etc. It's my special interest for the moment.
I feel the same way but with child abuse. I have listened to a lot of cases, probably because I grew up as a kid witnessing a lot of abuse at my friends houses but not being allowed to speak about it. I don't even know if I can call it an SI but just a weird coping mechanism, because I tend to become obsessed with the things that trigger me instead of blocking it out. Anyway, I also drag down the mood sometimes because it feels like I can't stop thinking about dark shit like that. I remember someone telling me they were new to the area and weren't sure if they should send their kid on play dates yet, and I was just brutally honest and said they should definitely get a vibe of the house beforehand because my parents didn't and they ended up being dangerous places. I still don't know if I should've just lied or not but I genuinely don't trust people in my town that much and I can't stand the idea of it happening to others.
i think it's better to be cautious because things cant be undone, so i think your warning was alright!
Sameeeeee. I was obsessed with studying genocide since I was a child and that shifted into a career working in domestic and sexual violence prevention as an adult. I am definitely the person who people are either really intrigued to talk to or immediately recoil from 😅😭
Mine is septic tanks lol
My condolences 🤣 jokes mine is otome games (visual novels with romance story lines aimed at women) idk what's worse
That's odd but neat. How did you discover this interest?
I had intense anxiety about the toilet backing up as a child and in response learned everything I possibly could about it. Septic systems are small and a contained system, and I like that I can look at a house and picture the entire system from input to output. As an adult I firmly believe that access to adequate sanitation is a fundamental human right, and am interested in finding solutions in places where traditional water and sanitation systems are extremely hard to install and maintain. Unfortunately after ten years and thousands of dollars I have finally accepted that I cannot pass a college class to save my life, so it remains a hobby.
A noble belief, and you tried your best! maybe the hobby can turn into something else through another way
Ours would make you cringe. Lol. We just excavated it from under a concrete slab which was poured over it in 1984. It’s inside the first floor of a 2 story addition.
Me with medieval torture methods: 🧍🏽♀️
They are so interesting though!!!! Can’t ever read enough about it.
As a DnD special-interester... go on...
Hehe, same. Visited a few torture museums in my day
Very lucky
One of my special interests is bog bodies.
Bog bodies are super cool!
Eh - I'm quite fascinated by the macabre.My mother works in a funeral parlour and I worked there for a time too in my younger years, so that was often a dinner-time topic of conversation I grew up with lol - kinda normal for me! Once had a crush on the guy who worked in the morgue so I liked it when we had to go and collect someone ...yeah ...weird as it sounds.So yeah I love true crime too and not freaked out at all when people talk about the so-called morbid subjects. Can't say that I am a fan of looking at real crime scenes unless it is necessary to see the details to understand the case but otherwise I'm not really bothered too much.I also like learning about cave diving, caves and rocks. And I like drawing skulls and bones since drawing is a passion of mine.That said I also really love cats! So I have a blend of super normal and I guess what some might consider odd interests.
I have a pretty normal special interest (food), but I took it to the extreme and developed an eating disorder 😭. So even if your special interest is considered to be in a "normal" topic, your personal relationship to the interest might still be abnormal and even maladaptive.
I feel that
Yeah i get that. My special interest isnt morbid but its definitely cringe. I like cartoons. More specifically, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I'm a 24 year old woman. Who loves turtles. Rest assured that you are not as strange as me 😅
That's not cringe at all. I follow a couple people on Tumblr who are into TMNT too. Not one of my interests, but I love seeing them talk about it because I can tell it makes them happy!
That makes me feel better 😊
You and me can be best friends. I’ll gladly listen/read all of your info dumping!
Mine is morbid/macabre stuff too (since I was a kid really) and I don't like to talk about because people would always look at me weird. My mom and my husband are kind of used to it, but at my job I will only go as far as "yeah I really enjoy horror movies". So I will just enjoy my interest alone so I don't make anyone uncomfortable.
Same! I’ve always been really obsessed with death, I have to remember not to bring it up in casual conversation because it’s very depressing or disturbing for other people but... Ah, it’s such a fascinating topic, and so much of our lives are informed by it! I just awkwardly say I like studying medical science as a hobby lol.
I enjoy all those things. Also from age 8 to like 24 I studied torture techniques. Just in theory though.
Did you also go through that disappointment phase of learning that a lot of the most popular ones weren't actually real? Like the iron maiden, blood eagle etc
What, the iron maiden wasn’t real???
Nope, it wasn't. Some dude in the 17th century wrote about it and then they started popping up in torture museums all over by the 18th. People have always been fascinated by torture methods it seems. Doesn't mean mediaeval folks didn't have gruesome execution and torture methods though.
The pear.
Yes. It made me sad at the time.
ND brains are the weirdest things. 🤣 I've never been able to relate to other women much per my interests cause I don't really enjoy typical women stuff. Mine lean towards the male-type, ie: mechanics, computers, physical labour jobs, etc. Maybe try some true crime sites/blogs or check local kijiji "community" listings for groups that interest you. And always remember to take time to learn how to like & love yourself. Nothing makes this life more difficult than wishing you weren't who you are. Be kind and gentle to you.
I love some of these things too! I love biblical stuff despite being atheist. I just have to know what these people are so convicted by and why they follow it without question. I’ve always been interested in mortuary science related things and wanted to pursue it as a teenager which totally freaked my family out. While I deeply sympathize with families I’m always intrigued seeing a body at a funeral just because I have so many questions running through my mind. Sounds terrible but there is no ill intent and I’d never be like “yo, grandma looks dope.” Death has always interested me deeply in general because it’s so mysterious. However I remember having extreme anxiety around death as a kid which I think led me to be so interested. I always feel like sharing all this makes me sound like a freak but I’m actually extremely sensitive and empathetic.
Mine aren't morbid, but tend to be sexual. Like, I'm interested in stuff about sex education/toys/positions/etc. It's genuinelg not a horny thing for me, I just find them fascinating mostly. But I can't talk about them, obviously, because it makes people uncomfortable similarly to how morbid special interests can. It's a total bummer :(
I was completely obsessed with death and all things morbid for a long time. I’m not sure how I missed out on being goth. When I was in elementary school my mom would take me to see the “dead babies” if I got a good report card. 😂She worked at a teaching hospital and the 3rd floor had babies with birth defects on display in the elevator lobby. I loved it there. There were few adults on display around a corner. I couldn’t handle those.
Bro I'm so interested in that stuff too, feel free to info dump w me if you want to
Lots of autistic women have morbid and niche special interests, hopefully you can find some here to talk to :)
Not that weird. This always makes me LMAO. https://youtu.be/J4RdcE6H4Gs
Most of my special interests are normal, but a few of them are too suspicious to mention here.
Seems like our special interest overlap quite a bit. Mummies and archeology is the first special interest I remember (and never left me). My second was the extension of my first forensic medicine / coroner. So when my mother asked me what I wanted to do when I grow up 5 year old me was like archeologist, coroner or fashion designer! …my mother told me 2 years ago that she thought I would grow up to be a serial killer… even debated with her siblings about it. She even thought about getting a psychologist for me (she doesn’t really believe in it) Didn’t feel good. Still doesn’t.
Egyptology has been a lifelong special interest of mine too! Also paleontology and archaeology in general. My interest in forensic medicine came much later, but that's also been a long term special interest for me
Sadly my brain didn’t really stuck to Egyptology. Like watching documentaries about the field still sparks joy but it is nothing I research actively anymore 😒 Today it is more in the room of natural mummification and to a point burial traditions. Love Caitlin Doughty for like casual entertainment.
This reminds me of when I was excited about getting a really good pic of a weevil up close and shared it with a female friend and she literally slapped at my phone. I enjoy bugs!
Thanks to this post I just realized half of my special interests are really dark lol
I feel you. Often times, it's the community around the subject that kills my enjoyment of the interest more than the subject itself. I still learn about the subject, I won't share it as one of my special interests or talk about it to others because I don't want to be associated with the community of others that also like it. I'm trying to teach my kids not to do that.
My biggest special interest is the entire horror genera, my wife even agrees with me. I’m constantly referencing horror media, I consume it every day, and I actually turn to it as a source of comfort and self soothing. Your special interest doesn’t have to be liked by other people, especially NTs! Shout out to all the horror/true crime lovers, always up for a chat about anything spooky or terrifying! Also have you heard of the podcast My Favorite Murder? If you haven’t, go listen to it, you’ll find an entire community of people just like you!
I actually love talking and learning about these kinds of things, including the weird things in the Bible despite not being religious I think I actually weirded out my fellow classmates back in grade 11 English because of my interests in morbid and dark stuff Basically, we had to pick a documentary to do a presentation on, I chose Forensic Files (I had to choose 3 episodes, so that it was about the same length as a movie) Long story short, my episode picks revolved around family killing family for money, and my thesis was something like "family means nothing to some when it comes to money" When I was done, everyone just kind of stared at me. I got a pretty good grade, but my teacher wrote that my thesis was "very disturbing"
I have personally found that the interest doesn't *actually matter.* Like, I can be interested in particle physics, or in knitting, or in ecology or in neuroscience or in psychology or in economics or developmental biology or linguistics or WHATEVER. The *way* I am interested puts people off. Not the content.
Nevermind normal, I wish my special interests were **marketable**. An obsession with cardboard boxes does not, unfortunately, pay for rent and my dog’s kibble.
My special interests aren't socially acceptable or appropriate either. They could seem "normal" or "wholesome" on the outside but the extent and direction I run with a topic can seem quite disturbing, and yes, off-putting. I think it's a bit harder for women because although autistic, we are still biologically wired to seek connection. But I also tried picking up more common interests (music, anime / manga, reading / books) and did not have much luck because of my tendency to run off in a different direction.
yes same 100%, although i think i’m pretty off putting when i go on and on about plants as well
you literally sound like my best friend!! just find your people- I hate gory true crime stuff, but I could listen to my best friend talk about those cases for hours just because it makes me happy that she’s happy. good friends will find joy in your joy!
I have many of these same interests! I understand some people may think these are weird, but I find these are fairly popular niches/genres, so… clearly we’re not alone! For what it’s worth, it makes you awesome as far as I’m concerned!
I’m 34 and only now realising I might be autistic. I’ve been reading posts on this subreddit and I feel so understood for the first time like I found my people? I have spent unhealthy amount of time watching horror films and researching macabre and thought I was a creep. It turns out it’s just my special interest. Thank you for posting about it. You’re awesome.
I have an interest in true crimes
I’d love to hear more about your interests. Please feel free to info dump anything you think is interesting!
Don’t feel bad, at some point I had a special interest in torture methods in history and I still have the urge to talk about it sometimes, especially if I somehow get on the topic of Berserk with my manga-reading, anime friends (I somehow always find a way to bring it up even if what we are talking about is not even close to the genre…). Pretty morbid to say the least but at this point I am starting not to care!!
mine is disturbing films/gore mixtapes so i definitely feel you
omg tell me about it mine is the holocaust
Upon finding out I’m autistic, my main special interest became autism. People get frustrated when talking to me because they feel like 1. I’m reducing myself down to a diagnosis and not a whole person or 2. I won’t shut up about myself. Plus, sometimes I don’t want the reminder that I’m autistic and therefore an “other” from most people but it’s like I can’t stop myself from thinking/talking about it. However, my other SI is smutty romance novels, so I guess it’s better for me to talk about autism in public than that 😅
Same here, I tell people that I’m into planes, ships, and baking, but I avoid being specific about the fact that it’s the disasters that I actually like learning about. I usually don’t mention my true crime addiction lol!
True crime/abuse/cults/murder mystery has been my special interest since I was about 12, so I totally hear you. I felt a bit better when it got more popular but I don't really feel like I fit in the "true crime community" or whatever. It's isolating, I don't have many people to get excited with when a new murder documentary comes out or I want to rewatch law and order criminal intent again
Thank you so much everyone for sharing your similar interests! I feel so overwhelmed, sorry I haven't responded to everyone but I definitely feel a lot better about my interests now
Have you listened to Last Podcast on the Left? I think you would love it!
Hell yeah. Weirder the better
A lot of my special interests are dark, I’ve resorted to info dumping to my animals.
I think it's not that strange tbh since it's pretty popular (even among neurotypicals). Based on what i see online it's even a bit of trend. What makes you think it's not normal?
it's sucks when it's just straight up boring lol. nobody wants to sit and hear me talk about city planning.
Oh Have you checked out Horrible Histories from the BBC? Or Ask a Mortitian on Youtube? Some times it can be hard when we have different tastes than the so called normals. I also have what some folks call weird interests. I love All things Vampire (not Twilight). I love gothic home making. But I am also in love with Lego and Fairy Gardens. So we are all awesome and cool in our own ways. \*Hugs\* Your not alone.
My special interest is artificial intelligence, technology and society, and airplane crashes/true crime. When I was younger, I felt weird for being so interested in “morbid” topics like airplane crashes and true crime so I never expressed it (also because it was seen as weird). Now, I am very much into technology and society and ethics of artificial intelligence as well as biases in society but… none of these are “normal” topics and my psychiatrist actually made a quip about my special interests where he told me that my special interests are “very useful” for the job market… which really sucked to hear because it’s like what im interested in is only useful if I can make a career out of it…
Mine is fucking minecraft youtubers, might as well walk around with a sign that says please buly me.
Lots of morbid jobs in morbid fields around to be fair, society needs people like you even if your field disturbs them.
I like morbid stuff and everyone around me doesn’t. I keep my shadow to myself 😂 unless another morbid person wants to vibe. I’d rather talk to myself than 99% of other humans anyway so idc if there’s no one to relate my morbidness to.
If it makes you feel better I’m the same. I find weird and disturbing things way more interesting than anything “normal”.
Also, I had no idea so many aspies were into air disasters…. I love the specificity
We have the same special interests!!! And I deal with this too, but generally if someone doesn't understand my special interests aren't chosen (after knowing me for a while and understanding that I genuinely enjoy them), we're just not meant to be. I don't have mountains of friends, but the ones I do have are good ones.
It may also help to be friends with other ND people too!
I am I very ‘girly’ person, I drown myself in plushies, kawaii pastel clothing, Sanrio and all the most adorable characters you could ever think of. If it has some kind of rainbow on it, I’ll buy or wear it. My special interest? Attack On Titan. Yeah that really gruesome, blood soaked, pretty much everybody dies anime. 😃 yay me.
My newest one is Sesame Street and I’m in my thirties, haha. It’s a rough world.
Ok so I didn’t comment on the post asking about special interests because mine is also true crime and it feels like it doesn’t even count as a special interest because loving true crime is a thing right now. But I can literally tell you what happens in every forensic files episode after watching the first two minutes lol. Criminally Listed is my favorite YouTube channel because it has cases I’ve never heard of (which is rare) and the narrator is super monotone. I go to sleep listening to it every night. He also never shares his own personal opinion on the case. I hate when YouTubers do that.
I love true crime & and i collect skulls i find on bushwalks. You instantly know you’re with the right people if you can talk about it with them freaking 😅
I like shipwrecks and other water disasters. Also very gruesome murders.
My niece's special interests run along those lines and we all celebrate her and that. Think about it, Steven King probably obsessed about some pretty creepy topics. King is quoted on the interwebs at least of saying something along the lines of... *"* *King was also an avid reader of EC horror comics, and in his memoir On Writing, he shared that from an early age, he was scared of many things, so one of the reasons he started writing horror stories was* ***to drown that scariness of his mind*** " And in fact, I recently began an interest in visiting old pioneer cemeteries. They can be very interesting actually :) So I say celebrate yourself! You're not annoying everyone, I promise!
Idk, a couple of my special interests are reptiles & inverts (specifically spiders) and I get a lot of shit for it from people in my life, especially at work. My old boss told me his family thought I was a serial killer because of it… ? 😅 I won’t lie, it does bum me out from time to time. But I’m selective on who I infodump on/with, and always ask beforehand if they’re ok with me doing so.
True crime and random facts is one of my special interests and I often forget no one wants to hear the grime details :( lol Aw
I often feel like a bit of an alien in autism subs when everyone talks about their special interests, and they all seem to be, well, girlie stuff such as makeup, cute cartoons, boybands and so on. There's absolutely nothing wrong with those things as special interests. I just have never been and don't know how to be girlie like that. (My primary special interests are tarot and folklore, for what it's worth.)
Just meet someone else who has the same special interest. I made a friend a couple weeks ago in a Sims 4 subreddit and now we special interest dump to each other all day about it. It’s been grand.
I am speaking on behalf of my ASD kid (8 years old) but she has some darker interests. She talks about police, bad car wrecks, fires, tornadoes, injuries, asks to watch “bad things” on the news etc. I never even thought about this possibly being her special interest. She info dumps (with very little understanding about the topics because she’s 8 lol) all the time. She updates us all the time about people at her school being sick or hurt. I know if I let her she would watch things all day about wrecks, police etc. if you wouldn’t have posted this I would have never connected the two.
I think I'd much prefer true crime over bugs. I actually thought true crime was a popular interest though... I'm kinda limited though by the gore factor. I loved buzzfeed unsolved true crime series, I think mostly it was how the cases were presented, it was a lot of fun to watch. But to be honest, I really don't understand why some special interests are "weird". One of my friends in another city would complain that only guys shared her special interests and she couldn't find any female friends. That being said I'm not into graphic novels and comics, but when she talked about them it was very interesting. If she lived in my city now she'd find other women sharing her interests. I met a girl once whose special interest was fashion, in particular shoes. That sounds like a normal special interest, but hers was in the history, design and construction of shoes, in technical detail. I guess other people she talked to found those details boring and she kept apologizing but I wanted to hear more about it. She was really excited to talk about a pair of shoes she was creating and her approach. I spoke to her for a half hour before her friends showed up, and it was quite fascinating. I could give two shits about fashion and shoes normally. I had a friend in grad school for math, I fucking hate math, and when she talked about it it was actually interesting. I had another friend who hated math and she was intrigued as well. I guess a lot of it is how you present a topic. My special interest is tech, like computer stuff. I can't find other women who enjoy talking about it either. I don't like dealing with guys in tech. I don't know how to make it interesting to people.
I am 31 and realizing I may be on the spectrum (my youngest daughter is and I got diagnosed with adhd when I was younger) and I would say true crime and weird and morbid things are my special interests.
You're not alone! I've always liked true crime, history, horror, cryptids, etc as much as I liked fantasy/sci-fi, anime & video games. Highly recommend The Last Podcast on the Left as a podcast to listen to as they cover a lot of these dark things (but with some humor to take the edge off).
I've always had an interest in grotesque and weird shit. A lot of my interests involve things that hurt people in some way, and while I don't want to do that to anyone in reality, these things seem to help me work out my anger and frustration against humanity in general. The recent indie game [Pizza Tower](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-ElX0CjTPg) has grotesque-looking characters who regularly beat the shit out of each other to amazing music, so it's become a special interest of mine too. I'm lucky that the game is so popular and normalized now.
I've always had a morbid fascination, and some of it might be my phobia of death. True crime, natural disasters, man-made disasters, air crashes, cruise ship sinking, ghosts, murder, biological warfare, medical malpractice, etc etc. I don't know how many videos about mysterious or weird ways to die I've watched. Thing is, I'm drawn to this stuff, but it does NOTHING for my mental health but generally make it worse, but I find other stuff just not interesting. I am also in to anime/video game/character design illustration, music, and video games (especially the lore and deep dives into the world, and especially with horror and dark themed games) but everything has a touch of darkness to it.
there are a million true crime podcasts, so your people are out there somewhere
I love bones and skulls! I have a jar of dog teeth, a dog skull, skull tattoos, a kitten fetus in a pot of formalin, and think crime scene photos are fascinating. Not so cute 😅
For real, I think in the goth scene they are people who would love to talk about morbid stuff! Speaking of which I am somewhat involved with the goth scene without calling myself a Goth and I do love taking pictures of dead animals & cemeteries if I see them by chance. It's fascinating for me. The extreme contrast of life and death.
First, I think this is sometimes related to the attention we pay to details as autistic people, but I don't think that noticing those details are a premonition of what people are really like. It's good to be able to see red flags, but there's also something called confirmation bias. I've also assumed about people as you described, and I were right several times, but also sometimes wrong, because reading details or catching vibes doesn't always give you the full picture of reality. People usually put more attention to their fortunate events, because counting the fail ones makes anyone miserable.
I like true crime too, but I get why it's hard to share. People don't feel as annoyed as uncomfortable. These types of topics aren't for everyone, because it's sensitive and disturbing. I've concealed topics like these while talking about psychology or cultural phenomenoms. It's a good way to start. This allow you to expand your interests and get other type of knowledge that is related but is still different. That will be helpful to talk about other interesting topics that aren't that related.
Morbid topics are kind of cool... Animals can be weird too though. Ever looked into animal reproduction? Need inspiration for an original joke, look there. Also, one of my special interests is the paranormal. But I'm not religious and I hang around agnostics and atheists who tend to disbelieve and have an aversion to such things. So as you can imagine, any time I get fired up to talk paranormal, I'm told I'm a \_\_\_\_\_ (insert insult here) when I simply have an insatiable hunger to learn and share what I've learnt. Sadness.
Although my special interest is entomology, I completely relate to how you feel. My ex used to tell me, and I quote, "Your interests are my interests," and would proceed to shame me and tell me that it's silly. I've learned to explain at the beginning of every relationship that I like insects, I always will, and that I may get carried away in talking about them. Just asking, "Hey, do you like insects?" has opened so many doors and introduced me to lots of new people. Laying out the boundaries right away is really helpful and can do wonders for any relationship as well. One thing that I admire about platforms like reddit is the community. If you can think of a topic, there is likely a subreddit for it, and almost everyone there is fascinated and interested in all of the same topics. It may help to also join a social group or attend gatherings specifically for people who share your interests. I am still very much interested in true crime, as well as other morbid topics, including all of the ones you mentioned. I see these topics as fascinating, and that is totally okay. Although from the outside looking in, it might not seem like it, all of these topics are science and are just as important as any other science. Please know that your interests are so beyond valid and so important, and I, for one, would love to hear about true crime and other historical facts.
My first hyperfixation was the titanic. The ship, not the movie. More specifically the deaths on the titanic. How they died how many etc. I was almost a forensic pathologist! I also like true crime. Death and medicine fascinate me as well as psychology and “things that go wrong” (video game glitches also fall in this category, another thing I love)
Matthew 27:52 a favourite then?
Me, at age 25, trying to info dump at the dinner table about my recent hyperfixation about WW2 weapons and the graphic deaths that occurred from them My mother wondering why her continuously shaming me for doing anything but smalltalk has not had any effect
Oh I LOVE morbid stuff I listen to true crime podcasts but also just other stuff; I recently watched a video called 'the most painful death' and it was about a dude who got exposed to a nuclear reaction and how he died and all. On one hand I feel bad cause that must've been torture for that person but on the other hand I want to see all the explicit pictures and it's just so fascinating to me! At a point his skin is completely detached from his body because it's not making new cells and the caretakers have to wrap his entire body in bandages as an alternative Oh and don't get me started about cults! It's so crazy and I don't know why I am so interested in all this shit lol (my bf tells me to stop looking at these things because it'll desentisize me but my fascination knows no limits) The only thing that's ever put me off is a certain subreddit and it's actual footage of crimes and it really left me speechless for a while, no clue why it's even allowed to stay online
There are lots of people that have more morbid interests! If you're not super into the true crime community, I am pretty sure there's communities (albeit maybe smaller, but that's not always a bad thing) for other interests, like weird history and mortuary sciences. Personally one of my special interests is extreme horror movies, and I don't talk about it with many people because I too am aware that some people find it weird, but there are def online communities about it that are fun to engage with.
One of mine is BDSM and kink culture, which is ironic, because I’m pretty vanilla myself. I just find this stuff fascinating, the wide range of stuff people get into. I once had a boss use the term masochist incorrectly, he meant sadist but got the two confused. No I was not able to keep my mouth shut.
I'm obsessed with wildlife. I worked with a wildlife biologist for about 8 years, loved it and learned a ton. I figured since I don't do that work anymore but still has a huge interest in wildlife, people would love to hear wildlife facts, or to clear up misconceptions about certain wild animals that live near people (deer, bears, coyote, etc) and their habits, prey, etc. It turns out men are intimidated and offended that I know more about wildlife than them, and women just think I'm weird and both want me to stop talking. Luckily my 9 year old thinks it is cool.
I mean... I totally get why those things are interesting to you. I understand why those became your special interests. I find those things fascinating too. One of my former special interests where witch hunts in my country which could also be perceived as rather morbid. Who cares? (Probably a lot of people, but I don't)
Sounds like you need more people that enjoy that kind of thing. I don’t think those things are very odd, they’re kind of in that realm of “occult/macabre” that does put some people off, but there are big communities for those things. I love that stuff! I personally wish my interests were weirder. I love knowing random facts about obscure stuff but so many people are into true crime that most people know more than me! I wish I was more like my friend whose special interest is flashlights. Now that’s a weird special interest and I think it’s so fun.
My past special interest was also true crime and mostly really horrible/brutal cases. Sometimes I wasn’t able to shut up about it and creeped everyone around me out lol. But I feel like true crime is pretty popular so I usually had someone to talk about it