Struggling to differentiate between special interests and hyperfixations

There’s a lot of overlap between adhd and autism! I have adhd and I have a sibling with autism, and from my understanding and lived experiences I would say hyper-fixations are more short lived and bounce around whereas special interests can last a lifetime and are often much deeper. I think special interests are often much broader, but people find niches within them too. For instance I will become obsessed with a new hobby or historical event for a week and never think about it again, but my sibling will get hooked on something for months if not years and will circle back to things over and over again. There’s actually been a lot of interesting discussion/ research lately suggesting adhd may actually be part of the autism spectrum. Also- I apologize if anything isn’t worded correctly or isn’t clear this isn’t really an area of study for me or anything just what I’ve noticed :)

I felt the same way, it took me a while to figure out what my special interest was and I was crying over it and having meltdowns!! But I eventually figured out my special interest is.. videogames! I love playing them, learning about how they're made, watching people play them, you name it! It can be something as broad as that and it's still valid. I wish you luck on your journey 🤗

I have both, and yes, this happens to me too. I think it's normal to fall out of touch with your special interest for a bit and then pick it back up after a little while. I have smaller hyperfixations that go away after a few weeks and then I can't do whatever thing I was obsessing over. But I will always come back to my special interest, even if I've been out of touch with it for months.

omg yes I have ADHD and I get so hyperfixated on things until I get tired and drop them. I want to get back into some of my obsessions again.

I have the same problem I get really interested in things for example I started making fixing my families jewelry and their clothes but ended up getting bored easily. And I have had this one special interest since 7th grade and still going strong with it.

As an ADHD person, this happens to me, too! I'm always switching fandoms, and then going back to them a little while later. Same goes for creative mediums, etc.