Special Interests and Hyperfixations

When it comes to Autism (ASD), one of the most common symptoms is having special interests or hyperfixations. The most commonly portrayed instance of this is with trains, but trains are not the only thing that autistic people tend to fixate on. So, what is a special interest? Is it an obsession, or is it simply a passion? Do all autistic people have one? Is this a good or a bad thing? Join me today as I answer those questions and many more.
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0:00​ - Introduction
1:29 - Brief Summary & Disclaimers
4:54 - Key Terms & Definitions
7:32 - Differences & Basic Definitions
14:06 - Comprehensive Explanation
18:31 - Neurodivergent Behavior Analysis
27:52 - Problems & Misconceptions
37:19 - Advice & Management
42:07 - Conclusion
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[@thehockeynerd3479]

Am I the only one that is scared to lose their hyperfixation? I just feel so completed and happy with it

[@HyperWolf]

I have this fear myself. Like once I lose it, I’ll lose a part of myself with it. And like I don’t know if it’ll change who I am without it.

[@ladylandlubber499]

Just recently I realised that I haven't watched Lord of the Rings for a couple of years and almost had a panic attack... I guess it just faded? I don't know what happened, I still really love it and can spout all sorts of information about it and I have the Boromir and Lurtz figurines which are probably my two most prizes possessions but I haven't actually watched the films in a long time. I used to come home from school and watch the extended edition and then watch one of the commentaries then the next day finish that commentary and start one of the others until I'd gotten to the end of the commentaries and then start again... but now.... I guess One Piece is my new thing XD

[@glimmah6370]

I once had a hyperfixation that started as quick as it ended after I learned something about it that made me feel kinda bad for liking it. I didn’t choose to stop being into it, it just happened, but I still felt so bad because that was the only source of joy in my life at that time,,, yeah

[@thehockeynerd3479]

@@glimmah6370 what was the hyperfixation?

[@glimmah6370]

@@thehockeynerd3479 after I finished watching steven universe my brain just started shipping Lapis and Peridot for some reason, it really brought me joy just to think about them. Then I found out peridot was asexual and aromantic and I knew I couldn't ship them

[@clem-real]

There should be a word for 'archived/dormant' special interests where you don't really think about it daily or even often but if it comes up you end up infodumping for 3 hours straight

[@goldegreen]

MBTI and Animal Crossing are my dormant special interests! AC has become a primary ever since I got New Horizons on Christmas though.

[@cheep5645]

Yeah I think a term for this would be super useful if it doesn’t exist already, since I’ve got a whole pile of them at this point.

[@epicthecandydragon6079]

Undertale was a HUGE obsession for me back in the day, but eventually my interest kind of started to die with the fandom. When Deltarune chapter 2 comes out, though, I'm positive I will be absolutely all over it again.

[@ruth540]

Now that's a mood! I know I can rotate around my special interests, tho sometimes one sticks for a prolonged period (like Homestuck, jigsaws, crystals, books, shows/animes, blah blah blah). If it's fantasy then I'm all over it. I need to learn all the lore I possibly can about a show/game/movie, but then I can drop it and never touch it again for months, or even longer. It's kinda annoying, I would like to focus on one instead of all.

[@sylvesterthekiibokinnie1637]

Me with worms and furbies

[@cykerchner8599]

One of my longest lasting special interests is Greek mythology, and whenever I get overstimulated or very anxious my best friend just starts talking to me about it, and if it was really bad (like if I went involuntarily mute) she'll start saying things wrong so I would correct her as I start to feel better

[@elimiranda5276]

that's lovely •́ ‿ ,•̀

[@ScottyAnimates]

Your friend sounds awesome.

[@mothslug4387]

that sounds like an awesome friend

[@joppytoppyr7409]

Amazing friend right there

[@Ich-Existiere-Nicht]

What a great friend

[@lordstumpy2945]

'hating on it is the first step of falling into hyper-fixation hell' never felt a sentence ring more true in my entire life. One of my biggest special-interests; Minecraft, I started out hating, for the sole reason that it was really popular. Now, I love it to bits and it's been one of my biggest special interests for the past 10 years almost.

[@nv3363]

When I first found out about furries I was 5. I didn’t know people could make characters and dress as them for fun, I thought it was the coolest thing ever. But then once I turned 13 I started to hate them because I saw all the hate people were giving furries and decided to be like everyone else and be hateful. I would watch cringe compilations and laugh cause of the furries who would act cringy but never went out of my way to actually send actual hate messages to any of them. But then I decided I didn’t hate them anymore because I thought the costumes were really cool and thought it would be awesome to express your creativity in such a unique way. So then I started watching videos of people dancing and having fun in fursuits and thought it wasn’t so bad after all. And then next thing I know I’m drawing furry art and watching everything furry related. I’m making my first fursuit head and I’m very excited just to make something creative and unique to me. Unfortunately if I show anyone I will receive hate because they will assume it’s a sexual thing when it’s absolutely not. But that statement sure is correct haha

[@nyancat.123]

​@@nv3363 I used to hate on furries but strangely I just slowly didn't care about them anymore. I used to hate on anthro animal media but now it doesn't really matter to me as long as it isn't uh... Weird. I also draw anthro animals but I don't see them as furries, I see them as cute animals, somewhat like sanrio. I successfully avoided the hyper-fixation rabbit hole.

[@sweetbubblegum55]

The first stage is denial after all

[@elles_corner]

i used to think my special interest sounded weird and dumb and now i love it lol

[@georgiagalaxy]

I feel like that’s happening to me with watching The Amazing World of Gumball for the first time, I both love and hate it :o :)

[@SoapyFae]

"we don't choose our special interest" I'm surprised people don't understand that. like I'm neurotypical (or a least i've never been officially diagnosed as anything) but i don't even get to pick what i like. Doy ou really think I'd have, as an adult watched my little pony friendship is magic for years, and even get deeply engaged in message boards specifically about the show if i got a choice in it? i knew it was silly to like a show for 5 year old girls at the age of 18.... but i loved that show and just wanted to talk with people who also enjoyed it without worrying about being called cringey.

[@milanesadearsenico]

Surprised to see another neurotypical talk about this. Yeah it even sucks when you can't stop even thinking about something you don't do

[@Typhoonflame]

It's not silly, I have no ASD and such but I love kids' shows. I'm 22. You're never too old for these things ahah

[@sertaki]

It's not silly. If you like something - you like something. To quote C. S. Lewis: "When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty, I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.""

[@DVDandFilmBloke]

I have no idea how this misconception came along because that point can apply to anything that is subjective. You don't choose the things you like and dislike, sure something can peak your interest and you can become exposed to something without having to discover it yourself, but your likes and dislikes all come down to what your brain naturally gravitates towards (no matter how unorthodox it is). You can explain why you like or dislike something till the cows come home but at the end of the day it's just what you naturally gravitate towards.

[@thefreelancequeen]

Do you think I want to have a SpIn be SAW of all things? No, I absolutely hate almost all of them and they’re all just purely shock and gore after 3. But somehow I find comfort in them. Slashers in general really but SAW is the big offender for “can’t control what a SpIn is”

[@BabyBat14]

Before finding out I was an aspie, I told a few of my college friends about my technique to focus on studying. "Just take an obsession of yours and pretend you're living in that universe! I like to think I'm a 19 century noblewoman studying in my chambers while I listen to classical music" I wondered why everyone laughed cause to me it was a seriously good suggestion lmao

[@MarbleMuseHasAppeared]

god, i'm allistic, but this is literally the best idea for focus i have ever heard. nothing else has worked yet.

[@BabyBat14]

@@MarbleMuseHasAppeared You're welcome ;)

[@nervous_young_inhuman7042]

I literally do that all the time and it's because quite unhealthy becaus sometimes I forget myself

[@user-kt1no7yx1u]

That sounds like an amazing way! I should try that!

[@hauntedflower9107]

Me maladaptive daydreaming though like whatever daydream I'm focused on a specific daydream typical a specific para(basically an character in your daydreaming universe aka parasm ) like working when they are with me is so much easier and conforting. I also feel more accomplished. Also if you don't know what maladaptive daydreaming is it's an addiction to daydreaming and the person I aware that it is fiction and not reality.

[@lunarrover4923]

I wish my parents taught me more about being neurodivergent as I grew up instead of treating me like I was neurotypical and expecting me to fit right in. I lost a friend group when I was 11 because of a hyperfixation that had basically taken over my life. They got so mad that I couldn't talk about anything else, and if only I knew that it was normal back then, I wouldn't have felt so broken.

[@KingOskar4]

You are not alone. I am checking this comment section of this video and I can guarantee you there are people here from USA, South Korea and Europe (me) who had no idea they had autism or ASD until they became adults. Is for two reasons: A) school, teachers and parents had no idea autism even exists B) they knew what autism was but hid or censored it from their children (and hiding something is worse than just not knowing). The most common reason for B) is simply cowardice. Lack of faith or will to educate autistic child properly and just insisting of "being normal" You are NOT alone on this, I swear it!

[@poisonedmaple6874]

@@KingOskar4 "they knew what autism was but hid or censored it from their children (and hiding something is worse than just not knowing). The most common reason for B) is simply cowardice. Lack of faith or will to educate autistic child properly and just insisting of "being normal"" Ouch, that struck a chord with me. I've known that I'm autistic for a long time. Saw the diagnosis on some papers or something all the way back around 4th grade. Didn't think much of it at the time since I had a classmate I knew who was autistic, and I thought they were cool. My parents never told me. They never told me until I had an argument with my mom, all the way in 9th grade and that's when she told me. Maybe she was crying. Maybe she wasn't. I can't remember. What is _do_ remember is that the way she talked about it clearly showed that she saw it as a bad thing. It hurt. I don't know how I would've felt if I didn't already know.

[@pleurerducoeur9852]

I’m so sorry this happened to you. When I couldn't talk about anything other than my hyperfixation they got used to it and accepted me. They even tried to share this passion with me.

[@jellygrl..]

The same thing happened to me, but not because of a special interest. My best friend didn't understand my jokes and my bluntness. I was supper rude, and I didn't understand what I was doing, but I couldn't stop. And, her love language was physical touch, but every time she tried to hug me, I would avoid her, and it hurt her so much. I feel so bad. She's no longer my friend 😭

[@thesetwofloofs5397]

Christ, this hits. I’m deep in the midst of an extremely long hyperfixation and I’m deeply terrified of bringing it up around my friends, because the last time I told someone about it, I got super excited and infodump-y, and they ghosted me. So I can’t ever bring it up around anyone, no matter how much I want to, around my new friend group. They just know that I’m vaguely into it, not that it’s actively a major part of my life.

[@lauramarschmallow2922]

My best friend's special interest are horses. As a 9 year old she knew over 300 different breeds and how to differenciate them, at age 12 she knew basically the complete anatomy in detail. When we took horse riding lessons she always frowned upon the girls who were anthropomorphising the horses by interpreting human emotions on horse behaviours. Fun times.

[@dan_asd]

I wish i was THAT hyperfixated on biology DAMNN

[@turtleanton6539]

So smart. Hope she gets to work with horses

[@soroneir1260]

"yes I had a Warrior Cats phase, what gay person hasn't" iconic

[@parkertown2229]

Oh I didn’t

[@cordeliajackson8615]

I didn’t but I had a PJO phase so it makes up for it.

[@genericflour]

I actively avoided warrior cats on purpose, got sucked up by Rick riordan by surprise, but stuck with the inheritance cycle as long as I possibly could

[@painslut]

Why is this accurate-

[@pearlwalker4205]

Phase?

[@domino_201]

Forget schoolwork this is much more important.

[@calebdearing5750]

lol, for real

[@mikeythemystic1629]

forget class THIS is much more important

[@domino_201]

@@mikeythemystic1629 told myself I was gonna be productive today. Nope.

[@lordmage3694]

I'm doing the same thing XD

[@thisglitch8192]

Big mood

[@ayamothy4628]

As someone with ADHD, having a specific hyperfixation on something that isn’t very known about can make you feel extremely outcasted. This hyperfixation (or special interest if you have ASD) could be a specific book, movie or obscure cartoon. To other people who feel this way, I hope you find friends who can enjoy these things with you

[@milkamae]

find someone who will be willing to hear about obscure cartoons bc ISTG, when my bestie told me she watched BOTH don't hug me I'm scared and poppy the performer i was DYING with happiness 😭😭😭 if u cannot do so irl try online !!! its worth it imo

[@madasmr8433]

omg i also had a rabbit plushie collection as a child!!! adults always gave them as a gift to me because i told everyone how much i love them!!!

[@ayamothy4628]

@@milkamae I LOVE dhmis! And you’re totally right, it’s amazing when you have a friend who will actually indulge in your fixations

[@aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa4545]

Mhm. It doesn't help that I have very different interests then most of the people around me. I don't think anybody else in my grade is thinking back about how much they loved bug fables. Hell, I heard a kid mention a hollow knight boss on the bus today and literally whipped around happy that there was someone else interested in it I could talk with.

[@amburgerwithches]

I found 2 wakfu fans in 24hrs after so many years today! :D

[@sirmoony5633]

When to comes to pointing out the fact that neuro-divergent people can be very sensitive to criticism on their special interests, thank you all so much for pointing that out! Neurodiversity ROCKS!!!

[@KitterKatter-vv2rz]

no it doesn't, everybody's neurodiversity presents differently and for some it can be debilitating lol

[@sirmoony5633]

@@KitterKatter-vv2rz Oh, I see. I understand.

[@BluffsCastle]

I’m an autistic person and I wasn’t even diagnosed until last year because females are less likely to be diagnosed even though they can have it as well. My special interest is Steven Universe as well as Thomas the Tank Engine and Ready Jet Go, and it makes me mad when people bully me for it.

[@blueraccoon1088]

I'll be filling your tank with respect dude we all have interests of what we like.

[@vixiestarfire]

I’m 26 and I like cartoons over live action any day 😁 Steven Universe, Star vs the Forces of Evil, Hilda, Miraculous Ladybug, RWBY, etc they’re all so good 😊 no shame at all in liking those cartoons! 💕

[@thisglitch8192]

Some People suck no matter what but some people are there for you no matter what and it’s important to surround yourself with the right people and ignore the others

[@Lauren_210]

You're absolutely right. I am also a female with ASD and I was diagnosed when I was 1 1/2 years old, which was over 24 years ago. Females are more likely to be misdiagnosed with ASD or even ADHD compared to young boys. My special interests are Pixar (and Disney in general but more so Pixar at this current time), The Lion King, animation as a whole, and Harry Potter. I used to have a special interest in the first two Madagascar films for three years when I was 9-12 years old during the mid-2000s, but that one isn't as prevalent anymore.

[@KalinTheZola]

I have a strong feeling that I fall under ASD but was misdiagnosed in the 90s with ADHD because it wasn't believed that women could have autism. I can't really afford to look into it further especially not with Covid and stuff going on, but I know I'm neurodivergent to some extent.

[@SandyTheDesertFox]

I kinda hate reading so as a kid i expressed my special interests/hyperfixations by walking around and thinking about it. It was probably pretty odd seeing me just walking around in circles not playing with other kids but they were some of the most exhillerating moments of my life

[@kaylemathewcomendador6964]

Hey that sounds like me when I get bored at school.

[@becky3446]

gjfkjgjg me pacing in the basement after school for an hour thinking about my interests because it was infinitely more entertaining than the computer for some reason

[@Toribell1928]

Lmao as a kid I used to climb to the top of the jungle gym and just stare into the distance thinking about ATLA. My classmates just thought I was “really shy” haha

[@marcypan8219]

That’s me, I don’t hate reading but I get distracted every 5 seconds from homework and start pacing around my room because I’m thinking about my current special interest, which interestingly is autism itself.

[@sakuramiracles]

What exactly do you have that makes you do this? I do this and can do it literally for like an hour and feel like I have undiagnosed adhd.

[@ThatGuyMikey1]

I started tearing up when you started talking about how no one chooses their special interests. I have moved from a more “acceptable” interest (Marvel movies) to an interest that is loathed by many many many people (Minecraft KZbinrs and streamer, including Dream). I’ve been bullied for having an intense interest in the SMP lore and have been scolded by people online. It hurts. A lot.

[@umbra1948]

That sounds so fucking awful and I want to give you a hug or something now 😭 Regardless of what the reason is for a person to dislike that group of Internet personalities, coming for the people that happened to watch their content etc. as well always seemed lowkey unfair to me. I’ve seen them say the nastiest shit that they would never say to any other person, but because it’s about that group, it’s apparently fine by their standards to say _any_ of it.

[@NumberOneRatedSaIesman1997]

same thing happened to me. i sometime wish i wasn't in that fandom since I got bullied so much, but I cant choose what I want

[@fantasystaplesuwu1554]

Well, Dream *is* a bad person by all provable accounts... He is pretty well known for many bad things. That doesn't necessarily mean you are too, but... He really is not a good person. I probably wouldn't be friends with anyone obsessed with Dream either.

[@zocritter]

It sucks when people use Cringe as an excuse to bully people :(( (Sure dream isn’t the best by any account, but liking someone’s content doesn’t mean you always approve of their actions or are the same)

[@umbra1948]

@@fantasystaplesuwu1554 I mean, sometimes we don’t really have control over what we get hyper fixated on so I don’t think I agree with your stance all that much here. With all due respect though that last part of your comment kind of gives off weird vibes..? It sounds like you’re implying that they _deserve_ to be harassed for it and that isn’t helped by the fact that other people are empathizing with OP since they’re in the same situation (Though of course, I might also just have misunderstood what you said). I don’t agree with Dream’s behavior on a lot of things that have happened before in the last two years, but again, we don’t always have control over what we tend to hyperfixate on. OP doesn’t deserve to be literally *bullied* for having a special interest in something affiliated with a specific controversial CC. Because this really isn’t a black or white kind of issue imo. /nm

[@Sydstyx]

I have ADHD and most of my hyperfixations have been long lasting from storm chasing, to the paranormal, to art and art history, to geology, to forensics and anthropology. It’s been a struggle to differentiate between niche and hobby, but I settled on graphic design… I’m 23 ( almost 24 ) and im burnt out af 🙃

[@soliipsiism]

Reminder! Neurotypical people who are relating to this, it doesn’t mean you are neurodivergent (although it’s possible). You might just have a strong passion for something! Really loving something doesn’t necessarily mean special interest/hyperfixation! :D

[@godaininja]

How do you tell it’s really difficult. I’m finding it so difficult to know whether this applies to me because I can’t figure out whether I might be autistic or if I’m lying to myself and I’m just over exaggerating. I find this very difficult because I just want to know but I can’t seem to definitively figure it all out. If you have any advice to figure it out I really would appreciate it because I can get confused figuring this out…

[@soliipsiism]

@@godaininja mostly it’s a collection of things that make you asd. trust your own judgement ! see if other traditionally asd things apply to you, and if youre struggling with something, see how asd people deal with it and see if it helps! you can always say “fixation” or “interest” or “i really really love” until youre sure :)

[@godaininja]

@@soliipsiism thanks a lot!! That’s what I’ve been working at, it’s a difficult game I think buuut hopefully I’ll be able to figure it all out soon! I’ve noticed a few things that have really sparked revelations about possible explanations for many things in my childhood so far and it’s been interesting, if still fruitless so far that’s for sure.

[@justyana488]

this gave me doubts about my symptoms and i'm diagnosed oof...

[@sleepipillow6521]

@@justyana488 just remember it's a spectrum! Every autistic person is different and experience differently than other autistics, so you're still valid! But if you're still unsure consider going to a professional and voice these concerns :o]

[@insecureegg]

As much as I adore my hyperfixations, sometimes focusing on them makes me feel awful. The other day my friend was struggling mentally, and I was worried about them and trying to help, but my brain was still concentrated on my hyperfixation. I don't really know how to explain it, but my hyperfixation was the only thing I could think about, even though I was trying to focus on my friend. It really made me feel like a horrible friend because I wasn't focused on them, even though I wanted to be.

[@iluvlittenanimations2.010]

I fully understand! And then thanks to my ADHD my brain decides to focus on the guilt...

[@insecureegg]

@@iluvlittenanimations2.010 Exactly! That's what happens to me too,,

[@luanunes14]

Honestly, same. You wanna be there for people, but your brain is like: This, this and this, nothing else matters

[@ScottyAnimates]

That’s exactly what happens to me! Just the other day my partner was upset about something and I was trying my best to focus on them but my brain absolutely refused to focus on anything other than my current hyperfixation. Then after my brain *only* focused on feeling guilty. It’s the weirdest thing.

[@BrieBoar]

I have had the same hyperfixation living in the back of my brain since about 2017 or so. I relate literally all of my experiences to this hyperfixation. It is now part of how I understand and interact with the world around me. Not ideal, but it's part of who I am I guess.

[@clottedscream]

Does anyone else neurodivergent (adhd, asd, or otherwise) have a problem where you can hyperfixate on interests or have insanely intense special interests for even sometimes most of their life, but the moment you attempt to remember them (say, if someone asks you what you’re interested in, or you try to write a bio about yourself,) you forget what they are and it takes an insane amount of mental effort to conjure just basic information about them? Invariably whenever I write something about myself I always forget at least half of the things that I’m interested in. Like, at the moment I can remember that I’m super into Epithet Erased and superhero media and neanderthals, but I’m honest to god drawing blanks on pretty much anything else. When I’m in the moment infodumping about an interest or researching it, it’s pretty easy to remember that I’m obsessed with it, but when I’m more cooled down it’s like I’ve got no object permanence for it and it ceases to exist. I legit have to keep a list of my interests and constantly update it every time I remember I’m interested in something. Is this normal neurodivergent behavior? I’m diagnosed adhd btw

[@KingOskar4]

I am ASD and I can only remeber the "core" names of my three hyperfixations (Video Games, Scuba Diving & Economics) but when I tried to summarize them or specify them, nothing, blank, or only snippets of each one! Takes me days to remember "everything" of all three of them

[@pillowmint4622]

kinda similar, I can THINK of explaining a certain interest I like in a clear and concise manner. but when I actually need to say it out loud? I fumble over my own words...and tend to forget certain aspects I can remember clearly any other time.

[@emm00893]

This comment is really comforting actually. Mine is very music based, as Ive been very fixated on emo/scene culture since I was young and still am presently. they tend to manifest as me just becoming obsessed with certain songs or bands for a period of time. When someone asks what bands I like I automatically draw a blank, but internally I have HUNDREDS that I've cycled between and information about them , with a few exceptions being more intense than others . I also have to make lists to remember what I even like at times lmao

[@josmamatotaldrama]

I had a lot of this with my non main hyperfixation lol, as someone who has adhd

[@Shirleyanne00]

I’m the exact same I can learn so much about a topic that I become hyper fixated on but then after time when I’ve moved on from it I genuinely forget everything that I knew

[@nebulanova4761]

I have been diagnosed with ADHD when I was very young. Back in middle school, when anime was a topic that most people made fun of due to lack of understanding, I was really into Sword Art Online. I didn't think it was the best show of all time or anything, but I really enjoyed it at the time. Attack On Titan was released around the same time, and the extremely small group of anime lovers at school I knew would talk non-stop about it. It got to the point where they would judge me for watching/liking Sword Art Online and being told that it is a waste to watch, since Attack On Titan was "The best show of all-time". I grew to hate Attack On Titan, and I avoided anything involving it. I'm 22 now and it wasn't until recently, when my close childhood friend said that he liked Attack On Titan without judging me for what I enjoy, that I have finally began watching the show. I actually enjoy it and it's a shame that I was so turned off to it, but my God criticism makes me extremely defensive at times because it does feel like a personal attack, even when I know it isn't. It's a very strange feeling to explain, but I am sure that people can relate.

[@pillowmint4622]

oof, I know that feeling. feeling something that you KNOW you shouldn't, but you do anyway. one of the worst parts of human emotion.

[@ithinkflutterawesome6511]

I did not choose the special interest with furbys. The furbys chose me.

[@spookey2004]

I don’t have a furby hyperfixation (mine are vinyl records, spirit Halloween and the smashing pumpkins) but I still love furbies so much. I have a long boi named Potato Sauce Tree Chunk Tuesday Piano and I talk to him a lot and sometimes take him out on trips to see the world. He loves to go record shopping and seeing abandoned buildings the most. He also has a major crush on Thursday Boy Porridge but knows he will never notice him

[@iluvlittenanimations2.010]

I had a furry... it would go off in the middle of the night... I have become scarred for life to the point of not taking home ec because of the baby robots....

[@mikara492]

SAME

[@chewythecorgan2804]

when you spend half a day blowdrying and painting a furbys ears instead of cleaning your room or eating

[@gamiket628]

@@spookey2004 :0 isn't Thursday Boy Porridge STRANGE ÆONS' kid? (sorry if im wrong lmao)

[@spoonsforlife967]

I remember once I stared at a fly for almost the enire duration of a math class until I got called on. Its weird how focused I can get on random things for absolutely no reason.

[@milanesadearsenico]

Same, but it's dumb when a neurotypical says it

[@Taro_liam]

I really thought i was the only one. I watched a snail for almost 2 hours until my brother draged me inside cause rain

[@ToonRuinsOfficial]

I've done this before, but also with cracks and patterns in the walls. I would need to put my hand in the way, otherwise I would spend the entire class staring at it intensely. I had a teacher move me once, because I would just spend all class hyperfocusing on the wall patterns. 😂

[@BOOFY8691]

@@ToonRuinsOfficial lol my teacher put my desk in an indented area in the wall It didn’t help

[@Maddiedoggie]

I focus on a random bump on the wall, trying to make a pattern of the nonsense that is painted drywall.

[@mimchen1813]

Your story about how you came to hate dogs resonated with me. For me it was the same thing in reverse. I'm a dog person, always have been, and it hurt me to see how many people hate on dogs and insult them, just because they favor cats. It made me feel resentful towards cats for a while. I don't feel that way anymore these days, I think cats are super cute and dogs are super cute. I don't understand why people feel the need to look down on other animals just because they prefer a different animal.

[@andrewmichael9201]

I completely understand this concept. I have been hyperfixated on Transformers and Star Wars my whole life and to an extent it’s clear to me how deep my obsession goes. It consumes my thoughts and serves as the central aspect of my identity. No rational person would get a tattoo of Soundwave on their shoulder or have an encyclopedic knowledge of BOTH Star Wars timelines

[@KingOskar4]

You are not alone on this. My two hyperfixations are Video Games and Scuba Diving...... Except that Video Games include the entirety of four franchises: World of Warcraft, Pokémon, Minecraft and The Settlers, and all of these I know a lot. As for scuba diving, this one is odd... Maybe you have this as well: In Gallery I own a folder with only one hundred images of scuba divers in a folder... Maybe you own a folder that has images of only Star Wars or only Transformers. Don't worry, it may not be normal😰 but nobody is "normal"😉 because 100% normal is boring. Hyperfixation is actually what differenciates every Autist, Asperger, ASD and ADHD. It's a GOOD thing, if you don't go overboard like me☹️... I know some who have hyperfixations on World War Two (an underaged boy at that), Volcanoes, and Horse Riding. Eyup. Those are all hyperfixations an ASD person can have!

[@poxy5122]

soundwave tattoo is based tho

[@robinfeather2474]

My hyperfixations include Star wars and Transformers too!! 🫶🫶

[@turtleanton6539]

​@@robinfeather2474wast universes. Try warhammer 40K if it is not to grimdark

[@jello2679]

It's funny how specific some interests can be. My first couple were broad subjects (hamsters and origami) but then i got fixated on this 1 specific level from Kirby Super Star

[@soupy55]

Yes!! One of my special interests is princess bubblegum. Not adventure time, tho I still love it, but specifically one character.

[@apothisiii5549]

Ah Origami is the best.

[@flygonical3931]

which level 👀 kirby superstar is one of my all time favs

[@jello2679]

@@flygonical3931 Revenge Of Meta Knight. something about the slow takedown of the Halberd from the inside out + the conversations between meta knight & co. as it happened fascinated me

[@PokeNebula]

@@jello2679 agreed

[@damicool2000]

I read *hyperinflation* and thought you were talking about interest *rates* and the economy. Studying economics is burning my brain.

[@jimmyjohnjoejr]

Economics experts actually suspect that the president will cause massive inflation by moving toward clean energy and raising minimum wages to insane amounts. You can search "Joe Biden inflation" to learn more.

[@phoenixll632]

I read inflation and thought of ... yeah

[@Idekwtph]

Haha. Me too

[@randomperson3051]

@@jimmyjohnjoejr 🤨🤨🤨

[@Luna-nw4tk]

@@jimmyjohnjoejr OH NO WHAT HAVE YOU DONE

[@lordswoledemort11549]

Greetings, When you spoke on hyper-focused writing, the zone, and "no inbetween", it hit a soft spot with me. I used to think I was the world's worst procrastinator until I realized that I wasn't putting off the work out of laziness. I was putting off the work because I dreaded the commitment to the all or nothing "zone". If I wasn't ready to set everything else aside for going into the zone, then I would push off what needed to be done. Have a nice day!

[@zweetsouffle9567]

Hyperfixation is something I still do, but did a lot as a kid. My parents couldn't understand it, so much so they smashed or tore up whatever I really loved. They said it was extremely unhealthy and asked why I didn't have any friends. I just told them people are too hard to please so it's not worth it, and that worried them. This all was happening in first grade, so many emotions went down. Whenever I couldn't understand something I became overwhelmed and had a full on mental breakdown. My parents, not knowing I would be diagnosed with Autism/OCD, told me to get over it and get work done. Which made me refuse to do homework and not want to talk with them often. I was held back another year because my teacher was so concerned about me not having any friends besides not turning in homework. I would not learn to do homework correctly or make friends until I reached 7nth grade. Art was the only thing I knew how to do, I loved it. I would sit on a bench outside at recess and draw, everyday. Then came that one day someone sat next to me and asked if they could be my friend. That day, July 3rd, I made my very first friend who would soon be my best friend even till now. She picked me up and taught me how to interact, even helped me pass reading higher than most students because she found something I liked. But my mind was set on protecting someone so special, I didn't make any other real friends till years later. These videos, they speak to me, and many others, I only wish it spoke to my parents sooner.

[@inactiveaccount2703]

my mom refuses to get me tested for disorders and things since ‘i already have enough’ and she insists that adhd and add aren’t real. i wish she’d just let me get tested for some of these things so i don’t have to worry about whether or not i’m intruding upon somebody’s community...

[@bug7545]

I feel this!! Like I'm not sure if obsessing over frogs on a daily basis among other things are normal. My mom thinks "you're just a normal teenager and it's hormones" like... my family doctor + guidance counselor has given me several numbers for a psychiatrist because there are several "not normal" things going on up there!!

[@mynotificationsareoff.400]

I’m sorry. Hopefully you can seek out proper diagnosis and treatment when you turn 18. 😔

[@angel-gu8co]

as someone with adhd, i don't think you can "intrude" unless you're speaking for us or something. you may or may not have it but i welcome you either way!

[@inactiveaccount2703]

@@angel-gu8co it’s been diagnosed but my mom still denies it and refuses me being diagnosed for other disorders- probably because she doesn’t want any more problems, and i’m just a big fat problem

[@Jenny-tm3cm]

@@inactiveaccount2703 I promise you’re not a problem, even if sometimes it’s hard to not feel that way. I promise what you are feeling is valid even if it feels like no one understands. I didn’t get diagnosed with autism until I was 17 and I made the mistake in thinking going to doctors would solve my problems. Generally doctors just tell me I’m a liar and prescribe pills. Those pills really messed me up and took years of intense side affects and withdrawals to finally get off of them. I couldn’t finish public school or hold a job. I’m not trying to say you shouldn’t go to doctors, but sadly we always have to be looking out for our own health. Once you find the right doctor or therapist it can be life changing. But be weary of the many who will tell you your own reality doesn’t exist. It exists, it’s just outside their realm of consideration. I hope this helped a little bit, I don’t want anyone to have to go through that ): but you can do it!

[@ellewhite7088]

My poor parents have to deal with all my ADHD hyper fixations... Ninjago, MLP:FiM, Steven Universe, Randy Cunningham, Gravity Falls, Helluva Boss, She-Ra, and recently Avatar the Last Airbender. There’s even more too, but it always ends up being a kids show. I only like cartoons even as an adult now. When I was little it was Club Penguin, actually haha.

[@ellewhite7088]

@Eudora Shaver Gravity Falls and ATLA are my all time favorites. Good luck with getting a diagnosis!

[@windcrystal1349]

FullMetal Alchemist. If you like Avatar the Last Airbender, you'll surely love FMA. The manga, the 1st anime, the 2nd anime, every little things in FMA is perfect... I really love this manga.

[@clawthe]

Isn’t helluva boss an adult show though

[@ellewhite7088]

@@clawthe yeah it’s the exception I guess haha

[@lexyshannon9428]

ALL OF THIS IS EXACTLY THE SAME FOR ME EVEN DOWN TO THE SPECIFIC SHOWS WHAT

[@blubberfish189]

I've never been diagnosed with anything, but this description of special interests/hyperfixations is almost exactly how I usually interact with media. It explains a lot, and I really appreciate how in-depth this was! Thank you for making this video!

[@Kai.Linstruth]

I relate 100%

[@blissheart7623]

I’ve been avoiding a diagnosis for so long. Thinking “maybe I just want attention “. But this really explains now why I can’t concentrate on work because of my interests.

[@aritimena]

"sometimes we hyperfixate on things we don't even like" this is me with the Everywhere At the End of Time albums, they're scary and I don't like thinking about them late at night but I can't stop watching videos about them

[@brakpak]

OH MY GOD i know thisi was 3 weeks ago but OH MY GOD I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE IT HAUNTS ME ! HOW DO I DEAL WITH IT

[@aritimena]

@@brakpak I eventually coped with it by listening to the 1st 2 stages and imagined them not as getting closer to death and forgetting but as being pulled to a strange plane of reality (if that makes sense). Like you try to bring familiar elements to this plane but they become distorted by the atmosphere

[@brakpak]

@@aritimena ohhhhhhhhh recontexualization... thats a cool way of lookin at it :0 ive only got through stage 1 so far fjksdghdlskhgfk

[@thomasblack-slytherin2886]

Wait a second I did the same thing. I didn't hyperfixate, but I got hyperfocused on EATEOT for a day and I spent the whole time googling dementia and being terrified by it. Especially since my ADHD already messes with my memory a lot.

[@carnelianjester]

EATEOT is something I regret being so fascinated by because hearing any of the music from it makes me feel sick…but it’s so fascinating. I also have a huge special interest with psychology and it’s directly linked to it 😭

[@pecklespeckle1]

in summary: mom, i love you. i really do. please don't feel like i don't because i've been talking about porky minch for the past hour

[@ARCHIVED9610]

OH MY GOD I NEVER THOUGHT THERED BE A MOTHER COMMENT HERE I LOVE EARTHBOUND I LOVE MOTHER 3 MY FRIENDS HAVE NEVER EVEN HEARD IT EXISTED BEFORE I STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT AND HAVING MR SATURN AS MY PFP LMAO

[@thevampiregirl7529]

7:35 I immediately recognised this as Pixar's short film "Loop" as soon as I saw the clip. To anyone who hasn't watched it, you really should! It's a sweet animation about a boy and a girl on a boat/canoe together, and them both finding a way to communicate with each other. It made me smile so much!

[@michalelkin-bronner13]

Yeah she is cancily autistic and her special interest is canning

[@drawingowls3523]

I’ve destroyed many relationships through my own negligence, and I’m so happy that I’ve found people in my life that I feel I can just vibe with.

[@PIB2000]

I'm autistic(diagnosed at 3 years old)and when I get into the zone, I GET INTO THE ZONE. Like, I get talking about my favorite books and video games, and BOOM! At least 2 hours have already passed.

[@jo.comics]

I did that with my wife talking about Stephen King's IT, which I hate (it's an awful book but I got fixated). She wasn't into it.

[@PIB2000]

@@jo.comics Funny you should mention that. Stephen King is actually one of my special interests. I was actually talking about the Stand and Misery earlier today.

[@TheGamingComputerBomb]

1 moment I will have just thought up a solution for a problematic circuit and the next it will be the 12 hours later and I’m exhausted after building and troubleshooting said solution without pause until it works.

[@hotsuope]

I like your profile picture 👉👈

[@iluvlittenanimations2.010]

ADHD and it’s the same here, if I’m hyperintersted in something, be ready to talk about nothing else XD

[@onewholovesvenison5335]

Beginning a new special interest is basically like: 🎵Uh oh, I’m falling in love again🎵

[@youknow2145]

my friend just recently learnd about my adhd and he asked me what he could do to understand me better so i sended him this video, and he just told me that he finished to whatching the video and kinda understands :], and man im so happy that i can be friends whit that dude

[@distorityedan3081]

This makes me feel so much better about my Harry Potter thing and how sensitive I got when it started recieving (very much needed and justified) crticism. I'm still not quite sure if it is an special interest or an hyperfixation, but SO MUCH of my time and energy went into that fandom for years on end. I first read the books when I was 11, and it just became a regular part of my life in many ways until I was about 16 or 17. Even now that I'm 26, I'll go back to HP fanfiction everytime I'm sad or anxious, and I'll hyperfixate again on it for a few weeks after. So, I guess it's no wonder I was so defensive when people started saying things like "please read another book". I even had a small crying fit once when my gf argued about how we couldn't really separate the art from the artist and how the story wasn't even good anyways. I knew it seemed absurd, but it felt so personal to me at the moment. I do think she had very valid points and I´m glad that building criticism of my own is now part of my interaction with it, but it does feel good understanding it was not dumb or absurd that it felt personal. I invested so much of me in it, of course it did.

[@goodmansuper1]

This is one of the best videos on autism ever made, made my eyes water a bit due to how well it was explained, I’m sharing this video with friends who have a hard time understanding me, thank you

[@sweetpea2604]

I think I might show this video to some family members because I think it perfectly explains my behavior as an Autistic girl myself 😊

[@ToonRuinsOfficial]

I'm really glad that you were able to relate to it. 💙

[@sweetsour4375]

I'm only diagnosed with ADHD as of now (but trying to find someone that will evaluate me for ASD) and this video made me pretty emotional too. It verbalized a lot of stuff I struggle to explain so I sent it to my close friends.

[@hotsuope]

@@sweetsour4375 Memento mori 😔

[@luanunes14]

@@sweetpea2604 Same! Both me and my mom have Austim, I feel like this kind of videos, especially in this channel, explain things I can't explain myself but are very important.

[@akashselvam]

I know people in the animal community that can get really aggressive about their favorite animal and put other animals down in a very unnecessary way. Like Trex fans hate on Spinosauraus, Megladon fans hate on Livyatan (prehistoric sperm whale), etc... like can we please appreciate animals without dunking on other animals.

[@ratbones620]

As someone in the animal community in general I have seen this. Most commonly people who favor certain dog breeds over another will dunk on other kinds of dog breeds. Like dude we all like dogs so who cares which dog breed you like lol.

[@vivvy_0]

humans are the dumbest animals

[@WatchVidsMakeLists]

@@vivvy_0 ^^^ This is the only dunking I'll get behind

[@metta6947]

Lea literally talked about this and explained it in the video. She explained that she hated dogs because of the way people used them to put down cats, and that made her angry due to her cat hyperfixation.

[@mercurypluto4213]

Oh I used to be like that... a bird person who criticized mammals... I love all animals now and can relate to that!

[@TJ_thesilly]

My primary special interest the band Queen. I got into them around 2018 or 19. What got me hooked was the variety in there tracks and how they did different genres for almost every song. To this day there songs always comfort me and lift my spirits. And they inspire me to be more confident and when I notice myself masking I remind myself of how Freddie always embraced who he was and he would always be himself with no shame. And if anyone dislikes that, Eff 'em! Thanks to them, I've been masking way less :)

[@maroonai]

one thing i do a lot (and by a lot i legit mean multiple hours a day) that i don't really hear people mention is i imagine i'm having a conversation with another person, or that i'm making a video and just infodump to myself about whatever is on my mind while walking in circles also YES multiple special interests, and having them go dormant and kinda take turns/resurface when related things come up!!!!!! this is something i've noticed lately.

[@wompwomp4961]

some neurotypicals really need to learn what a hyperfixation is because some of them have been starting to use that word for themselves which... yikes .for me personally , i can barely make any friends who aren't kpop stans because i cannot shut up about it for very long , nor can i go very long without having to watch something from a group or listen to some song ( at this point i am mostly incapable of thinking a kpop song is bad ) . the only other thing that can actively pull me away from it is usually danganronpa , but then it's just the same problem with danganronpa instead . i've spent at Least 1k usd on merch and another 1k on concert tickets , and i probably won't stop even though i barely have any space and can barely afford it all . i almost had a full blown meltdown the other day because i thought a seller lost some of my albums . i'm pretty sure one of my exes gave up on me because i couldn't stop bringing up kpop ( funny because he was part of why i fell down this hole ) . as much as i love the groups i stan and i know the problems in the kpop industry and i could talk about them for hours at a time , i need to sleep and to do my assignments and so on , and neurotypicals really need to stop using terms that don't apply to them .

[@milanesadearsenico]

This is why it makes me feel so bad relating to hyperfixations. I'm neurotypical so I feel like I'm stealing stuff from neurodivergent people...

[@wompwomp4961]

@@milanesadearsenico if you have an interest that's one thing , just don't call it a hyperfixation if you aren't neurodivergent . as long as you don't , there's not really an issue .

[@milanesadearsenico]

@@wompwomp4961 I don't think it's just a normal interest, I think about it literally all day and I can't do anything about it, everything I see I relate it to that and it's hard to talk about anything but that subject

[@wompwomp4961]

@@milanesadearsenico then you may wanna look into whether you're actually neurotypical or not

[@milanesadearsenico]

@@wompwomp4961 I did and yeah I am, so idk what's the matter

[@ronnymeow821]

When I was around 5, my brother shares a gameboy with me. A half broken one, that had one game - Pokèmon Emerald. The console couldn't even save, however, I remember myself playing it everyday, all day. Thinking about it seemed so normal. Remember every name, every move, every pokemon that you find in which route, the exact level they evolve in, their types- it was like.. breathing pokemon emerald was my favorite thing and I never understood why. At the age of 17 I was finally starting to suspect autism but... well, I wasn't ready to hear it. At least now I know,, to this day i lovE anything related to pokemon. But it's become more chill. I've moved on to other things. As of right now, I'm absorbing anything zelda breatt of the wild like a vaccum cleaner.

[@m-pc5334]

Hehe sixty nine What is/are your favourite pokemon(s)? Mine are.... *deep inhale* Bibarel Piplup Luxio Panpour, Pansear and Pansage Smeargle Clefairy and Clefable Growlithe and Arcanine Aurorus Furfrou Florges Popplio, Brionne and Primarina Toucannon Starly and Staravia Midday Lycanrock There is no specific order, but bibarel is at the top

[@thefunnyMammal2]

Same here almost exactly, pokemon is just background brain noise now leaving more room for other stuff to INHALE

[@gulfgiggleanimations4472]

Pokémon was the perfect storm to grab the interests of autistic people. Like before I got my first Pokémon game I already had a special interest for videogames, animation, animals, and had a budding interest in Nintendo. Needless to say I was hooked. I’d literally browse through serebii just to see what abilities every Pokemon had.

[@m-pc5334]

@@The_Gamerboy you don’t need to have played the games to like the creatures You’re valid

[@princessjennabelle_]

YES i have adhd and since i was 4 i’ve been hyperfixated with pokemon (which gets me made fun of a lot, in school and with family) so i feel you! you’re not alone!!

[@mapbot7371]

I find this video especially funny to me because currently my hyperfication is video essays. I’ve literally been watching them non stop for like the past 3 days, and I’m getting ready to write one of my own about a character I’m obsessed with.

[@hyuntea5243]

As someone who was diagnosed with ADHD only a couple years ago, most of my behaviors have begun to make sense to me. I've had many hyperfixations throughout my life and they have almost always taken over my daily life. I started listening to kpop back in March 2016, and it has been a huge hyperfixation since. Since I'm so passionate about it, I tend to ramble on and on about it to my family or friends even if I know they don't like it. I often tell myself that I will stop bugging them about it because I know they get annoyed by me talking about it all the time, but I don't catch myself doing it until they either tell me that they don't care or until I'm about 20 minutes into talking about it. Even though I know they don't like kpop and that everyone has different interests, I always feel so hurt when they tell me they don't care or that they don't like it. It feels like I've been stabbed in the heart because I am sharing with them something that I deeply care about and they don't seem interested or they get mad at me. And I completely understand that they don't like it and I shouldn't force them to listen to it or force them to listen to me talking about it but it's so hard, especially when you don't have anyone that cares about it to talk about it with. This is also the same with any of my other hyperfixations that I have. It's just so hard to hear someone that you care about insult something that you deeply care about and spend most of your time thinking about, especially if said hyperfixation has helped me through periods of depression and anxiety. It also doesn't help when I'm so invested in something that it makes it nearly impossible to focus on my schoolwork, which is already a tough thing for me to do, and to have my mom yell at me for not getting it done even though I desparately want to get it done, I just can't. I could go on and on and I'm kind of going on a tangent about my whole experience, I just really appreciate this video because it has helped me understand myself more, because I have always gotten angry at myself for things I can't necessarily control.

[@gehadsheha4775]

I honestly feel like you when I have nobody to talk to about my interests, I just feel so lonely and I just info dump in my notepad on my pc and keep it in my long list of lonely info dumps. Feels nice to find someone like me. Have a good day.

[@aedanreese7449]

I have ADHD, I've had a hyperfixation on Ninjago for almost three years now, and I feel a very personal connection to it. When someone insults Ninjago, I feel like they're insulting me because of how close I've gotten to it. I can easily relate to some characters (specifically Jay, considering my ADHD headcanon for him) and so I feel a connection that most others don't feel. I also recently developed a Steven Universe hyperfixation on the side. I'm scared to talk about either though, because people might insult them, even though I didn't choose them. A lot of people view Ninjago as a dumb kids' show and yes, it is, but I still love it. Ninjago and SU are HUGE parts of my life and they probably will be for a while. I can't control it, and I'm sorry if you're sick of hearing about why Harumi's better than any Disney Princess (even though she is) from me, but you're going to have to just deal with it. It's part of how my brain works and I can't change that, so all I do is ask for a bit of patience.

[@ellewhite7088]

Omg I have ADHD and hyper fixated on Ninjago for 9 yearssss! I’m an adult now, and I still can’t stop watching.

[@moth8131]

That’s so awesome!!

[@marsbotz]

yesss omg!! ive had ninjago as my special interest for almost 4 years now and it's still going strong!! it's bizarre not being able to take criticism of it while also recognising flaws in it at the same time but it rlly does hurt.. also i headcanon jay as autistic lol so i can relate!

[@ellewhite7088]

@@marsbotz nice! I actually headcannoned Jay with ADHD but that’s probably because I have ADHD. It’s nice to see others with the same hyper fixations :)

[@mjade1097]

Me too, I got kind of jarred out of it when I found My Hero Academia and that’s been keeping a stranglehold on my mind for the past year or so

[@printerdisk905]

I had no idea that "special interest", "hyperfocus", and "hyperfixation" were things used by those who are neurodivergent and I've been using them for a little bit. Thank you so much for educating me and others, I'll watch what I say a little closer :)

[@certifieddumborange]

Same

[@NotPaint0nPluto]

same

[@shahrzadketabollahi5496]

Same

[@Corgipon]

I’m autistic myself, though I haven’t gotten officially diagnosed for it yet (I was suspected of it from one of my teachers though). Many of my special interests included the fantasy genre, animal-related toylines, royalty, and mythology, though my biggest special interest had been Queen Elizabeth II for just about six years. I would spend hours reading things about her (thanks to that I pretty much have encyclopedic knowledge about her) and get excited about any events she’d attend or appearances of her until her eventual death. I also sent letters to her with my art included and even got some replies from the Palace. I even went to London last year for the Platinum Jubilee. I really, really wanted to see her but my mom didn’t allow me to get close to the Palace whenever she did make appearances. However, I did get teased for it in school, and thanks to some hysteria that spread recently, had also gotten harassed online for having that interest because too many people were listening in to the hysteria-fueled rumors about her. Especially with all the rude jokes that spread across social media ever since she passed away (it gave me so much discomfort seeing all that). Because of that I often don’t like opening up to people about my special interest of the late Queen in fear of them getting mad over it and talking trash about her and towards me for having that special interest. The stories I’ve been writing pretty much combine my special interests into one universe: a fictionalized version of the Queen is in them, it features characters inspired by mythological creatures, the setting is fantasy, I even made an AU out of Adventures in Pocketville (another special interest of mine), etc.

[@sparkyartg6490]

The irony is autism is my special interest rn and I was just about to send this to my friend when I went, "Wait, she is probably not interested in this..."

[@queencreamdoughnut2704]

Lollll same

[@sunny-xc8hx]

i’ve had so many hyperfixations that made me so happy,,, and I was absolutely in love with them,, but I stopped because of cringe culture or feeling too childish for liking my little pony or mario or something I forced myself to stop liking those things, to grow up and be like everybody else I forced myself to stop liking those things, to grow up and like things other teenage girls like, because i want to fit in so bad So to anyone who feels the same! ur not alone or childish ❤️

[@Newfiecat]

This makes me so sad. No one should ever be made to feel "childish" for liking something passionately. Screw "growing up" if all it means is to put on a mask and not be interested in anything ever.

[@kimberlybogert7031]

Same honestly with anime and cartoons is kinda why I have mixes feelings for em now..but I'm back to liking em some what but only the animes or cartoons that I wanta like and same with some videos games yeah I still feel emassemed and assume for liking em cause of my age but they make happy and feel better in a way..idk but thank you for this kinda message tho I wish you the best in your life and keep liking what you like🌸💖🌺💗

[@Fawn_response]

This happened to me too... It was really hard because my cousin constantly bought MLP related stuff and I was trying so hard not to remind myself of the show because I had to "grow up" and like normal things

[@ralphisxamida8533]

Me, a 32 years old woman, reads "my little pony" and starts to humm the melody.

[@londoncintron680]

You discussing cats and how you always get frustrated whenever cats are depicted as evil or whatnot really reminds me of me and robots. I tend not to like any sort of media where the robots are the main antagonists and the whole "man vs. machine" shebang. My special interests including robots and robot related media (especially My Life as a Teenage Robot) really makes this all the more notable.

[@soroneir1260]

Have you watched Tezuka's Metropolis?

[@londoncintron680]

@@soroneir1260 Oh, I haven't. What's it about?

[@soroneir1260]

@@londoncintron680 Animated film based on a manga based on a film (lol) about a society with humans and robots. There's a conflict between the two, but the robots are portrayed sympathetically and the human group opposing them are the villains. VERY beautiful and artistically striking film, I think you would like it.

[@londoncintron680]

@@soroneir1260 ooh thanks for telling me about it!

[@JACKALTOOTH100]

That's so interesting because I like robots and I think robots are so cool when they're depicted as cold and calculated killing machines. I listen to metal music and the "rise of the machines" is a common theme and it's always so awesome to me.

[@aaaaaaaa-tz7tu]

Idk how common this is for other autistic people, but for me my special interests usually become a huge part of who I am while I have them, while my hyperfixtations don't. My hyperfixtations are huge interests, but it's more likely that I'll lose interest in them entirely once I've stopped hyperfixtating on them than I would with a special interest. Haven't finished watching the video so you might've mentioned that, but just thought I'd put that out there!

[@somethingwithbungalows]

Same! Though sometimes I get appalled by my hyperfixations after awhile because I can recall almost every instance where I got very cringy with it. (I tend to over share..) And/Or.. I just grow to dislike it for some reason and live to avoid it. At. All. Costs. Anyways.. on one hand, I’m happy I’m aware that I tend to do that! but on the other hand.. not so much.. it stresses me out most of the time lol

[@aaaaaaaa-tz7tu]

@@somethingwithbungalows ME ME ME ,, it doesn't help some of my hyperfixtations end up being problematic and I have to look back on it and go "oh god why did that bring so much joy" also I'm super self conscious about rambling about my hyperfixtations I 😳 like I fully believe that people who shame people for rambling about hyperfixtations are pieces of shit but also I'm scared of how people see me y'know? akdjfjfj

[@justpeachymomo]

The tips you have at the end are actually so useful! Especially pretending that your fave character is helping you out or doing the assignment with you. I don’t know yet whether I have ADHD or anything else (I’m hopefully going to be tested soon), but I have my suspicions since I experience a lot of the symptoms i’ve heard of, like periods of hyper-focusing/trouble focusing and hyper-fixating on shows and games I get into. This was a really interesting watch! Thanks for making this video

[@lenrenken]

Sometimes I get scared to get into something new because I'm afraid it will lessen the amount of passion of my current hyperfixation.

[@kimberlybogert7031]

Me too like I really just don't like charge unfortunately 😞

[@wildmoonchild8210]

FELT. I try not to watch/read anything new for fear of developing a new hyperfixation that will take over my life

[@Tendo641]

YES this is so real. i finished a game i really really like recently and i was terrified to get into anything else. but i find that passion doesn't go away if you continue to engage with the fandom, be it drawing it or looking at art of it. reading stuff about it, watching videos on it, or talking about it with people!

[@laurendynes6289]

When I first found out I had ASD, my sister showed me a book called all cats have autism. That's why I love cats, because I feel I understand them. Also I have one of my own, my wee Shadow 🙂

[@justarandomfurbywithakitch903]

I've read that book in the past ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ

[@iluvlittenanimations2.010]

Interesting!

[@allurajane4979]

wait do they? was that a literal title orr

[@2012petvet]

I Also Often Feel Like Animals Like Dogs, Cats, And Birds Would Be Classified As Autistic If Not For The Fact That They Aren't Human. If Animals Can Have Things Like PTSD And OCD, Why Can't They Be Autistic?

[@laurendynes6289]

@@2012petvet true, I relate to cats. They are weird but that is only because we don't understand them

[@levionthedragon4654]

Your cat vs dog story reminds me of how for the longest time I absolutely refused to watch anything live action and would be extremely upset if anyone said live action was better to this day i still struggle to watch live action shows .

[@syrupstarlet]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for your explanation of you not needing to actually *like* your hyperfixation, but still needing to pursue it. i’ve had a hyperfixation on big mouth (i know right sweet jesus) for almost six months now, but it’s not like i even really enjoy the show. it’s just the only thing i find interesting and i eat up every bit of information on it. love being neurodivergent 😭

[@calebdearing5750]

guess i’m clearing the next 45 minutes of my day

[@Ixbran]

OH MY GOD FINALLY, someone who feels the same way as I do about media portrayals of cats as evil animals and dogs as "soft bab uwu man's best fwends". Pleas please PLEASE make that video you talked about possibly doing I need this in my life

[@Soft_fangs]

i used to like dogs vs cats bc in the second one they had both the cats and the dogs working together hh

[@Ixbran]

@@Soft_fangs but it still featured cats as the primary antagonist. The first film goes out of its way to portray cats as the ultimate evil and that they're animals that take advantage of humans. And its up to dogs to protect humanity even for families who only own cats and not dogs. Even going so far as to portray kittens as being just as nasty as full grown cats. Then then second film has to go "hey no not all cats are mean and hate humans, we love our families too." But still show that these "good cats" are the minority among catkind, while all dogs are 100% good and always do the right thing and never do anything bad. Western medias portray of cats is the worst. And the funny thing is in Japan its more of an even playing field of good dogs and good cats with bad dogs and bad cats. And there are lots of anime out there showing cats as tricters but also as kind and loving beings. But then you have Isle of Dogs, a western made film set in Japan. Its like the creators of the film didn't even bother to look up Japan's cat culture and just decided "they must love dogs and hate cats as much as we do". If they had made the film about cats instead of dogs it would have fit culturally more since Japan adores cats, and the fact the film is all about saving animals perceived as bad but are actually good would also fit for western audiences who still struggle to see cats as good animals.

[@MissEarthling]

There are plenty of actual evil animals out there, like dolphins.

[@allurajane4979]

SAME

[@cupio-stardust]

@@MissEarthling I hate dolphins.

[@rebeccafield3251]

i know this probably won’t be seen but as someone who was hyperfixated on voltron for a lot of my high school year i cannot stress how much you can’t choose your special interest. Voltrons fandom had extreme negative effects on my mental health and to this day i have to block it on social media because of the extreme anxiety it brings. My interest almost became a major trigger for me and it sucks. My interest rn is dsmp and i almost went through the same thing because of all the discourse until i deleted twitter. It’s not just being into something it’s something that can majorly effect how you live. also the lack of a fixation is something you didn’t touch on but honestly when i don’t have something to focus on i fall into extreme depressive episodes until i find something else to fill the void. A lack of fixation actually limits my ability to focus on anything more than having one does. but that’s just me and i’m not all autistic people so this is just my own negative experiences with fixations (i’ve had plenty of good experiences tho s/o to moomin, the hobbit, care bears, etc)

[@u-saw-nothing-i-was-never-here]

Wow, I’m honestly starting to think that I could be neurodivergent (probably ADHD) given everything that I’ve read about the topic in the last year. Also, I can really relate to having long-term fixations that last for years: first it was horses and MLP, then it was Miraculous Ladybug, then Adventure Time, then Miraculous Ladybug again... also I really relate to “having criticism of your interest feel like a personal attack” 😭 it always seems to be this burst of pain or upset that lingers for a while, and I have to try and calm my mind down afterwards by watching YT videos or something similar

[@somethingwithbungalows]

I’m able to handle criticism and keep my cool (just when it comes to criticism for some reason.. not for anything else lol) but it does kinda bother/disturb me deep down a lil bit

[@u-saw-nothing-i-was-never-here]

@@somethingwithbungalows Yeah, I totally get what you mean

[@sulferical]

i'm autistic and didn't even know as my mom hid it from me my entire life (to the point she switched doctors after i got my dx so no one knew, until we got in a fight last year and she spilled) -- so i didn't know the difference between special interest and hyperfixation. this video helped me a lot, thank you!!

[@Realperson16]

Jesus... that sounds rough

[@allurajane4979]

omg my mom did the same thing she didn't tell me until i was in middle or highschool i think? which i do not think she should have done but whatever

[@kaijufriend]

oh my god same, apparently she "wanted me to live a normal life" when i already know its because she projects her ideal nt self on me lmaoooo

[@CherryDad]

"infinity Train is still going" IT BETTER 😭😭

[@tristanbeacham412gma]

the entire crew of it is unemployed rn. i think were fucked.

[@TheAngelofFate17]

@@tristanbeacham412gma NOOOO so no newest season?

[@kendallcuddles]

@@TheAngelofFate17 It's dead.

[@milkbox103]

last i heard it was cancelled :/

[@toastymouse8230]

YO BOOK FOUR WAS ANNOUNCED

[@SomeRedDame]

Thank you for making this video. I don't know how coherent this will come out, but I wanted to try and emphasize why I appreciate you posting this particular video and the way you explain things so well. I'm on the spectrum as well, and for me, I have a very tumultuous relationship with my sense of self due to PTSD and growing up in an allistic household that actively worked against me getting a ASD diagnosis (and thus the help and support I AND my parent needed) due to a lot of fear mongering and misinformation due to being raised by my grandmother, who had a background in nursing and was witness to even just a surface level of the horrors, stigma, and treatment of mentally disabled persons from as early as the 40s when she was born. She meant well, but as a result of her lack of education and constant misguided efforts, the coping mechanisms I developed have slowly been EXTREMELY destructive, most notably ON my special interest as a mixture of being ripped away from it and scolded for doing it constantly, yet also affirmed positively when done well. There's a lot more but it's getting hazy to describe- but anyway, your video and videos like this help remind me the fuller extent of my behaviors, instead of having them overnormalized and invalidated by allistic people who don't grasp the severity both for better and for worse. Listening to this has just been a big help in refocusing on what my tendencies are and how best to help me from a pro-autistic perspective instead of an ableist and disorienting, misattributing one.. I feel like that sentence didn't make sense but I'm trying, I hope you get what I mean. Your content helps, it';s really important, even for other folks on the spectrum, especially those of us dealing with a traumatic upbringing seeking to repair themselves and find their niche within their skills instead of forcing us into roles that actively harm us. Thank you ♥

[@lexinicole4317]

One time I got hyper focused on loading the dishwasher and unloaded and reloaded it for 5 hours straight without ever running it, going pee, or walking away. Try to tell me that’s normal, neurotypicals.

[@laurengibbs6940]

I’ve had hyperfixations my whole life, and they’ve shifted and fluctuated between interests. Whenever I’m currently hyperfixating on something, I’m either enjoying it, scared to lose it, or mad about it since sometimes I can be hyperfixating on two different things and one of them could overlap the other if that makes sense?? But yeah, they’ve had such a huge impact on my life positively and negatively and I wouldn’t have it any other way tbh.

[@kimberlybogert7031]

Yeah I have as well most of my life too and honestly same. (´-﹏-`；)(•‿•)

[@iwantedtobethatanomaly2270]

I remember feeling so obsessed over a cartoon show to the point where I felt scared to ever lose interest in it and thinking "There's nothing better than this" on repeat in my head.

[@Pasta_Babe]

I literally relate to this so much .,,. Though I am not diagnosed with adhd n such I literally cannot stop thinking about this one specific interest and usually it’s only 1 thing at a time because like you said I get scared of having 2 lol . The funniest part is that the thing I’m super interested in was a show I’ve known for a longggg time but just now recently gotten SUPER focused on when it randomly came back , I remember getting super super excited and happy thinking about it and it just made me feel so much better and it still does and it’s a huge comfort but it sometimes can get in the way of things sadly eughhhgggg..

[@smashley4661]

I’m autistic and I was diagnosed when I was 4 (I’m 21). My special interest are drawing, Avatar the Last Air Bender and transformers

[@waitingforwonderland6036]

Atla slaps

[@kidnow_squidnow]

atla is epic, have you watched legend of korra? a lot of people whove watched atla hate tlok, but i really like korra

[@smashley4661]

Cheddar Cheese Studios, I have watched both. But to be honest I have some mixed feelings about Korra

[@ashleypureheart4789]

This video was so relatable to me. I’ve had many special interests over the years, mostly animated films. In fact, sharing news about these films on Tumblr is what made me change my career path to preschool/kindergarten teacher to entertainment journalist. My most recent special interest is Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. I started to like it whenever I would get previews for it on the movies I saw in theaters. It looked good, but was mainly interested in Goldilocks because I wanted to cosplay her. Then, when my brother came over for Christmas, he suggested we see the movie together. I was nervous at first, since I was interested in seeing it too and am nervous about sharing my interests with people who are not my twin sister, and thought it would be embarrassing, but it was worth seeing it with him, since we had a discussion about the pre-credits scene when we got out. I have seen the movie 6 times in theaters, which my parents find crazy, but it’s an obvious sign of my special interest for the movie, and with each viewing, it has gotten better, and became my favorite film of all time, dethroning Pixar’s Soul. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish one of the few films that I never get tired of with repeat viewings. I also got almost emotionally devastated when it lost the Oscar to Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio, but for some reason, I knew my love for Puss was stronger than anything else, especially when I enjoyed seeing the movie in theaters for a sixth time yesterday. While some parts that I love about Puss have changed (I love Perrito and Ethical Bug instead of Goldilocks, for instance), I still think it’s my favorite movie of all time. As for the tips, the imagining characters solving problems reminded me of something I did recently: it’s hard for me to not focus on negative thoughts at work at the movie theater, and recently, I’ve been imagining having Ethical Bug from the movie on my shoulder, talking to me about not thinking about fictional things being the reason for people wanting healthier choices, and telling me to be more social with people.

[@it5ybitsy35]

I like explaining it as an earworm thats stuck in your head playing over and over. You didn't CHOOSE to get the song stuck in your head, it just is.

[@sillycookie]

The hyperfixating on problematic media...whoo boy that's always a "fun" experience

[@waitingforwonderland6036]

I feel that! also nice pfp!

[@sillycookie]

@@waitingforwonderland6036 thanks! Yours is dope too :D

[@cemeterygates1713]

This hits too close to home!! One of my special interests used to be BBC Sherlock. As you can imagine, when I found out that the writers suck, one of the actresses is a TERF and Benedict Cumberbatch is ableist... I was so heartbroken :(

[@megano2525]

@@cemeterygates1713 same here!!!!! one of my most viewed videos was an animation of me fangirling over bbc sherlock as a teen and i regret that i spent so much time on something like THAT when i could've made like. better art hahaha

[@kimberlybogert7031]

@@cemeterygates1713 mine or an other old one of mine use to be Star vs. so..I understand in a way..also I'm really sorry about all that😞

[@blueraccoon1088]

My girlfriend and are on the spectrum as well. She has an interest for cats, reading and intelligent of her interests too. i have special interests in leverage, Transformers, Thomas, mecha (big o in particular) , star wars, raccoons, cats, miraculous (same story) dogs, (please consider i respect canines as long they respect felines) as I love my girlfriend for 5 years and still have her and we our families as our special interests as we are supporting and they support us.

[@Prowlsgirl]

Which Transformers? I got hooked on the 2007 movie, then I branched put into G1, the Armada series, Animated, and Robots in Disguise (the anime, not the new one). I watched the first two seasons of Prime, but then I lost interest. My special interest shifted, so I never finished it. As a female, it confused many people that I was into “the robots”. But I didn’t (and still don’t) care. It was fun. Anyway, I lost my train of thought (like the bullet trains from the original RiD? 😂). Which Transformers? A specific movie/series, all of them, or somewhere in between?

[@blueraccoon1088]

@@Prowlsgirl sister to answer questions I'll try to do my best 1 cybertron 2 tv And I completely respect those who don't like RID 2015 also what ever you do don't follow butch Hartman he is a false prophet.

[@Prowlsgirl]

@@blueraccoon1088 What about Butch Hartman?

[@blueraccoon1088]

@@Prowlsgirl your a believer of God's miracles as well right? Well butch misused the name of God saying autism is a sickness

[@ItsKardamin]

:0 leverage like the TV show??

[@van1llapup]

As someone who is currently hyperfixated on Bluey, thank you so much!! It makes me so happy to see people knowing about it, praising it, and loving it!!

[@turtleanton6539]

Indeed

[@nonamesorry7135]

My mom would dismiss my problems by saying "everyone feels like that" and when I went to a doctor I was diagnosed with depression :) Saying stuff like this is literally so hurtful

[@Paradoxyuri]

I wish more people would understand that a lot of neurodivergent people can’t control the media that they hyperfixate on. Maybe some of them can, but I personally have never been able to. I’m autistic, and although I don’t think I have any super problematic special interests, I have had a lot that are considered “cringe” in the past, and I got bullied for it. I’ve tried to stop myself from forming a special interest on certain things in the past, but it’s never worked. I had a short term special interest on the cartoon “Villainous” for about a year and a half, and my first ever exposure to it was a tumblr post calling one of the main characters “the new Onceler” and saying that the show as a whole was cringy. I tried to force myself to not watch it after taking an interest in it, but it just made me morbidly curious, and I ended up watching it all anyways. It can also be terrible to develop a special interest on a piece of media that has a terrible fandom. Danganronpa is one of my biggest special interests right now, but the fandom is filled with in-fighting and drama, but I’m so intensely fixated on it that I feel like I can’t leave the fandom. Even though engaging with the fandom stresses me out a lot, it would cause me a lot more distress to disengage from such a reliable source of comfort, so I’m basically stuck here. It feels like my brain is a roulette wheel that forces me to get fixated on things at complete random, and I’m just subject to the whims of my inexplicable interests. One of my most recent special interests is... communism. LITERALLY COMMUNISM. It’s so hard for me to talk about it with people, because it’s a subject that makes a lot of folks uncomfortable. I often end up accidentally sparking political arguments, when all I wanted to do was infodump about a subject that I’m passionate about. My special interests bring me a lot of joy, but dealing with them can also be a nightmare sometimes.

[@FloweryOnCrack]

Ugh- same hate, down to the exact same fucking fandom. I never liked drama when it comes to fandoms, since it’s usually incredibly petty and kinda silly, but somehow I end up in fandoms with a lot of drama. The Steven Universe fandom, then MHA, and now it seems to transition between a lot of different things. I’m actually betting on which ones gonna end up keeping all my interest for the next year now, since I got into Demon Slayer for a few months- then ATLA made a comeback, and now my friends Danganronpa recommendations finally paid off. My bets on Danganronpa tbh, since it fits basically every demographic for what I like. Y’know, massive cast of well written, interesting characters- a sizeable amount of fanfic and material online for it, and a lot of angst and shipping potential. The only thing is, I never liked how I get obsessed with certain things. It always feels…immature and kinda childish, and occasionally annoying, no matter how much enjoyment my interests being. Anyway, I’m almost positive I’m going to end up indoctrinated- and considering the state of the fandom, I worry. Even MHA seems better then whatever’s going on with Danganronpa. But, woe is me- I’m going to end up falling down the pit anyway. I’m halfway between just giving up and submitting, but also knowing I’m pretty stubborn as well, so I know I won’t give up easily. Even with the headaches trying to resist is causing, since resisting typically makes it worse. But if I don’t resist, I’ll end up obsessing over whatever my new infatuation happens to be needlessly for months, and most likely not climb back out till my brain gets tired of it. I don’t want to end up with a fucking shrine in my bedroom. Anyway, sorry for ranting. It’s just been bothering me for a bit, and you’re post reminded me- well, not reminded, because I was watching this video due to it- but you kinda left the perfect comment for me to respond to. P.S- Communism is pretty cool, not gonna lie. Though that might just be me and how much I love history.

[@iamobsessedwithshadowsight]

EXACTLY, most of if not all of my hyperfixations and special interests are deemed “cringe”, and if not the subject itself, then my passion for them certainly will be. I had a Warrior Cats special interest for five whole years when I was a kid, and I was constantly bullied for it being “cringe” and acting “weird” bc I was a little 10 y/o kid who just wanted to roleplay some funky little cats with her friends on the playground. My current special interest is something my mom would be extremely disapproving of, so I hide it from her in fear of being ridiculed. My current special interest also made one of my ex-“friends” get mad at me bc I talked about it too much, “put it on a pedestal”, and told me - this is an _exact quote_ - “get other special interests to go along with it” so I would talk about other things. THAT’S NOT HOW IT FUCKING WORKS????

[@goldegreen]

My "special interests" don't usually last super long. I remember being specially interested in Harry Potter for several months, but it went away and I ended up just not wanting anything to do with it after day. Same goes for BNHA. Currently mine is Animal Crossing, which is actually a "frequent flyer", it's a series I've loved since I was very little. Sometimes I just don't have one. The short bursts they come in- usually a month or two, sometimes longer, sometimes shorter. It kinda makes me feel alienated from other autistic and neurodivergent people, which is..ironic.

[@marcypan8219]

Same here, mine only tend to last 3-4 months at most. One or two have lasted a year or two maximum. I’ve had so many different special interests throughout my life that I’m going to miss out on a few accidentally if you ask me to list them all.

[@KingOskar4]

Mine are quicker. I called them "Mania" though... Each "Mania" never lasts longer than A month and a Half, then it gets boring. Plus the notion of wanting to have something new written on my diary every single day, it encourages me to change my hyperfixations very often.

[@satiricwriter]

Same. Been there, done that. Star Wars Harry Potter Black Butler Grew outta them all but for one reason: Toxic fans My childhood dinosaur hyperfixiation faded cus i just grew bored.

[@turtleboy1188]

You are not one us

[@amihomophobicifihatemyself8966]

I'm not autistic but this is me to a T. Sometimes there are things I take a hard sudden interest in, and then eventually over some time, it doesn't interest me anymore. Though sometimes they come back up at some point and I get interested again for a short time.

[@PresidentJamesDChaos]

One of my favorite ways to interact with my special interests is organizing my bookshelf to display all of my history paraphernalia and also making informational slideshows

[@AndRocProductions]

Thank you for this, I really felt a lot of this. I've had a life-long interest in Hansel and Gretel since I was 8 years old (I'm 25 now), and it's SUCH a comforting thing to me. It's a very formulaic story, it's easy to remember each story beat so even though there are parts of it that make me uncomfortable, it's easy for me to be prepared for the parts that are, and I'll always be happy knowing that things turn out alright in the end. I also really relate to the siblings for a lot a lot a LOT of reasons and so it really super interests me to analyze the potential psychological aspects Hansel and Gretel might wind up having after their experiences, and then having to go and live with their parents again knowing they left them to die... its so tasty and tragic and fun to think on. And yeah, I am sort of turning my interest into a career, I'm currently writing a story about an AU where Gretel couldn't free Hansel from his cage because their captor had the key around her neck when Gretel pushed her into the oven, and she had to run and leave him while the house burned down, and she ran and was too afraid to turn back. He wound up surviving, but the two grew up after that completely separated, Gretel entirely believing she had accidentally killed her brother, being extremely messed up from it all. Hansel was eventually found near-death by a curious patrol who then took him and got him patched up, believing him to be the son of a nobleman (he was too fat to be a peasant). No one claimed him as their son though so he grew up in the barracks and trained as a knight. That's all I have so far but I'm super excited to start getting things out about it, I'm currently working on a short animated video for my AU, and hopefully it will help kick things off for me!

[@marcypan8219]

This was a very well made video. However, I’d like to point out that autism and ADHD are not mental conditions, but neurological ones (specifically neuro-developmental).

[@soluna4784]

there's a difference? what is it? /gen

[@dinosaur___7209]

@@soluna4784 i think the difference is like, a mental condition is smth like, anxiety or depression, while Austism and AHDH are developmental things

[@midnightgamer2088]

They are definitely not disabilities, it’s just about being built different

[@PokeNebula]

@midnightgamer21 Some people definitely would call them disabilities.

[@theslavegamer]

"Jokes on them I just brought warrior books outside to read on the swing" - we knew what books they were, you didn't have to specify ;)

[@shapescolours8105]

“I just took the book outside with me” is such a mood.

[@sandrarivera1262]

I have about one hyper fixation each month. I latch onto it and obsess over it like crazy. Sometimes I try to hold on to that feeling. Eventually, something will come along and I will be exposed to a new media- a film, character, or tv show. Either I ditch the other interest, or I now have two, doubling my obsession. It turns into my personality and I often mimic the quirks or language of the media I absorbed. Other times it is an idea, and I daydream about them for months or years. This video really helped me, so thank you. My family is often overwhelmed with my endless ranting. Answering texts is also an issue for me. I made a lot of friends, but the only friends I have kept for the years are the ones that are also neutrodivergent and "passionate" over topics.

[@megyumiyoshi1062]

All this ASD world is kinda new to me, and the more I learn the more sense it makes me being in the spectrum, but it's very similar to when I started to realise that I was trans. Like at the begging you are in a state of negation and think that you're just confuse, but then everything clicks and you accept it. For example at the start of the video I was like 'maybe I'm not autistic, I've never been SO passionate about anything' then I realize that during the whole video I was thinking about She-ra and Cardcaptor Sakura, and how I always try to make my friend binge the series with me, or how I have a Sakura choker that I always wear when going outside and touching it makes me feel more comfortable.

[@jo.comics]

That's awesome! Go you for figuring yourself out :)

[@megyumiyoshi1062]

@@jo.comics Thanks ^w^

[@Orchidlettux]

I was about to write a long comment on how I relate, but then I sounded insensitive because I’m not really part of (at least not that I know of) the ASD spectrum. I just know that I love notebooks and a particular character from a show I like. I hope you’ll figure it out pal, stay safe :D

[@karakappa]

Hey, I wish you the best of luck with figuring out how you and your brain work. Also thanks for reminding me to finish Cardcaptor Sakura lol

[@megyumiyoshi1062]

@@karakappa Please do it! It's such a wholesome and beautiful anime

[@sassyalbatross2933]

I once had a person fight me on the use of the words neuro typical and divergent because they said we only made them up to further separate ourselves or something, it’s nice sometimes to hear someone describe what I’m going through less clinically and less judgily. One time I found the whole twilight series at goodwill and I ended up reading all the books without sleeping or eating and often forgetting to breath for a whole week in fourth grade. The only thing that stopped me was when my mom made cookies and I had to eat cookies but went right back to reading. I also read the entire set of encyclopedias and dictionary and thesaurus so I could memorize and understand every word in the “world”. Somehow, didn’t get diagnosed ever.

[@nedra3376]

I consider myself undiagnosed adhd and I just have to say this video was very validating. It helped me look back on past hyper fixations I've had and connect the dots. I didn't realize a lot of my symptoms until my late teens/ early twenties so it was nice to have this video as inspiration to think back to my developmental years. Thank you

[@spectrademonica]

I just recently figured out I'm autistic (I'm a nonbinary uterus haver, so of course being raised that way, no one bothered to look at me). Listening to you and other autistic content creators speak, you are the easiest to understand out of anyone. You enunciate and speak very clearly, you define things in a clear-cut way, and you don't leave room for misinterpretation. And yes I know being able to speak clearly like that is a blessing and not all autistic people can do it. I don't value them less for it. They make themselves understood in other ways.

[@kiroonsmoon]

I’m an autistic girl and for me I am CONSTANTLY thinking about my current interest. The Todoroki Family (and My Hero in general) have been running around in my brain and I don’t think they’re leaving anytime soon.

[@IncorrectBunny]

I'm kinda fixated on Present Mic rn although that's kinda obvious, also really good to meet another mha fan! Hello!

[@princegoatcheese9379]

"Speaking in paragraphs" is definitely me. I feel like if I'm going to talk about one thing and one thing only, it better be something I am aware of or am already interested in. Animal Crossing, history of rock n' roll/heavy metal/punk rock, optical media formats (like DVD, CD and every sub-format within them), Zootopia, graphic design, vaporwave, Star Fox, the Nintendo Game Cube, animal biology and human psychology are things I love talking about.

[@SilverZephyrFalcon]

I just started realizing I was autistic recently, but it feels like it should have been obvious looking back. Pokemon is my biggest special interest, but I was also the kid who wanted to stay inside at recess and ended up bringing books outside. Cats are another big one for me (including Warriors, of course, although that bit of it has faded as I've grown up), and more recently I've gotten super into Owl House.

[@Sunnyomori649]

I do appreciate you highlighting the negative aspects of hyperfixations and special interests. I primarily only see people talking about the positives so i felt a little alone. Genshin impact took over my life in senior year, my gpa tanked in one semester and guaranteed me summer school. I would just play genshin for hours on end the second i got home. Same with the game Hades later on in the year. Theyre much more easy to manage now that I understand whats going on and i love my hyperfixations but man can they really get in the way sometimes

[@KalinTheZola]

It's frustrating being a woman and growing up in a time when it wasn't really believed that girls could fall under the autism spectrum. I haven't been diagnosed yet and I'm not sure if I'll ever do it between finances and it just not being a hugely important thing to me these days, but I was diagnosed with ADHD as a child and I wonder to this day if it wasn't a misdiagnosis. That's a very common thing for women, to have been misdiagnosed as ADHD.

[@thetwilightzone2403]

I’ve been reading through the comment section and what I noticed about many autistic women here is that many got misdiagnosed as having ADHD. I have heard that many autistic women get the diagnosis later in life, hell, I was one of them. But whats interesting is that a doctor said that I had ‘autistic symptoms.’

[@KalinTheZola]

@@thetwilightzone2403 part of me wishes to get properly diagnosed but I've heard how difficult and pricy that could be so idk if its really worth it in my case. I know I'm neurodivergent to some extent which is good to know.

[@basedandchristpilled]

@@KalinTheZola how do you know if you are neurodivergent? I got diagnosed with adhd and anxiety at age sixteen when I was in a mental hospital and now I’m considering autism to be a possibility

[@KalinTheZola]

@@basedandchristpilled ADHD IS neurodivergent, which i was diagnosed with as a child. So either I really am ADHD or I was misdiagnosed and actually fall under ASD, but regardless that makes me neurodivergent.

[@cheep5645]

@@KalinTheZola You could have both- it’s really common to get stuck with more than just one issue when dealing with this stuff. -This is coming from someone who’s got both ADHD and ASD.

[@wintergreen1436]

Lmao I thought all this time the "liking cats so much you started to hate dogs because of media representation" thing was just a me thing 😭😭 raise your hand if you despised the movie cats and dogs as a kid or were distraught when dogs won in the cats vs dogs splatfest

[@somethingwithbungalows]

I loved that movie when I was lil along with the movie “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” (random but there’s an unreleased animation pilot for a series that never came to be here on KZbin), and manyyy other doggo movies n stuff. I created a universe in my head in where my dog and a few other pets I knew could talk n’ stuff. My chihuahua, Mitzi, lived in a pink bubble that flew across the sky with her husband, Blaze who slept a lot and was lazy lol

[@KingOskar4]

Is the movie called "cats AND dogs" or "cats VERSUS dogs"? In Europe (the region where I am) it's called Cats Versus Dogs, and despite the DVD being split up in two parts, one for only Dog side and another for only Cat side, it is still jarring to me that Main Villain was a Fur-less skinny Cat, as if they depicted the worst looking kind of cat as a villain. That's just sad. I have a cat (male, so, "he-cat", english doesnt have a word for male cats) and he isn't bad at all, just very curious and cute. But elsewhere cats were villains too 😟

[@somethingwithbungalows]

@@KingOskar4 Kitty Galore fell into something that got rid of all her hair tho, but I do see what you mean

[@sunisagoat1483]

@@KingOskar4 i think a male cat is called a tom cat (or if its fixed its called a gib)

[@KingOskar4]

@@sunisagoat1483 Hmmm. Interesting. It is just my friends would think that I have a cat named Tom, which is not true. So if his name is Moony, would it be "Moony the Tom Cat"?😏

[@astro_lane]

the worst is when your special interest is so obscure that it’s hard to talk to anyone about it lest they get confused or bored when you infodump about it :+/

[@ChocoThe_Cat]

My Main Interests Are Always Seen As Childish. Astronomy, Cats, The Owl House, Amphibia, Bluey, SuperKitties, Thomas And Friends, Dolls And More. While Watching This, I Was So Relieved To Find Out I’m Not The Only One Who Gets Upset When Cats Are Portrayed As Evil Or Bad. (Although Lady And The Tramp Is One Of My Interests) I Would Get Mad, Start To Cry And Even Have A Meltdown Due To It. My Cat Hyperfixation Has Lasted Since I Was 3 Till Today.

[@mo0nflowersart]

I'm ADHD, and for me, hyper-focusing/hyper fixating on something is kind of a habit for me (It is a good habit though because it keeps me from negative thoughts.). I'm constantly focused on something I really like, which makes it hard to do homework. My special interest at the moment is warriors cats, my own ocs and world, pokemon, Mlp, ooak dolls, Lps and wings of fire. I just can't get any of those off my mind.

[@kitcathuff1591]

I remember having a hyperfixation and the day I discovered it I instantly fell in love with it. Someone insulted it that very day and I started crying hysterically. I’m 18... it was last week... Edit: this is my third comment I’ll stop now

[@emilymfv]

Rumiko Takahashi's work had a hold in my high school years, and without her mangas, I genuinely think I wouldn't be here (turns out that untreated ADHD can lead to really dark places). Thanks for the video. It's quite informative and so well explained ❤

[@TheUnderNerd]

as someone diagnosed with ADHD, when you started talking about hyperfixations, I got upset because I realized I haven't had a hyperfixation or an interest that has been strong enough to leave me completely incapable of thinking about anything else or taking care of myself. There is one thing that gets super close, but the worst it does is causes me to infodump MASSIVELY, spend ALL NIGHT reading about my main interest, and unintentionally giving myself crying sessions because I'm thinking about something sad within my interest. Then you said everyone is different, and that not every person with ADHD/Autism will have a hyperfixation or special interest. I don't know why I wrote this lmao