What are the most common obsessions in autism?

It is well known that many people with autism will have one or maybe more Obsessive interests in a particular subject. Some of the most common Obsessive interests that you’ll find individuals with ASC have include Thomas the Tank, which is a very common Obsessive interest that you’ll likely find among children with autism. Trains in general are often fascinating to both children and adults with autism, and many seem to memorize the whole train timetable and be able to tell you which will be going where and everything. Mathematics is also a common interest, and there are some people with autism who are simply brilliant at maths and are obsessed with numbers, and could talk about division and algebra for hours. Additionally, many people with autism are very good at Computers and are very interested in how the computer works, and a lot of people with autism seem to have an interest in Science Fiction, including Superheroes, reading Marvel and DC Comics, Star Wars, Star Trek, and Doctor Who. Those are some of the common Obsessive interests found in people on the spectrum. Some people on the spectrum may not have interests in any of these things, and you will not find every one of these interests in only one person with autism.

Fixations, or hyper-focusing on a specific interest, is a recognized feature of autism. Fixations often manifest as intense focus surrounding a certain topic or area of interest. For example, a person with autism may obsessively practice a particular skill, or may read every book and article written about a certain subject. Most common in high-functioning people with autism, fixations can be a positive feature of autism. Many high-functioning individuals with autism have turned their fixations into successful careers and made notable impacts in their fields. Unlike fixations, OCD behavior is not associated with interests, but rather associated with unwanted thoughts and feelings.