Anyone who has followed me for any amount of time knows I talk extensively about a phenomenon I experience that I refer to as "hyperfixation".

It looks like uncontrollable, obsessive focus on a particular activity or project. This might sound lovely, except it disrupts sleep because I literally can't stop thinking about the project, or I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about it. I forget to eat. I'm often working 10+ hour days.

This goes on for months, and I inevitably hit a wall of exhaustion that takes me more months to recover from.

I've had a term for this phenomenon for a couple of years now, and I can trace it back to at least my teenage years. But one thing I've observed is that, at least for the last 4-5 years, it's been seasonal and largely begins to consume me around March and April.

Recovering from a hyper-fixation episode feels like rebuilding a life, over and over. Rebuilding healthy self-care habits, over and over. It's draining to think about how many times I've rebuilt self-care systems.

This year feels different. I've spent some time this afternoon reflecting on exactly what I've changed, and I thought I'd share in case anyone is as frustrated with this behaviour as I am and is looking for ideas.

1. Add more distractions. This was counter-intuitive. I spent so much time over the years optimizing for focus and productivity, but adding more distractions - like timers that are not easily disabled - helps me regulate my focus and mitigate losing myself.

2. Finding what is _actually_ restful for me, and making a point to do it regularly. This seems obvious, but things I _thought_ were restful for me were not actually restful. It took getting a Garmin smartwatch and seeing the HRV and stress insights to help me nail this one down. Understimulation can be just as stressful as overstimulation.

3. Practicing what a friend called "re-parenting" - setting boundaries _around yourself_. You wake up at 3am because you want to do that thing? Too bad, it's 3am. If you can't sleep, do something restful (see point 2). Not the hyperfixation thing.

4. Incorporate dopamine "snacks". This one came from the same friend that put me on to "re-parenting": he said my description of hyperfixation sounded similar to the boom-bust cycle of binge eating, and maybe incorporating small "snacks" would prevent the binge.

So far, these tools are working for me. My life has felt significantly more balanced in the last 6-8 weeks than it has in... well, ever. I'm eating reasonably well. I'm exercising regularly (3-4 times a week, ~150 minutes a week). I'm spending time on a handful of interests instead of overwhelming myself with one.

The biggest shift that makes me hopeful and optimistic is that this feels _sustainable_.

Now, the challenge is to get through another month! 🤞

#ActuallyAutistic #AuDHD #Hyperfixation #BurnoutRecovery #Neurodivergent #ADHD

Whoa, I made it through March without losing myself in a hyperfixation and burning myself out.

This time of year, for some reason, is prime hyperfixation season for me. Every year for the last 4 or 5 years, at least, and possibly before that. I've only recognized hyperfixation as a phenomenon relatively recently in my life.

I've made some changes this year, though it's hard to know which changes made the difference.

Oh, and hi friends! 👋😀

#ActuallyAutistic #Neurodivergent #Hyperfixation #Burnout #ADHD #AuDHD

Finished another LEGO set! This time is the Lucky Bamboo set. I've loved building the Japanese seasonal flowers/plants set. I just need the Plum Blossom set to finish the series!

#LEGO #Bamboo #Plants #Hobby #HyperFixation