Yes.

Yes.

Special Interest vs Hyperfixation

This post is about how I PERSONALLY have come to define these words. There is no clear consensus on the distinction, so I have made my own. I am not trying to control how other people use these terms or who uses them, so do not argue with me about that. You’ve been warned.

How are special interests and hyperfixations commonly distinguished?

Many people say that special interest = autism and hyperfixation = ADHD. I’m not a fan of saying, “This thing is basically the same in each, but we’re using different words based on which box you’ve been sorted into.”

Another way people distinguish is by saying special interests are long term/permanent and hyperfixations are short term. That’s a start, but it doesn’t really explain why one would be long and one short—unless they serve different functions.

My definitions are about the functions of these kinds of interests.

Special interests

I define special interest as a topic of intense interest to someone, usually an autistic person, that serves an important function: they are a way to organize/understand the world, one’s emotions, relationships, etc, and also a safe, structured way of interacting with other people/the world. Because they become integral to how one sees/interprets the world, people often describe special interests as part of their identity.

For autistic people who are not great at masking, their special interest might be the only thing they want to talk about. Sharing information about one’s special interest can be how people express affection (“I am trusting you with this important part of me!”) and could be considered a neurodivergent “love language.”

Think of Aaron in The Mitchells vs the Machines. He goes through the phone book calling people to ask if they’d like to talk about dinosaurs with him, and when his sister Katie is leaving for college, he expresses his anxiety and tries to make sense of what is happening by asking what happens to velociraptors when one leaves the pack.

Hyperfixations

Saying hyperfixations are just short-term special interests does not do them justice, and it doesn’t make sense! Special interests are about becoming an expert in a topic so it can serve as a secure base from which to approach trickier aspects of life. But hyperfixations often fizzle out after reaching the “expert” stage. Why is that?

Hyperfixations serve a different (also important) purpose: dopamine! It’s all about the thrill of the chase. The consumption of information at light speed. Chronically understimulated brains use hyperfixations as a way to produce more of the neurotransmitters they need so badly. This is why they often fizzle out once the game is complete, the show has been binged, or you’ve learned all there is to know on a subject: the novelty is what creates that first flash flood of dopamine that our brains find so delicious. I had more hyperfixations back when I was stuck in boring classes all day. My brain was desperate for stimulation.

Similarities

Both special interests and hyperfixations are unusually intense interests. Both of them can feel necessary for survival—because they are survival strategies developed by neurodivergent brains for surviving in a neurotypical-designed world! They both serve important functions that go beyond simple enjoyment or relaxation. And while special interests in autism have been pathologized the most, both hyperfixations and special interests—in whomever they occur—are often dismissed, bullied, or discouraged by people who do not see their importance and utility.

I’ve made it sound black and white here, but it’s not. These two can overlap. Hyperfixations often “mellow out” into special interests, special interests can produce happy brain chemicals. Also, in my experience, I’ve known more autistic people with special interests and more ADHD people with hyperfixations, and I will continue to talk about them largely in those contexts… but I am an expert on no one’s mind but my own. I don’t police who uses these words.

So, to sum up.

Special interest: an organizational framework for understanding the world and for understanding and navigating emotions and social relationships.

Hyperfixation: an adaptive response to chronic understimulation by “mining” a subject for neurotransmitters.

I get lost in my hyperfixations. I would get lost without my special interests. Both are important functions!