Hyperfixation Check-In 1
- Emily Kay
- Dec 7, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Dec 8, 2024
Intro~
This episode will be the first in a new series: Hyperfixation Check-ins! Every so often, we will explore my current hyperfixations and why they have piqued my interest.
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Explanation
Hyperfixation is a state of intense focus on a person, activity, or object that can make someone ignore everything else. It involves complete dedication to a single task and can sometimes last long and disrupt daily life. Hyperfixation is commonly associated with neurodivergent conditions such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), but it can also occur in neurotypical individuals. People with ADHD tend to experience hyperfixation more intensely and frequently and are more likely to fixate on something enjoyable or rewarding.
Horror Movies
To be completely honest, horror movies are more of a special interest of mine because I am always a fan of the genre. Special interests are long-lasting interests in a vague topic that bring joy to neurodivergent people. Hyperfixations are more specific. For example, horror movies are one of my special interests, and the Scream franchise is my current hyperfixation within that special interest.
I am including horror movies in this hyperfixation check-in, since I fixate on one horror series at a time. Right now, it’s Scream. I’ve watched the first four movies and the first season of the MTV series. I’ll dive deeper into the Scream franchise in the episode I’m currently writing at the time of this recording: “My Love of Horror: Scream.” My previous fixation in this category was the Friday the 13th franchise. Unfortunately, only the first eight movies are available on Max, the streaming series previously known as “HBO Max” for anyone confused. I would have to buy the next few movies, which is not just feasible right now as I am transitioning to part-time nannying and haven’t yet made money for Archlink LLC.
Before that, it was the Saw movie series, but I stopped after Spiral because I dreaded watching each one, and really didn’t want to poison my love for the horror and thriller genres. No offense to anyone who likes these movies, especially my little brother, Ash, who protests the fact that I hate them, but they just don’t mesh with what I want with my horror experience. It’s just not for me.
The Poltergeist series was not scary at all but had a cute protagonist and an interesting plot. The Child’s Play series was hilarious, especially when it’s a lot of Chucky running on his little doll legs. The Conjuring series was phenomenal. I absolutely loved it and can’t wait for more movies in that universe. I’ve seen the first movie of the Jaws and Exorcist franchises, but I haven’t continued those yet. The Shining upset me because it was praised as the scariest and objectively best horror movie ever on so many ranking lists that I looked at, but it seemed so dull in my viewing experience. Again, no offense to anyone with different opinions. You are entitled to your own.
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Hot-Fix Embellishments
If you follow me on TikTok or YouTube, you know how much time I spend putting hot-fix embellishments on different pairs of sensory headphones that I own. That is the technical term, but I prefer bedazzling, even though it is more vague. Bedazzling is adding any decoration to clothing or accessories, including sequins, beads, glitter, etc. I use gems that already have glue on the bottom that melts using my heat pen so that the glue attaches to the object I am decorating. It took a bit to get used to how to use this tool without burning myself, but I’ve finally gotten the hang of it. I still occasionally fling the gems across the room with my tweezers when I get too excited about my pattern, but I’m working on it. I post updates on my designs on Patreon and sometimes Instagram. Feel free to let me know what you think about my work or if you have any bedazzling suggestions for the future!
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Disney Dreamlight Valley
My virtual hyper-fixation at the moment is the Disney Dreamlight Valley video game. I started the game on my fiance’s Xbox after he told me it was available through Game Pass. The final push to get me into it was learning that my bestie Katie has been playing it, too. The game is basically a farming sim like Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing but with characters from animated Disney movies as your Villagers. The plot is set up in that all the characters lived happily in Dreamlight Valley until a dark force came and sucked the magic away from them. Some characters were sent back to their story’s universe, some stayed in the valley without their memories, and some were stuck in an in-between world without consciousness. You help the characters still in the valley while you collect materials and learn to use your specific powers. You travel to other Realms and bring back the characters stuck there. You learn to use magic to rescue the characters stuck in the in-between sleep. My favorite character is Moana. The way she’s designed is so cute. She’s incredibly kind and does the ancient dance of Montinui whenever she’s just hanging around.
My Dreamlight Valley has many characters, including Goofy, Scrooge McDuck, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Daisy Duck from the Mickey and Friends franchise, Merlin from The Sword in the Stone, Remy from Ratatouille, and Wall-E from his self-titled film. Frozen characters include Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, and Olaf. I already mentioned Moana, but Maui is also available from that movie. The Little Mermaid brings us Ursula, Ariel, and though I haven’t unlocked him yet, Prince Eric is an available character. The Lion King brings Scar, Nala, and Simba, but I have only unlocked Scar so far. Wreck-It Ralph brings Vanellope von Schweetz. There is also Belle and The Beast from Beauty and the Beast, which really bothers me since he should really have his own name. “The Beast” just rubs me the wrong way, especially when we know he was canonically named Adam. Sulley and Mike Wazowski join us from the Monsters Inc. universe, and finally, Mother Gothel from Tangled. There are more characters I haven’t unlocked, and probably even some currently in my Valley that I failed to mention.
This game is dangerous to me because I get so sucked in that I forget about the real world. I have to play with an alarm, while at appointments so I can stop when my name is called, or with my fiancé around so he can remind me to take breaks. It’s an addictive game, and I could play it for hours without noticing that I was hungry, thirsty, or desperately needed to use the bathroom until I started feeling light-headed, had a headache, or got stomach cramps. This is sometimes known as “time blindness,” or the act of forgetting that time is passing while we complete a task or tasks. Hyperfixations and special interests can affect neurodivergent people this way. It acts like one has an addiction. For me, having autism, ADHD, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), I struggle with breaking away from activities I enjoy. I know that ASD and ADHD make sense with hyperfixation, but OCD contributes by giving me intrusive thoughts about what I need to fix within the game or what I can add to my bedazzled design to make it perfect. Leaving an uncompleted task is incredibly difficult for me, so I need to set myself timers and reminders to take a break and care for my needs.
Outro~
https://www.charliehealth.com/post/what-is-hyperfixation#:~:text=People%20who%20hyperfixate%20may%20tune,them%20out%20of%20this%20spell.
https://add.org/adhd-hyperfixation/#:~:text=People%20with%20ADHD%20tend%20to,hyperfixation%20from%20time%20to%20time.
https://www.abtaba.com/blog/hyperfixation-in-adhd-and-autism#:~:text=Understanding%20Hyperfixation,in%20neurotypical%20individuals%20%5B1%5D.
https://www.sandstonecare.com/blog/hyperfixation/#:~:text=What%20Is%20a%20Hyperfixation?,and%20disrupt%20their%20daily%20functioning.
https://tophat.com/glossary/h/hyperfixation/#:~:text=Hyperfixation%20is%20the%20immense%20focus,that%20task%20is%20'tuned%20out.
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