Why is it that some autistics can watch the same show over and over again? Or the same with music and books and so on and never get tired of it?

askanautistic:

– Repetition/routine being soothing.
– Predictability.
– Familiarity.
– Sensory enjoyment (from certain sounds or visuals or movements etc.).
– Less overwhelming to the senses due to being able to predict/being desensitised to certain stimulus through frequent engagement with that media.
– Better understanding due to frequent engagement with that media.

All of these things can reduce anxiety and increase enjoyment, and can be more or less stimulating depending on the media. I always wonder why allistics are less likely to want to watch things as frequently as autistics commonly do.

In a world where everything is often scary and unpredictable, it’s nice to be able to visit worlds in films/programmes/books where the setting will always be the same, the characters will always be the same, the same events will unfold and the same conclusions will be reached. Autistic people generally dislike change and prefer sameness, and so repetition is a way of achieving that.

– Ben