Relationship between hyperfixating and special interest

Post Reply New Topic

I've always wondered what the relationship between hyperfixation and special interest.
In many cases a hyperfixation of mine becomes a special interest or already was in some capacity. This is not always true and sometimes I'm hyperfixating on something, that I believe it will become a special interest, but I gradually lose interest in it.
Are your hyperfixations linked to your special interest?
Do your hyperfixations become special interests?

Hyperfixations can be many things to me.
It can be a form of screwed sense of prioritization or compensating from the lack of it.
It can even be a defense mechanism itself that the brain decided to generate and chose, that not even burnouts and depression can simply stop or disrupt it.
It even strives in it. It flourishes on the neutral to negative. It can be a form of avoidance or to seek assurance in itself. I sometimes call it a fancyism; a seemingly good idea but lose interest afterwards. And it can repeat over and over.
It's definately a form of dysregulation to me, and kinda why sometimes it overlaps with ADHD; because it is a dysregulation of focus.

But I don't have ADHD -- the biggest evidence I have was the lack of executive dysfunction in childhood.
I have some sort of weird combination of internal intolerance and a stupid sensitive body since puberty, with little to no means for homeostasis as opposed to an actual dopamine seeking thingy that supposed to exist throughout someone's life.


Special interest just happened to be a focus in a particular domain associated with positives.
It doesn't strive on the negative, but it cushions against it.
Losing this is a symptom of depression or a consequence of burnouts. In special interest, as long as it's active, one would voluntarily choose it over and over.
Would not feel ego dystonic over it, whether or not it's root cause is a dysregulation of focus -- but it's definitely aligned with one's interest and prioritization.



In my own case, when I was younger, probably. Anything I may happened hyperfixate becomes a special interest.
It's both a solacenor a purpose and a coping mechanism.

But then I burned out too many times and badly enough to lose special interests for years now.
And only left with occasional hyperfixations that are too state dependent for a coping mechanism against other untreated and unaddressed internal dysregulations more associated with burning out or being hormonally depressed.

Gained Number Post Count (1).
Lose Time (n).

Lose more time here - Updates at least once a week.