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The term & #39;Hyperfixation& #39;, who can use it and how it& #39;s commonly misused on Stan Twitter - A Thread
**Warning, this is quite a long thread**
**Warning, this is quite a long thread**
Disclaimer -
I am writing this from the research I have done and my experiences as a person with ASD. If any information is incorrect, please tell me. This is not meant to call out or attack to anyone who has used the term incorrectly, just to educate.
I am writing this from the research I have done and my experiences as a person with ASD. If any information is incorrect, please tell me. This is not meant to call out or attack to anyone who has used the term incorrectly, just to educate.
What is a & #39;Hyperfixation& #39;?
A hyperfixation is commonly described as a hyperfocus, or an & #39;obbsesion& #39; with a specific thing, which can be basically anything, from a peice of media, to a content creator to a physical activity.
A hyperfixation is commonly described as a hyperfocus, or an & #39;obbsesion& #39; with a specific thing, which can be basically anything, from a peice of media, to a content creator to a physical activity.
Who can have a hyperfixation?
Hyperfixations are *exclusive* to neurodivegant people. As far as I& #39;m aware, any neurodivegant person can technically have a hyperfixation. However, hyperfixations are by far most commonly found in people with ADHD, ADD or ASD.
Hyperfixations are *exclusive* to neurodivegant people. As far as I& #39;m aware, any neurodivegant person can technically have a hyperfixation. However, hyperfixations are by far most commonly found in people with ADHD, ADD or ASD.
What& #39;s the difference between liking something and a hyperfixation?
Hyperfixations are very different to just liking something. When you has a hyperfixation, it can seem to & #39;take over& #39; your life. You can struggle to think about anything else, since whatever you& #39;re doing, you 1/3
Hyperfixations are very different to just liking something. When you has a hyperfixation, it can seem to & #39;take over& #39; your life. You can struggle to think about anything else, since whatever you& #39;re doing, you 1/3
might just start thinking about your hyperfixation again. Furthermore, it can make it hard for you to go about your daily routine, since you can become so focused on whatever you& #39;re currently fixating on that you forget to take care of your basic needs, like eating & sleeping 2/3
However, this isn& #39;t always the case, and it is possible to manage your hyperfixations, and be able to enjoy them while simultaniously not neglecting the rest of your life. It just takes a lot of effort and willpower, and isn& #39;t always manageble 3/3
Are hyperfixations life-long things?
Hyperfixations can be long-term things or short-term. Sometimes I will have hyperfixations that last for years, or sometimes I will hyperfixate on something for a week, and then drop it completely as something new takes over in my brain. 1/2
Hyperfixations can be long-term things or short-term. Sometimes I will have hyperfixations that last for years, or sometimes I will hyperfixate on something for a week, and then drop it completely as something new takes over in my brain. 1/2
However, hyperfixations never really & #39;go away& #39;, as your brain can at any time just go back to them and you fall into the hyperfixation for a while again, and this happens often. However, even though they *can* be short term, hyperfixations usually tend to last for a while. 2/2
So are hyperfixations a bad thing?
Hyperfixations aren& #39;t an inherently bad thing. They can have bad and hard side-affects to manage, as mentioned earlier, or can cause problems if a hyperfixation is viewed as problematic. However, the reason they are even a thing is because 1/2
Hyperfixations aren& #39;t an inherently bad thing. They can have bad and hard side-affects to manage, as mentioned earlier, or can cause problems if a hyperfixation is viewed as problematic. However, the reason they are even a thing is because 1/2
they bring joy to the people experiencing them. Hyperfixations make you happy, and are usually relaxing and calming, an escape from the stress of living as a neurodivergant person. So no, they aren& #39;t inherently a bad or negative thing, the opposite in fact 2/2
What& #39;s actually the problem with a Neurotypical person using it?
It takes away the meaning of the word. Hyperfixation is a term created by Neurodivegant people FOR Neurodivegant people, so we would have a way to describe a shared experience. 1/2
It takes away the meaning of the word. Hyperfixation is a term created by Neurodivegant people FOR Neurodivegant people, so we would have a way to describe a shared experience. 1/2
If neurotypical people use it, then it loses its meaning and then neurodivegant people have no specific term to use to describe and discuss what we experience. 2/2
Can I use the term hyperfixation?
If you& #39;re neurodivegant - Yes! Go ahead!
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If you& #39;re neurotypical - Please don& #39;t. The word hyperfixation is a proper term for something experienced by neurodivegant people only, so as a neurotypical person you shouldn& #39;t use ithttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❤️" title="Rotes Herz" aria-label="Emoji: Rotes Herz">
If you& #39;re neurodivegant - Yes! Go ahead!
If you& #39;re neurotypical - Please don& #39;t. The word hyperfixation is a proper term for something experienced by neurodivegant people only, so as a neurotypical person you shouldn& #39;t use it
What can I say instead?
Some suggestions -
- _ is one of my obsessions!
- I& #39;m a fan of _!
- _ is one of my passions!
- _ is one of my favorite things!
- I love _!
it& #39;s very easy to use other terms and language to describe how you feel, and it means a lot to neurodivegant people
Some suggestions -
- _ is one of my obsessions!
- I& #39;m a fan of _!
- _ is one of my passions!
- _ is one of my favorite things!
- I love _!
it& #39;s very easy to use other terms and language to describe how you feel, and it means a lot to neurodivegant people
In conclusion -
Please if you& #39;re neurotypical, don& #39;t use the word hyperfixation! It& #39;s a geniune term that& #39;s important to neurodivegant people, which is very easy to filter out of your daily language, and it means a lot :)
Please if you& #39;re neurotypical, don& #39;t use the word hyperfixation! It& #39;s a geniune term that& #39;s important to neurodivegant people, which is very easy to filter out of your daily language, and it means a lot :)
If anyone has any more questions, please feel free to ask them and I& #39;ll try my best to answer them, although I may not be able to. If I have gotten anything wrong, please tell me as well since this is mostly based on my own experience so I might be inaccurate with some things.
