Hyperfixations: Flings & Forevers
It’s pretty well known that people with ADHD tend to become hyperfixated on different things, often jumping from one obsession to the next. It’s impulsive, spontaneous, and all-consuming—kind of like the rush of a teenage romance.
I’ve definitely had my fair share of fixations over the years. So, let’s start this post with a laugh at some of my past obsessions, which were intense... but short-lived. So short lived my husband didn’t even know about some!
Polymer Clay Earrings: I went full craft market girl, bought all the supplies, made a few sets of earrings, then got over it. The materials ended up under the bed until I sold them on Facebook Marketplace.
Hula Hooping: The obsession with Instagram videos of people doing amazing hoop tricks was real, but very short-lived. Of course, I bought the hoop first.
Digital Wedding Décor: I created an Etsy shop selling digital table numbers, invites, signage—you name it, I made it. That hyperfixation lasted long enough to populate my Etsy store and then fizzle out- before any sales were made.
Crochet: Started strong, lasted about a week, and then… well, that was enough.
Colouring Books: To be fair, I still enjoy my colouring books, but not as much as I did six months ago. I had to have the right textas and a specific book, because nothing else but that exact book could possibly be as mindful, right?
Learning to Sew: I bought a mini sewing machine during a Black Friday sale, watched some YouTube tutorials, actually produced a few decent alterations… then decided it wasn’t for me.
Skipping: This one lasted longer than most. I learned a few tricks before I cut my fancy skipping rope too short to use. It now hangs probably to be never picked up again.
Furniture Refurbishment: I thought, "With my husband’s skills and my ‘let’s do this!’ attitude, we can make this happen!" I painted and decorated a dresser and hall table. We don’t have them anymore.
Canvas Painting: Art is expensive, right? So I figured, why not paint my own? Spoiler: I have zero artistic talent, and no one needed to see that. It was supposed to be a mindful exercise, but they were hanging in our home... THE SHAME.
Heritage Homes: I became obsessed with YouTube videos of people showing off incredible heritage homes for sale, to the point where I thought I could do the same. Great ideas, zero follow-through.
Honestly, there are plenty more, but I’m exhausted just remembering all the quests I’ve been on over the last five years. And this isn’t even everything!
It’s a bit like an adventure, isn’t it? A gamble, where you never know what you’ll discover. My true passion could be just around the corner, or it could be the next thing I dive into. It’s all a bit exciting, really!
You might read this and think, "Wow, she just jumps from one thing to the next without really thinking." And, you know what? You’d be right—there’s a lot of impulsiveness. But I’ve also found that there are some hobbies in my life that are the complete opposite of this impulsiveness. For many years, I danced, I’ve been learning French for about three years, and I’ve always loved reading. These are the hobbies that have stuck with me—the steady loves amidst the whirlwind flings.
As I’ve shown with all my endless, short-lived hobbies, people with ADHD can be incredibly impulsive. Let’s use shopping as an example. Now while I can absolutely be impulsive with shopping, I can also be incredibly obsessive when making purchases. Sometimes, there’s a different kind of hyperfixation when I’m shopping for something in particular. I will spend weeks—sometimes months—researching to make absolutely sure I’m making the right decision.
I’ll read reviews, compare products, look at different brands, check where and how the item is made, wait for sales in case it is discounted, inspect the quality, watch YouTube reviews, read blogs, and search for any new models being released. The list goes on and on.
I can think of a few items where this research paid off, where I’m usually pretty satisfied with my purchase and it wasn’t a short lived whirlwind fling. My Kindle, Restyla, July workbag, American Tourister Luggage, various Apple products, Dyson vacuum & other house appliances. One of my most recent research projects? A vanity top LED makeup mirror.
The lighting in our bathroom is terrible for doing makeup. While I’d love to replace the mirrors with ones that have built-in lighting, that’s just not happening anytime soon. So, I decided a small vanity mirror would be a good alternative.
I’ve been researching mirrors for months, doing everything I mentioned above to find one that actually works. I stayed at a hotel recently where they had an amazing mirror, but they didn’t have the brand name on it. Because I have no shame, I emailed the hotel to ask where they got it from! Unfortunately, they were special order.
I’ve purchased a couple of mirrors, only to get home and realise they were awful—so I returned them. I went to a shop a few months ago, determined to see the quality and brightness of their LED mirrors in person. The staff were so lovely, searching high and low for batteries so I could check it out. In the end, the product wasn’t great and I didn’t make the purchase…If you know who you are I am sorry!
Then, SimpleHuman entered the picture. I’d read so much about their sensor mirrors, and after months of research, I knew I’d found the solution to my bad lighting dilemma. I was ready to buy it right then and there—then like many summer romances, heartbreak struck. I discovered they’re out of stock and have been for some time. For those interested- No word on when they’ll be back in stock.
So, for now, I continue my quest for the perfect mirror, hoping it won’t be much longer before I can stop doing my makeup in the dark…well basically in the dark, that’s beside the point!
And so, there you have it. Two very different types of hyperfixation—impulsive and obsessive—that take me on a whirlwind journey through hobbies, purchases, and sometimes, a little self-discovery along the way. Much like a love story, these fixations come with passion and intensity, often with an uncertain ending. But that's part of the excitement, right? After all, the next obsession could be just around the corner—maybe the one that truly sticks. Until then, I’ll continue to fall head over heels for each new idea, knowing that somewhere in the chaos, I might just find my forever hobby and hopefully a SimpleHuman mirror.