i get obsessed with things then lose interest autism

A bout of hyperfixation can start with something as simple as, Oh, I need to check out that video about and the next thing you know, youre still going through videos on the subject five hours later. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. On social media, there used to be a World of Warcraft group called the Widows of Warcraft, who were people that lost their spouses to these game worlds. I didnt jog three times a week. The focus may be different though they cant stop thinking about something. 3. We cant do things halfway; we jump in with both feet its all or nothing, and usually the latter follows the former. Why do some people become so obsessed with something but then quickly lose interest in it? Please enable JavaScript and refresh the page in order to complete this form. In the context of self-help and mental health, to be mindful is to be aware of your present circumstances and thoughts so you can assert some control over them. Cue hundreds of eggs laid and birthed. I got really into dog training, then running, then yoga. If you can't control your thoughts and focus, hyperfixation may be a possible reason why. Oh, my sweet summer child. And then I see something pretty neat, and the cycle starts again. The wreaths have unraveled. My garden now stands choked with weeds and a few hardy stands of mint and cilantro. - An intense state of focus and concentration on the subject. Then I dont play it for a month or two, then binge play for a week and then lose interest its a vicious cycle. Some of us cant do things halfway; we have to jump in with both feet. Exaggerated Emotions: How and Why ADHD Triggers Intense Feelings. Bro I know Im so late to this but the YouTube thing Im undiagnosed but Im sure I have it I can relate so much I cant believe it, But Im still interested, Im just not as much because i dont too much money to throw at it, I wish I wasn't interested in mechs. This kind of hyperfixation may go on for years. Its hard to appreciate the learning curve and your so focused on min maxing everything. Im no longer allowed to have any kind of aquatic animals. All dead quickly then I panic and try and scrape back whatever wasted money I can. It goes for interests too. Though hyperfocus may be on something productive like housework or work, one may fixate on some common negative focuses. Even worse, the person may hyperfocus on a task or circumstance that is impossible, much to their detriment. For example, massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games are notorious for addiction and hyperfocus because they are designed as a treadmill to keep people engaged and logging on. Edit: I should add that I have ADHD as well. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. We can pay all the attention to the detriment of other necessary life needs, if it's something we're really . Oh, my sweet summer child We can pay attention. I tore up my yard and spent hours in the Southern summer sun. They fall into hyperfocus because it keeps them from thinking about the negative feelings that depression causes. Ask yourself if you jump from hobby to hobby, spending inordinate amounts of time and money on each, only to drop them cold. Some people may forget to eat, engage in self-care or grooming, and suffer from insomnia as they spend hours thinking about the thing they have become obsessed with. The cheapest I can find is $400 so well go with that! Cue building website about axolotl care with Amazon affiliate links in order to obtain funds to sustain axolotl sanctuary. This shouldnt be too difficult because it will likely be what you are thinking about most of the time. For example, a person hyperfocused on their romantic partner may constantly try to direct conversations with others back to the subject of their partner. Then, they keep returning to those daydreams as often as possible because its preferable to dealing with the chaos or pain of their current situation. All my life I couldnt explain why so how did you deal with it?? Depression and ADHD often feature insomnia. It's a big symptom of ADHD-PI (Primary Inattentive), called hyperfocus. Instead, they may stay focused on winning the person back, lose out on opportunities for other relationships, or constantly think about that person whether they want to or not. Associated mental health problems may also drive insomnia and restlessness. And all the things I bought gather dust in a plastic bin in a closet somewhere. Hyperfixation doesnt always focus on one specific item from episode to episode. Thank you. Get a free issue and free ADDitude eBook, plus save 42% off the cover price. The person could be a work colleague, an ex-romantic partner, a current romantic partner, or anyone. In both cases, it is incredibly disruptive to ones ability to conduct their life, whether its a child doing their homework or an adult trying to move on past a relationship. Moreover, if your judgment process is "Feeling", as o. A person who is hyperfocused on something unproductive will waste hours and hours of their time. The interest just goes poof. Id collapse if I ran up our block, and Ive forgotten all my yoga poses. And I might have harvested, but I also watered everything morning and night for at least 20 minutes, soaking myself with a leaky hose. Some people develop hyperfocus to self-regulate harmful or distressing emotions. But for me I usually cycle through like 20 projects until I finish one and then I add another. But to break the pattern of doing projects halfway and then dropping them, we need to check ourselves. Food is a common hyperfixation for people with ADHD. Take some time to sit down and figure out your responsibilities. Were bouncing. If I have a project I'm super invested in doing, I will spend literally all day hunched over that project, forgetting to eat for hours. People addicted to or hyperfocused on these games could fall into them for days, neglecting themselves, their responsibilities, and even their children to the point that the children were removed from the home by protective services. Both adults and children may experience hyperfocus. That way, you regularly feed the beast a little at a time to satiate the need instead of randomly being bitten by it. Here they are: 1. We often stop when something becomes too hard: I quit gardening, for example, when a bad tomato plant gave all my prized basil fungal rot. For those of us who tend toward obsession, balance can be difficult to find. The source of the fixation matters, too. I weeded. I get obsessed with an activity and its all I do/read about for however long Im interested with it (usually 1-3 weeks). This is like the best description of ADHD-PI I've seen so far! Yes! Here they are: 1. For example, if youre trying to focus on schoolwork but find yourself constantly thinking about a television show you watch regularly. Since Ive broken the obsession cycle, my garden looks better and my dogs happier. I have it. THIS. Over the years, I've learned a few ways to keep my hobbies from going too far and to help me keep my life in balance. Ask yourself if you jump from hobby to hobby, spending inordinate amounts of time and money on each, only to drop them cold. Problems socializing. The hyperfocused person will likely find their focus distracting. And stop. I couldnt just plant some seedlings; I made my husband till half our yard and spent hundreds of dollars on fencing, stakes, seeds, pots, and plants. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. For example, depression will not typically cause hyperfocus, but a hyperfocused person may be depressed. I've been like this my entire life. Press J to jump to the feed. Still, the person with ADHD may also experience hyperfixation. I know this is an old comment but I can relate to this perfectly. SUPPORT ADDITUDE Cue we need a bigger tank to house moar axolotls! Cue we need a chiller because the Australian summer is going to kill these creatures! I didnt plant a few plants. That's also why I have a bunch of useless knowledge on random things. Cue impregnated axolotl. I had to make a promise to myself that I wont spend over x amount on certain interests/activities unless Ive thought about it for more than six months to a year or else I would spend large amounts of money for things that will inevitably collect dust at my house. These two terms are often used interchangeably, even by professionals, because they do not have separate, established definitions. Boredom. Enlist family and close friends to help. Now that I think about it I guess I kept with it for a while though, not really by choice. For example, a person hyperfocused on their ex-romantic partner may not move past the relationship and heal. Video games may also be another source of hyperfocus. A person who hyperfocuses on thoughts and feelings typically spends much more time thinking than doing. I get intensely into something but then I'm over it in the next few days. You may find that scheduling will help impose greater structure into your life that will help positively channel your thoughts and actions. The person may be unable to form a meaningful interest in other things. Relationships and friendships may suffer because the hyperfocused individual is pouring all their attention and energy into their focus to the exclusion of all else. The next, its like it never existed. Be honest with yourself: Are you prone to obsession? Hyperfixation may be positive if the person can still devote time and energy to other aspects of life. Ive crocheted, Ive gardened, and Ive made wreaths. The ADHD tendency to hobby-bounce sometimes combines with hyperfocus to morph innocent pastimes into obsessions. Hyperfocus is also closely related to the flow state. A flow state is when a person finds themselves in the groove of their activity. I receive a commission if you choose to purchase anything after clicking on them. Even if its not really that amazing or interesting for some people. Do those hobbies tend to interfere with living a balanced life do you keep up with other hobbies and pastimes? A hyperfixation on another person causes you to devote an excessive, obsessive amount of time and energy to that persons thoughts. The person often focuses on things they find pleasurable. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. I fertilized and researched and kept records. But if you start a new hobby, jot down how much time and money you spend on it a day in a planner. Answer (1 of 3): Could just be your personality type. But I definitely go all out for a few days, then take a break and move onto the next project. [Read: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Hyperfocus]. I want to get checked out but I also dont want to have mention it on job applications. Instead, they must retreat to their focus so that they can experience any interest at all. This can be hard for people with ADHD! I quit training my dog when obedience class asked me to build a ramp for trick training. I can relate to it so well. . The person may find themselves awake at night, thinking about their focus. Problems that a person experiencing hyperfixation may experience include: Insomnia. Sims. Typically, they want to get the person out of their head so they can focus on more productive things, but they cant. About to spend 50 bucks on an adapter. Each of those hobbies, while they lasted, turned into an obsession. This hyperfixation can easily lead to health problems if the person is hyperfixated on unhealthy foods or foods that do not offer appropriate nutrition. Here is how I work to strike a better balance in my ADHD brain. This tendency can mean we never become proficient at any one thing. My aquascaping phase was 3 years ago. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Our mission is to be your trusted advisor, an unwavering source of understanding and guidance along the path to wellness. Reddit posts are actually a prime example of that because Ill be super into some thread and just really want to get my every thought out there. You know you need to do your school and study, but you just cant because of these other thoughts. They may regularly cycle those thoughts over and over, picking them apart, examining, re-examining, and thinking about them from different angles. Yes, youre having a great time. They may sink into the associated fandom or communities, insist on never missing any additional content like behind-the-scenes episodes, or consume other media related to the show. Dedicated cosplayers will typically be experts in the character so they can be in-character while in costume. There are ways to self-manage hyperfixation to an extent. They may only eat their fixated food for long stretches at a time. Yes, youre excited. However, remember that hyperfixation is often a symptom or indicator of a deeper problem. My life. Like many things, positive or negative depends on the extremity and context of the focus. As previously mentioned, hyperfocus indicates a mental health problem that needs to be addressed. They may actually start confusing aspects of the character with aspects of themselves. Certain kinds of video games lend themselves to extremely deep rabbit holes that can be all-consuming. This page contains affiliate links. Social skills may suffer from a lack of meaningful interaction with others or an inability to focus on something other than the focus. One minute youre so into it that it almost takes over your life. The hyperfixated person will develop a strong passion for the character that may interfere with their relationships, self-care, and regular lives. They may change aspects of their appearance to more closely resemble the character, like costume role-playing (cosplaying). Allow All Cookies. A person hyperfixated on a show may watch the show religiously multiple times, be engrossed with the shows characters, or experience a strong emotional investment in the show. The ADHD tendency to hobby-bounce sometimes combines with hyperfocus to morph innocent pastimes into obsessions. Something sparks me as a fun idea? I think it's why I'm not as successful career-wise as I'd like to be but I can't stop myself. Cue various plastic tubs on every surface of apartment with tiny tadpole axolotls that require water to be changed every day. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. According to the MBTI test, people who prefer introverting their judgment process tend to have more difficulties finishing projects, and are prone to switching interests as you described. Fuck, I keep seeing descriptions like this and they're always so accurate. People assume that ADHD means that you can't pay attention to anything. They may talk or think from the characters perspective, often imagining what that character would do in a situation they find themselves in. An intense state of focus and concentration on the subject. Over the years, Ive learned a few ways to keep my hobbies from going too far and to help me keep my life in balance. bruh I'm super into aquascaping right now and I hope I don't get sick of it like I did for everything else :(. Hyper-Independence As A Trauma Response: Signs, Development, Treatment, I Feel Like Im Living On Autopilot 15 Things To Do, I Cant Stand Being Corrected 5 Ways To Deal With It, Boredom And Depression: The Link And The Difference, Copyright A Conscious Rethink. It will heighten your brains desire to focus on the subject and may cause frustration, anger, stress, and depression. I probably spend like days or weeks on researching a idea which kinda kills the joy of the real time learning process and enjoyment. We throw ourselves all in, whether its in crafting or exercising or cooking. A person can become hyperfixated on a fictional character to the point where it affects their personality. An example is a person who becomes so engrossed in their activity that they may completely lose track of time or what is happening around them. People assume that ADHD means that you can't pay attention to anything. Get This Free Download: 5 Powerful Brain Hacks for Focus & Productivity, Read: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Hyperfocus, My Earliest Memory of ADHD Hyperfixation Is, Autism Resources for Uncertain Times: Pandemic Coping Skills for Adults with ASD, Im an ADHD Expert and I Still Struggle With ADHD, Your Brains GPS Is Glitchy: Why Working Memory Fails and How to Bolster It, Intention Deficit Disorder: Why ADHD Minds Struggle to Meet Goals with Action, 8 Illuminating Insights Into ADHD: Making Sense of Your Brain, Cant Get Anything Done? Youre Not Shy or Stuck Up. Because, of course, Id garden again next year, right? Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Im an overall better human being. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. However, it is not always a direct symptom. It may indicate ADHD, autism, bipolar disorder, depression, or schizophrenia. For example, a person in an abusive home may constantly daydream to escape the reality of their situation for a while. Yes. You Have Social Anxiety Disorder. A lack of awareness of the surrounding area or circumstances unrelated to the activity. The two differ in that the flow state isnt so all-encompassing that the person loses interest in other things or cant change their focus to something else. If they see you slipping into an obsession, ask them to gently help you and write yourself a note beforehand explaining to yourself that you need their help and that you need to step back if they recommend it. And it sucks sometimes. I find something that I'm really interested in. 4. Cue disease outbreak in tank that kills all axolotls. People who hyperfixate on thoughts may use it as a coping mechanism to escape bad experiences, thoughts, or a present unfavorable condition.

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