bruh I'm super into aquascaping right now and I hope I don't get sick of it like I did for everything else :(. Something sparks me as a fun idea? ADDitude collaborates closely with leading medical experts to publish accurate, clear, and authoritative content that millions of readers trust and share. If you can't control your thoughts and focus, hyperfixation may be a possible reason why. Thank you. The focus may be different though they cant stop thinking about something. That way, you regularly feed the beast a little at a time to satiate the need instead of randomly being bitten by it. Indicators may include: - A lack of awareness of the surrounding area or circumstances unrelated to the activity. 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. 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.. Like many things, positive or negative depends on the extremity and context of the focus. Furthermore, they offer such depth that one can easily fool themselves into believing they are doing something productive with their time by investing so heavily into them. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. 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. 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 just lose all motivation to do that thing, Damn this is on point, recently diagnosed with adhd inattentive and the amount of times i really like the look of something try it for a bit then get off it like running before bought all the kit then got off it, recently into making beats i tried last year too but felt it was really hard mentally and list goes on n on..! Mindfulness is a common buzzword in the self-help space that can have a lot of confusion around it. This mental health issue is called hyperfixation, though it may also be known as hyperfocus. - The person often focuses on things they find pleasurable. Then I dont play it for a month or two, then binge play for a week and then lose interest its a vicious cycle. Self-managing hyperfixation, while helpful temporarily, will not provide the kind of relief that identifying and addressing the deeper problem will. Manage Settings I can relate to it so well. There are ways to self-manage hyperfixation to an extent. Ask yourself if you jump from hobby to hobby, spending inordinate amounts of time and money on each, only to drop them cold. Were bouncing. Each of those hobbies, while they lasted, turned into an obsession. The person often focuses on things they find pleasurable. I know this is an old comment but I can relate to this perfectly. I weeded. Please enable JavaScript and refresh the page in order to complete this form. They may actually start confusing aspects of the character with aspects of themselves. Monitor your time and your money. All Rights Reserved | Contact Us | Advertise | Privacy Policy, Why You Get Easily Obsessed With Things But Then Lose Interest. I receive a commission if you choose to purchase anything after clicking on them. Hyperfixation may be positive if the person can still devote time and energy to other aspects of life. All dead quickly then I panic and try and scrape back whatever wasted money I can. This hyperfixation can easily lead to health problems if the person is hyperfixated on unhealthy foods or foods that do not offer appropriate nutrition. Answer (1 of 3): Could just be your personality type. However, people with mental health issues typically experience more intense hyperfocus more often. Moreover, if your judgment process is "Feeling", as o. I read books sometimes. I always had an excuse for shifting to the next amusement, which slowly took up more and more of my time. Yup. 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. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Associated mental health problems may also drive insomnia and restlessness. Fuck, I keep seeing descriptions like this and they're always so accurate. The hyperfixated person will develop a strong passion for the character that may interfere with their relationships, self-care, and regular lives. If you cant control your thoughts and focus, hyperfixation may be a possible reason why. Here is how I work to strike a better balance in my ADHD brain. Are your expectations realistic? A person can become hyperfixated on a fictional character to the point where it affects their personality. Some of us cant do things halfway; we have to jump in with both feet. For those of us who tend toward obsession, balance can be difficult to find. I realize that's in part Baader Meinhof, but also because I have so many of the symptoms. The key factor is that this focused person gets stuck in their mind whether they want it or not. Problems socializing. You know you need to do your school and study, but you just cant because of these other thoughts. Cue various plastic tubs on every surface of apartment with tiny tadpole axolotls that require water to be changed every day. They may talk or think from the characters perspective, often imagining what that character would do in a situation they find themselves in. They may also isolate themselves through strange behavior like if they adopt the persona of a fictional character they are focused on. 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. 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. 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. It's a big symptom of ADHD-PI (Primary Inattentive), called hyperfocus. 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. If those numbers get too high, back off and find balance. People assume that ADHD means that you can't pay attention to anything. Its like flipping a light switch on and off. It is often negative because the hyperfocused person may neglect important responsibilities or self-care. The interest just goes poof. Its better to be hyperfocused on schoolwork than on a video game. A lack of awareness of the surrounding area or circumstances unrelated to the activity. Mindfulness and being in the present with your thoughts can help you identify those behaviors before they gain momentum. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Since 1998, millions of parents and adults have trusted ADDitude's expert guidance and support for living better with ADHD and its related mental health conditions. Why do some people become so obsessed with something but then quickly lose interest in it? I didnt plant a few plants. Im healthier. Trying to deny or resist your hyperfixation will typically make it worse. I got really into dog training, then running, then yoga. JaxenGrey 4 yr. ago. My life. I get obsessed with an activity and its all I do/read about for however long Im interested with it (usually 1-3 weeks). 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. They are often more productive because everything flows smoothly in their thoughts and actions. Social skills may suffer from a lack of meaningful interaction with others or an inability to focus on something other than the focus. SUPPORT ADDITUDE 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? People assume that ADHD means that you can't pay attention to anything. Depression and ADHD often feature insomnia. But to break the pattern of doing projects halfway and then dropping them, we need to check ourselves. 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. Just kindaget bored. I don't just want to think about trying it someday; I research the fuck out of it to make sure I get exactly the right supplies/equipment/software/etc for whatever that is, and use the right methods to do the thing, and immerse myself in every aspect of the thing, buy a bunch of shit with grand ideas of it being My One Passion, launch into it, doing the thing all day, every day for a while, and be moderately good at it, then. I fertilized and researched and kept records. Yes, youre having a great time. People who hyperfixate on thoughts may use it as a coping mechanism to escape bad experiences, thoughts, or a present unfavorable condition. 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 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. About to spend 50 bucks on an adapter. My life. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. I get intensely into something but then I'm over it in the next few days. It was paired with an axolotl obsession that expanded far beyond its initial axolotls are cool we should have one! said partner who now regrets everything. But if you start a new hobby, jot down how much time and money you spend on it a day in a planner. Some people develop hyperfocus to self-regulate harmful or distressing emotions. All my life I couldnt explain why so how did you deal with it?? Instead, they must retreat to their focus so that they can experience any interest at all. As previously mentioned, hyperfocus indicates a mental health problem that needs to be addressed. Yes! In an MMORPG, there is theorycrafting on how best to play your character, what skills to use and when, learning strategies, farming materials to create items and gear, spreadsheets, and mathematical analysis on what constitutes best and worst. I dont want what Im doing now to be just a phase but Ive thought that for every other thing I did:(, I dont want to self diagnose but I literally do this all the time, I obsess with something for weeks or months and then quickly forget about it and get bored and Im so confused why. How To Get Over The Regret Of Missed Opportunities: 9 Effective Tips! We can pay attention. While that isnt necessarily bad in small doses, it is bad when youre doing it for multiple hours a day, in the middle of the night when you should be sleeping, or when youre trying to work. 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. Cue impregnated axolotl. This page contains affiliate links. Enlist family and close friends to help. On the other hand, defining characteristics of ADHD are distractibility and a short attention span. This tendency can mean we never become proficient at any one thing. Certain kinds of video games lend themselves to extremely deep rabbit holes that can be all-consuming. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. [Get This Free Download: 5 Powerful Brain Hacks for Focus & Productivity]. 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. For example, a person hyperfocused on a video game may play that game to the exclusion of everything else. Tags: Fall 2021 Issue of ADDitude Magazine, hyperfocus. 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