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the difference between special interest, hyperfixation and hyperfocus, coming from someone with adhd and autism - a thread
SPECIAL INTEREST: a special interest is a strong and passionate interest that you can focus intensely on. it's very important to you and can feel like part of your identity. it can be lifelong and affect work/college choices etc. usually it's a main source of joy for autistics.
another term for it is "autistic area of expertise" - it's often focused on the mechanics/lore of a subject, and you'll often keep trying to find as as much information about it as possible. your special interest may become the only thing you're interested in.
it's a focused, narrow and long-term interest that never goes away, but doesnt necessarily consume your every living moment. this term is exclusive to people with autism.
HYPERFIXATION: hyperfixations are characterized by being incredibly intense and consuming. they can last anywhere from days to several months. during this time, what you're hyperfixating on is all you can think about, from when you wake up to when you go to sleep.
this can be a positive experience, but can also be difficult, often making it difficult to focus on anything else. after a period of time the hyperfixation will sizzle out, sometimes leaving the person feeling lost and empty.
it's important to clarify that hyperfixation is not a negative term, and many enjoy hyperfixating for different reasons. hyperfixations are usually associated with adhd, but other neurodivergents can also experience them.
HYPERFOCUS: a person with a hyperfixation will frequently hyperfocus on this subject. this is when you're unable to pull themselves way from the subject and neglect all other needs, like eating, sleeping and working.
you can also hyperfocus on things other than your hyperfixation, like cleaning, gaming, writing - anything! this is a short-term focus, usually lasting up to several hours. hyperfocus is usually associated with adhd but can be experienced by other neurodivergents too.
although experiences like special interests are exclusive to autistic people, there is a large overlap between adhd and autism. it can often be difficult for people with autism to know if an interest is a special interests or a hyperfixation.
end of thread. thank you for reading!! i hope this helped clarify the differences between these terms :] rts are very much appreciated as there is a lot of confusion about the terms and who can use them. please comment/dm if anything in the thread is misinformative!
i've seen a LOT of people asking about this, so i coined a new term! https://twitter.com/w0rmbrains/status/1350625086311690240?s=20
also just clarifying this - special interests can go away over time! https://twitter.com/w0rmbrains/status/1350634907026993152
