Special Interest Week

7 Prompts That Helped Me Reflect on Autistic Joy

In February I took the time to reflect on and share things about my special interests. I did a post and shared a prompt each day for 7 days. I wanted to explore this and share as I'm still learning to embrace special interests as part of being a newly diagnosed Autistic and I hope you also find these prompts useful to reflect on your own experience.

The prompts come from 'Unmasking Autism' by Dr Devon Price, which were adapted from Jersey Noah's Special interest week prompts.

A summary of all 7 prompts is below.

Note: I know that not everyone chooses to use the term special interests, I am still deciding how I feel about this language use. For the purposes of this blog I am using the term ‘special interest’ as that is what is used in the original prompts.

Image description: grey border with green leaves, text reads - Special interest week - seven prompts to help you reflect on Autistic joy; From 'Unmasking Autism' by Dr Devon Price, adapted from Jersey Noah's Special interest week prompts; Day 1 - your oldest special interest, Day 2 - your most recent special interest, Day 3 - a special interest that's changed or grown over time, Day 4 - a special interest that is collected, collections, Day 5 - the special interest that has shaped your life the most, Day 6 - a special interest you share with someone, Day 7 - a day for embracing and celebrating special interests. What's something positive your special interests have brought to your life?

Day 1 - My oldest special interest: Peter Pan

This one was most intense when I was about 5-8, but the interest has continued.

I have just heard a new live action movie is coming out soon and I am so excited!

Image description Day 1: a grey border with green leaves, 3 stars are in the top right, a fairy sits bottom right, and a set of pan pipes bottom left. Text says: Day 1 - your oldest special interest: The oldest special interest that I can remember properly is Peter Pan. My friend and I had a phone we could call Neverland on, there was a door in her house where we could get to Neverland and one year for my birthday my dad and I stayed up late making a birthday cake that was the island of Neverland, with jelly ocean and everything. I loved the book and the movie and anything related to Peter Pan. Header: Special interest week (Dr Devon Price, adapted from Jersey Noah).

Day 2 - My most recent special interest: Neurodivergence

This one crept up on me slowly as I began questioning my own neurodivergence. Since being diagnosed I have kept diving deeper to understand my own experience and have learnt so much from the online community.

Image description Day 2: a grey border with green leaves, a rainbow umbrella in the top right and a rainbow infinity symbol in the bottom left. Text reads: Day 2 - your most recent special interest - My most recent special interest is neurodivergence. I'm doing lots of learning on what it is in in general and what it looks like to me and others. It's been a new area of exploration of the past year or 2 as I started questioning additional neurodivergence for myself and I am still learning so much from the books I read and the people I follow. Header: Special interest week (Dr Devon Price, adapted from Jersey Noah).

Day 3 - My interest in health, psychology, people and the brain has changed and grown over time

This one is ongoing and I get to continue to learn and grow, which is amazing!

Image description Day 3: grey border with green leaves, an outline of a brain is in the top right and a hand holding flowers in the bottom left. Text reads: Day 3 - a special interest that's changed or grown over time - My interest in health, psychology, people and the brain has grown and changed over time. In high school I studied psychology, then continued this into university and started a clinical psychology PhD before burning out. I found another pathway through studying occupational therapy, which gives me the scope to really focus on what is meaningful to people, what they want to do, and what motivates them. I can support them to learn new strategies, adapt tasks and/or adapt the environment to reduce barriers to involvement in important things. This interest continues to evolve as I find new topics to dive into. Header: Special interest week (Dr Devon Price, adapted from Jersey Noah).

Day 4 - My special interest collections: books, board games, craft supplies, essential oils, toys

I used to collect spoons, coins and even inherited a stamp collection at one point. Throughout my life books has been my constant collection. When I move house, once the books are out, then I am home.

Image description Day 4: grey border with green leaves, images of books, dice bag and game sheet, ball of wool and crochet hooks, LEGO, and an essential oil bottle sit under the text. Text reads: Day 4 - a special interest that is collected, collections - I have a few collections to do with special interests: books, board games, craft supplies, toys (soft toys and LEGO) and essential oils. Header: Special interest week (Dr Devon Price, adapted from Jersey Noah).

Day 5 - The special interest that shaped my life the most is my interest in health, psychology, people and the brain

My study and work choices have all been around this theme. It continues to drive my interest areas in occupational therapy practice and the kinds of information I do deep dives in.

Image description Day 5: grey border with green leaves, images of a hand and a medical cross, books, a head with a swirl inside and a brain sit under the text. Text reads: Day 5 - the special interest that has shaped your life the most - This is probably the same as day 3's answer: my interest in health, psychology, people and the brain - as this interest has driven study and work choices and continues to drive my work today. Header: Special interest week (Dr Devon Price, adapted from Jersey Noah).

Day 6 - I share board, console and computer games with others

My husband and I often parallel play while computer gaming, sometimes playing games together or with friends online. Board games is one I share with people locally and online.

Image description Day 6: grey border with green leaves, images of people playing a board game, a game controller and 2 people gaming sit below the text. Text reads: Day 6 - a special interest you share with someone - Board games is a special interest that I have found I share with many people and it has been a useful common interest to make new friends and make it easier to socialise in a rules-based, activity-focused environment. My husband and I both love to play board, console and computer games, separately and together. Header: Special interest week (Dr Devon Price, adapted from Jersey Noah).

Day 7 - Positive things that special interests have brought to my life: connection, community and meaning

All these interests have given me a sense of connection and community, as well as a means of finding meaningful activities, and work and study opportunities.

Image description Day 7: grey border with green leaves, images of a person on a laptop, 4 people on a video call and a person looking at social media reactions on their phone sit under the text. Text reads: Day 7 - a day for embracing and celebrating special interests. What's something positive your special interests have brought to your life? Connection with other people over activities like crochet and other crafts, and gaming; Finding community with other neurodivergent people; Meaningful study and career path; Meaningful activities to engage in. Header: Special interest week (Dr Devon Price, adapted from Jersey Noah).

And so there you have it - the 7 prompts of special interest week!

I found it really interesting to reflect on my special interests as I hadn’t always thought about my interests in this way before. I loved hearing from other people about theirs too, the passion really came through in the comments! The posts for each day are still up on my Facebook page, feel free to go back through and comment or take these prompts and explore in your own time.

I highly recommend reading ‘Unmasking Autism’ by Dr Devon Price, found it to be a really useful book as a newly late diagnosed Autistic person.