You just want to relax and forget about whatever is causing you stress do anything to divert your attention away from it. These items might become our go-to activities when we’re overwhelmed, sad, or nervous. But, also be aware of when it might be disruptive and take steps to prevent it from taking over. Recognise when hyperfocus is helpful and use it to your advantage. If you have ADHD, it’s important to find a balance. On the other hand, you might miss important deadlines or neglect other areas of your life because you can’t seem to focus on anything else.

On the one hand, you might become so focused on a task that you achieve great things. It’s different from hyperfixation because it’s not all-consuming you can still function while in a state of hyperfocus.įor people with ADHD, states of hyperfocus can be both good and bad. Hyperfocus happens when you become so engrossed in an activity that you can’t pay attention to anything else. But, the general idea is the same: you’re so focused on one thing that everything else falls by the wayside. Drawing, painting. Trying to find information about your latest interest online and becoming engrossed in rabbit holes.

Spending time on a hobby that absorbs every bit of your attention.

Working on a project that takes up all of your time.

You might be hyperfixated when it comes to: The sun sets, and it gets dark people come and go the smell of dinner wafting from the kitchen you call them to eat you tell them it’s time to go to bed the kids screaming for attention you tell them you need to talk… They don’t notice these things because their singular focus tunes everything else out.

Not notice what’s going on around them.

It’s not that they’re being rude they don’t hear you. If you talk to someone in a hyperfocused state, they will often ignore you. When they emerge from their state of hyperfixation, they may realize that they are starving. The person is so focused on one thing that they simply forget to eat. When they emerge from their state of hyperfixation, they have no idea whether they were ‘gone’ for an hour or 12 hours. The person is so focused on one thing that they lose track of time. The following are some of the most frequent symptoms of hyperfixation: What can hyperfixation look like?Ī child hyperfixated on a video game may forego eating and sleeping just to keep playing.Īn adult hyperfixated on work might miss important family events or forgo social interactions altogether.Ī student who is hyperfixated on a project might neglect other assignments. It’s difficult to pay attention to anything else than the thing causing your hyperfixation.

It becomes all-consuming, disrupting your daily functioning. When you’re completely immersed in something, hyperfixation occurs. On the other hand, those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder appear to be far more susceptible to Hyperfocus and Hyperfixation. We’ve all been so caught up in something that time has gone unnoticed. This is just one of the many problems people with ADHD confront daily. However, on the other hand, it can be difficult to switch focus when you need to. On the one hand, focusing intently on a subject you are interested in might be fantastic. For people with ADHD, hyperfocus and hyperfixation can be both a gift and a curse.

Hyperfixation vs hyperfocus