If you or your family are neurodivergent in some way, you may have come across the terms special interest, stimming, and hyperfocus (or hyperfixation).

These behaviours are common in people with ADHD, autism, or both. They are often assumed to be the same thing but are actually three distinct behaviours that can occur in the same person and at the same time.

So, what is hyperfocus (or hyperfixation)?

Hyperfocus is when someone pays a highly focused attention to a task or topic.

It’s a behaviour often seen in people with ADHD, though it is not (yet) part of the diagnostic criteria.

A hyperfocus has four criteria:

1. Induced by task engagement – people with ADHD do best when something is novel, interesting, challenging, or urgent.
2. Intense state of sustained or selective attention – the person stays focused for a long time or keeps returning to that particular task or topic because they enjoy it so much.
3. Diminished perception of non-task relevant stimuli – the person doesn’t hear their name being called or ignores their body’s cues such as hunger or the need to go to the toilet.
4. Task performance improves – they are literally better at this particular task than neurotypical people.

Hyperfocus has been previously described as a “flow state” or being “in the zone.”

Some consider it an “ADHD Superpower” because in certain situations it can be very useful. For example, some people can learn to trigger their hyperfocus, especially if they end up working or studying an area of strong interest.

Are there any downsides?

At times, hyperfocus can be a burden if it is triggered for an activity that is inappropriate or gets in the way of other tasks that need to be done.

For example, a person with ADHD might start cleaning their room, find a craft they started ages ago, be distracted by it, and suddenly three hours have passed and they’ve made no progress on cleaning their room.

Hyperfocus is a normal activity for a neurodivergent person and is not usually a cause for concern.

If you are worried about a particular behaviour, talk to your child or observe them quietly when they are doing it, and see if you can figure out why this particular behaviour is useful or rewarding for them.

That ought to give you some guidance on what other less-worrisome activities may be attractive to your child so you can start slowly introducing new stimuli and redirecting their behaviour.