Are Special Interests & Hyperfixations Really That Different?

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What really differentiates a special interest from a hyperfixation? Is the difference as substantial as we’ve been led to believe?

In this post, we will explore the potential similarities and differences between special interests and hyperfixations, discuss personal examples from my life (and my husband’s), and give both neurodivergent people and their loved ones tips on how to better understand one another when it comes to fixations.

Special Interests vs. Hyperfixations

After researching both special interests and hyperfixations, I created the Venn diagram below to showcase their proposed similarities and differences. Let’s break down each section.

Autistic Special Interests

Let’s discuss special interests first. They are strongly associated with autism and only used in that context. They are often lifelong or long-term passions that are central to the personal identity of the autistic individual. There usually isn’t a lot of variation topic wise, but each topic is deeply explored. Autistic people regularly engage with their special interest(s), with or without hyperfocusing on them.

Being autistic, this is heavily relatable for me. The only thing I didn’t find relatable is the lack of variation in the topics of interest. I have a wide variety of special interests: from people to objects, media to hobbies—there’s a lot of variation.

Most of my special interests are deeply intertwined with my identity. You can find evidence of them in my house, wardrobe, and all throughout my journals. They are more than just passions, most of them are a part of who I am—helping shape me into the person I am today.

Shows like Fruits Basket, Signed, Sealed, and Delivered, and Ninjago shaped my values and standards. Some of them have even healed parts of my past. Characters like Optimus Prime, Tohru Honda, and the Ninja have become inspirations. Optimus inspires me with his strong leadership, compassion, and wisdom. Tohru inspires me with her kindness and her heart for others. The Ninja inspire me with their brotherhood and endurance—their will to fight for what’s right, even if it costs them everything. During the loneliest times of my life, these characters became more than inspiration—they became my friends. And characters weren’t the only things that impacted me. Research on wolves, volcanos, and trees have made me very knowledgeable about these topics as well as inspired me to take action to protect and preserve nature.

My Jellycat Buns

One of my recent special interests was Jellycat bunnies, and they took up a significant amount of my brain space. I categorize them under my broader special interest in Jellycats, which started when I was in high school. I’d never been into the bashful bunnies specifically, until they just completely consumed my mind. For about a month, I couldn’t stop thinking about them. I even sold one of my rare Jellys so I could add a handful of buns to my collection, and I love them (if you ever want to meet my stuffie collection, let me know).

It’s honestly a little embarrassing—how much I thought about them—which is a great segway into the next section. Let’s discuss a couple important points about special interests (what they are and what they are not).

Special Interests Are NOT	Special Interests ARE
Weird obsessions that should be contained or curbed. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has attempted to take away special interests from autistic children to teach them how to “behave normally”—to the detriment of their mental health. When an autistic person is not allowed to explore their special interests, their nervous system processes it like trauma.	Passions that are often beneficial for the autistic person to explore. Research has shown that autistic people develop certain skills and knowledge when they explore their special interests. They are also so much happier. Special interests should be celebrated by the autistic person and supported by their loved ones.
Chosen by the autistic person. They can’t choose what they fixate on. It just happens.	NOT chosen by the autistic person. Never shame an autistic person for what they’re fixated on, because they don’t get to decide what becomes a special interest and what doesn’t. Recognize that special interests are a beautiful way to connect with them, because they are often deeply connected to the autistic person’s identity.
Able to be “turned off.” An autistic person does not have the ability to just “turn off” their special interests—even if they want to.	NOT able to be “turned off.” Never shame an autistic person for how long they are fixated on something, because this is out of their control. Some special interests can last a few months, while others can last years or even a lifetime.
Always healthy for the autistic person. This depends on what they are fixated on or to what degree they are fixated on something that could hurt them.	Sometimes unhealthy for the autistic person. This is one of the hardest things for a parent of an autistic child to navigate. I will make a post discussing this in detail later.

Hyperfixations

Hyperfixations, on the other hand, are often associated with ADHD. They are usually short-term or temporary interests that are less connected to the identity of the ADHDer. They tend to encompass a wide variety of changing interests that are explored with intense bursts of hyperfocus.

Note: “Hyperfocus” in a neurodivergent context is the state of being extremely focused on a special interest or hyperfixation. When they hyperfocus on an interest, thought, activity, or topic, they enter a time blind mental state where they may forget to eat or use the bathroom regularly.

While hyperfixations are not required to have ADHD, many ADHDers hyperfixate on their interests. The exact reasons behind it are still being studied, but researchers theorize that it is linked to their brain’s reward system. Individuals with ADHD often have lower levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with motivation and pleasure—a happy chemical. When they engage with their hyperfixation(s), it can trigger a dopamine surge, leading to intense focus on that activity.

My husband has ADHD, and his tendency to hyperfocus was one of the key traits that helped us discover his neurodivergence. He intensely cycles through various hyperfixations, including objects like beyblades, projects like writing, and other assorted interests like drawing and organizing our home videos and photos. Additionally, he cycles through food hyperfixations, where certain foods will be the only ones he wants to eat or cook.

Learning how to navigate and accept each other’s fixations has greatly benefited our marriage (I’ll make a post exploring this later).

Similarities & Differences Between Special Interests & Hyperfixations

Similarities

Both special interests and hyperfixations involve intense focus and concentration, and this usually leads to a deep knowledge or skill in that area. They are both passion-driven and usually enjoyable, helping to manage stress and regulate emotions. And while special interests are associated with autism and hyperfixations are associated with ADHD, they are not required to get either diagnosis.

Differences

Between the two of us, I’ve noticed three main differences between my special interests and his hyperfixations:

1. My special interests usually relax me with repetition, while his hyperfixations energize him with spontaneity.

2. My special interests last longer and are held near and dear to my heart, while his hyperfixations cycle through short bursts and aren’t necessarily a part of his identity.

3. When he is hyperfocused, he gets angry when he’s pulled away from his hyperfixation, while I am less volatile when pulled away from my special interests. I attribute this to hyperfocus. As an ADHDer, Gavin hyperfocuses more frequently than I do. When people are pulled out of their hyperfocus state, they have a tendency to lash out in frustration, because their hyperfixation is giving them the dopamine they might lack in their brain.

Are Special Interests & Hyperfixations Really That Different?

Please remember, hyperfixating doesn’t make someone neurodivergent—it is not required for an autism or ADHD diagnosis—it just means you might be. And if you’re still wondering whether or not you hyperfixate or have special interests, it depends on whether or not you are autistic—only autistic people can have special interests. Now, some people on the internet might disagree with this statement, but the term “special interests” is not used to describe any other group of people. If a misinformed individual happens to use it to describe an allistic person, it is used as a replacement for the term “hyperfixation.”

Which brings us to my final conclusion: In my opinion, I don’t think the term “special interests” should be categorized separately from “hyperfixations,” because they are essentially the same thing. I would even go as far to say that special interests don’t exist; they are just hyperfixations seen in an autistic context. Take another look at the Venn diagram I made.

Notice that every trait that separates the two categories isn’t even unique to that category. Hyperfixations may often be temporary, but they can be lifelong. And special interests can be temporary in their intensity, like how my fixation on Jellycat bunnies lasted only a month. While hyperfixations are often less connected to the identity of the ADHDer, they definitely can be. They usually include intense bursts of hyperfocus, but autistic individuals also often hyperfocus on their special interests. And while hyperfixations usually contain a wide variety of changing interests, they can be more stable to a select few interests. It depends on the ADHDer or autistic individual.

The reason I believe the terms were separated is because people are much more accepting of ADHD people who hyperfixate than they are of autistic people. The only reason it’s called a “special interest” is because the person who is hyperfixating is autistic. If an ADHDer displayed identical behavior, it would only be referred to as a hyperfixation. You don’t really hear big discussions about “Finding the Cure for ADHD” like you do with autism. Hyperfixations are often encouraged in the current day, but if you autistic, suddenly your passions are labeled as “special,” and I don’t think they mean it in a positive way. To me, it feels demeaning, like someone describing me as someone with “special needs.” I do have unique needs because I’m autistic, but unfortunately, the term “special needs” is often coupled with “dumb,” which I am not. That’s why I prefer to replace the term with “passion” or even “hyperfixation.” There is still a lot of ableism around autism, but that’s why it’s so important for autistic people to speak up.

Always remember, no matter what type of neurodivergent you are, you deserve understanding and love. You are beautiful exactly as you are.

Tips on How to Navigate Fixations

Below is a chart of important tips for neurodivergent and neurotypical loved ones to better understand each other when it comes to neurodivergent fixations. These tips also apply to people with a neurodivergent streak! If you want elaboration on that term, check out my post, "Are Hyperfixations on the Rise?". Now, onto the tips!

Those with Neurodivergent Loved Ones:	Neurodivergent People:
Your loved one’s fixation(s) are a wonderful opportunity to connect with them. Ask them about their current fixation and really listen to them. If you can, experience it with them. If their fixation is a movie, consider watching it with them. If it’s a piece of music, listen to it. Try to figure out why they love it so much. It’ll go a long way to making them feel loved. And who knows? You might end up loving it too.	If a loved one initially rejects your fixation, don’t write them off. Remember that most people don’t know how important it is for neurodivergent individuals to talk about their fixations. Explain how important they are to you and that it makes you feel loved when they listen to you talk about them. If you don’t know how, show them this blog post.
Let your loved one info dump. Info dumping is when someone provides a massive amount of detailed information about a topic, and it is a common form of expression for neurodivergent people. It may seem excessive to you, but your loved one’s fixation is a big part of their world right now. Listen to them.	Conversations go both ways. While there is nothing wrong with info dumping about your fixation to a loved one, remember to leave time for their voice to be heard too. Ask them what they are passionate about right now and listen.
Never shame your loved one for what they’re fixated on. Remember, they don’t get to decide what becomes a fixation and what doesn’t. Autistic people in particular are known for fixating on things that are deemed as “childish” or “immature” for their age. However, this is actually a misunderstanding of what actually constitutes “childish”.	Don’t be ashamed about what you’re fixated on. I know this is easier said than done, but other people’s opinions on what is “childish” are often incorrect. Autistic people in particular usually have a beautiful child-like spirit that is worth protecting. Anyone who tells you otherwise doesn’t truly see you.
Never shame your loved one for how long they are fixated on something. Again, this is out of their control. Some fixations can last a few months, while others can last years or even a lifetime.	Don’t force your fixations to have a time limit. Just because others don’t understand why you’re still talking about the same thing you were a year ago (or more), that doesn’t mean they have the right to decide you should stop. Keep being your beautiful, wildly neurodivergent self.

Final Thoughts

And that wraps up our discussion about special interests and hyperfixations. What do you think? Did you relate with any of these experiences? Do you think the term “special interests” should be categorized separately from “hyperfixations”? Comment below if you have any tips to add to my chart.

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