Dolls as an autistic special interest?

Hi! While I am not autistic I am on the spectrum and I have a son with autism (ironically enough he is obsessed with viruses, he even claims his superhero persona's last name is Virus) and I totally get what you're saying about dolls and how interesting and specific they are. When I find a hobby I go all in, I need to know everything about it and find myself doing this with BJDs now.

I have always been around dolls (my mother had a massive Madam Alexander collection and still collects) I love them and when I discovered BJDs I was hooked.

 

Oh lord, this in a nutshell! I wish its magical power could be used for whatever subject, I've always wished this. Unforunately, it's almost the opposite effect with subjects I don't care for.

 

I am not on the spectrum but my son is Autistic (Moderate to severe). His main interest is movies earlier today he said that he was a "G, PG, PG13 kinda guy". His rewards tend to revolve around movies in general. I love meeting others on the spectrum and just wanted to say hello.

 

My Occupational Therapist noted my dolls (since I bring them with me to therapy sometimes) as a way for me to stim. If I feel uncomfortable or twitchy, I can pull one of them out of my bag and toy with her hair or her clothes, fulfilling any need for tactile stimulation I may not be receiving at that moment. I can use them as a grounding point to, something to focus upon to keep myself from either saying something I shouldn't or doing something I really shouldn't do.
That, I suppose, fits into both my anxiety and Aspergers.

I wouldn't call it my 'lifetime obsession,' since I'm way too young and much too unobservant and ADD to be able to pin my interests down, but it's definitely something that I have cycles of complete obsession.

 

Oh, dolls and miniatures have definitely been a lifelong fixation and obsession for me, especially as it became more and more obvious that socialization was one of those skills in which I was severely lacking. They were certainly an outlet for my creativity and a way to try to work through potential social situations, and my parents never felt the need to tell me that I was too old for dolls, especially when it was so obvious that they brought me comfort. I do stim with them, and certain dolls in my collection are there for that specific function, my MSD-sized dolls in particular. I was so determined to make dolls fit my vision for who they needed to be that I learned to do face-ups and I adapted other skills that I had to make them clothes and accessories. They play nicely with my obsessive need to create stories and scenarios too, and my math needs--scaling patterns up or down, calculating sizes for props, things like that.

They are also the first thing I go to when I am overstimulated or in full-blown meltdown. Sorting clothes, rearranging their seating arrangements, dressing, posing...I sit on the floor surrounded by dolls and boxes, and it is exactly the same as when I was a small child and overstimulated and needed to decompress.

In all fairness, I have many lifelong obsessions. I don't tend to lose interest or move on from a thing. Other obsessions that I've had since very early childhood include Star Trek, Star Wars, dogs, horses, books, and cars and motorcycles, particularly their engines.

There's never been a moment in my life where I haven't wanted a bigger, more poseable, more lifelike doll, and BJDs are kind of the culmination of that lifetime search.

 

My daughter (who is 20 yo) was diagnosed with Aspergers (though she finds it easier to just explain she's on the spectrum) along with ADD and other neurological and mental health issues. BJDs has never been one of her obsessions, but she does have two on-topic ones along with several OTs. Interestingly enough, a couple of months ago, she completely lost interest in just about all of her previous obsessions/hobbies, including the BJDs - one was modeled after a persona and one an original comic character, so they were very important to her. She hasn't drawn on her tablet or worked on any of her fan-run voiceover projects and stopped watching animes non-stop like she used to. If I might ask, have any of you experienced something like that? I'd love to help her get back into her hobbies (including BJDs since that was one we shared), but I know pushing her won't work.

 

Man, that's a tough one. I know my son has gone through times like these where he sort of mopes and says he's bored because nothing interests him. I usually suggest things that are soemwhat related to what he loves/is bored with now, like games that have a similar template to...say Minecraft or Portal, games he really loves.

Being on the spectrum mself, I know when I fall into these episodes of losing interest in everything I have to open myself up to new things (and it's tough because it's uncomfortable to try anything new). Ususally, like discovering BJDs, it was something I discovered while being very bored and found myself looking at Pinterest for pictures. There has to be a spark, something that lights and takes hold in order to want to learn more. It'll happen, it's just hard to make it happen.

 

My bf has aspergers as well, and though it's not dolls, he's absolutely obsessed with mecha models. So I can see someone being drawn to dolls in that way too lol

@Kirahfaye Things like that happen to me. I have adhd and depression, and when I get really into things I eventually burn myself out. Maybe something similar happened with your daughter? Hope you can help her get back into her hobbies D:

 

Thanks. I'm glad to have found a thread for this sub-community within the BJD hobby. It's hard for someone from outside to feel comfortable being the one to initiate discussions like this. Can I ask how specific your dolls are? Do they embody parts of yourself or are certain personas? Do any of them have a particular function (for lack of a better word) for you - perhaps better, do they provide a specific outlet? Are they usually within arms reach (my daughter practically lives on her bed so I wonder if moving them closer would help)?

 

@Kirahfaye --My dolls are certainly outlets for different parts of my personality, especially the parts that come into direct conflict with one another. Example--I have twin girl dolls, on who is on the spectrum and one who is not. They love each other very much, but the non-spectrum twin gets very annoyed when spectrum twin wants to just stay at home and read instead of going out with friends. It's the constant internal conflict given resin form. Some of the dolls represent the sorts of friends I'd like to have in real life, some are characters from books or games that I feel a strong connection to. They definitely a creative outlet--I sew and knit for them, and I love to make them props and accessories. I have a BA in theatre arts, and while I am still parenting my son, the dolls let me set-build and costume to my heart's content. I also love to write stories for them, and that helps keep me feeling sane and connected to the rest of the community at large, since autism and its related spectrum disorders and comorbidities can be so very isolating, particularly for women and girls, where social expectations are so very different than for boys and men.

My dolls are in constant near-reach for me. From where I am sitting at the computer, I can see my entire doll family just by glancing up. Sometimes I will have one right next to me, where I can reach and pet it, if I am having a stressful day.

I also tend to take one out with me if I know that I am going out and having a long or overstimulating day. I tend to fold my arms up to my chest when stressed, not unlike a praying mantis, and if I have something to carry, then I can't do that. I get some odd looks with the doll, but they aren't as odd when I'm walking about with t-rex arms.

I do go through bouts of severe depression where I lose interest in things, but I make sure that I leave my passions out and about, because I know from long experience that I'll have interest again, and having things out where I can see them helps get me through the rough patches faster. The dolls are nice that way--they're like a bunch of exceedingly patient friends who are just waiting for me to get feeling better, but they'll wait forever if need be. But sometimes I do need the nudge from an outside party, a friend or family member going "hey, I saw this doll and thought of you, have you seen it?" or even someone sending me some fabric or paper or jewelry findings, because they thought of my dolls, and thought I could make something lovely for them. It's indirect, but it does help.

Whoof, I did not mean to write a novel there! ^^; Sorry!!

 

I don't see my dolls as embodying a part of myself. To me they are a muse, which inspires me to design and sew them costumes, paint them, and create jewelry and other things for them. Making things for them is certainly a creative outlet.. Perhaps a small gift of something your daughter has mentioned wanting for her BJDS? Or art supplies to use for them? Like pastels, MSC, colored pencils, acrylic paints, beads, or cloth, or some fun little thing like a tea set, or a plushie. Or an outing to a shop that carries BJDs, or a trip to a Con? Or write a tiny letter to your daughter from her BJD, and leave in the dolls hands for her to find?

Moving them closer might make her feel crowded. What always amuses me though is when someone repositions them.... or puts something funny in their hands, or lap, or head...the more incongruous, the better.

I hope that helps.

 

Oh, I love when that happens. My son used to sneak eraser treats into my dolls' hands before I woke up, because he thought they should have a snack. XD He still will rearrange who is holding the tinies, especially my April Story Minngu who is extra-tiny.

I also find it endlessly fascinating how much variation there is in how people live and experience things on the spectrum.

 

I'm fairly open about being autistic on my personal blog, but I don't often mention it other Doll places, since it has gotten me some bad reactions elsewhere online. Here on DoA I figure nothing bad can happen, though, that won't be handled.
So yes, Dolls count as a hobby and Special Interest for me. Especially modding them.

 

i am on the spectrum. and they are a main interest for me. and i really dislike change, but yet i like changing my doll all the time!

 

I was diagnosed with high-functioning autism at the age of six. It's part of my history, and it is part of why I feel such a connection and conviction for this amazing hobby.

 

I'm autistic, aspergers was what it was called when I was diagnosed. Dolls are one of my obsessions. I also collect books because I read probably one book a day and have certain subjects like evolution, psychology, languages, genetics , Victorian Gothic lit that I obsess on. I have a degree in two of those areas even unfortunately no school here for dolls though

 

I just wanted to say how happy I am that I found this topic~
I have aspergers and I would definitely say that dolls are a special interest of mine. Though interestingly enough I tend to switch between types of dolls every so often. Like for months I'll be obsessed with BJDs, then one day switch to an OT group of dolls and ignore BJDs for a while. I always come back though