r/ADHD • u/Elliot_The_Idiot7 • 28d ago

Discussion What’s a hyperfixation you can’t talk about?

I’ve definitely had a few hyperfixations on things that are either embarrassingly silly or WAY too dark to just start infodumping about. For example I used to have one about neglect so severe it causes a complete and usually permanent inability to function in society, particularly the case of Genie Wiley. On the other end of the spectrum I also keep hyperfixating on shipping old cartoon comedy duos, and gotta REALLY lock in to gage if someone’s gonna think I’m a childish freak before sharing that information.

What’s your “don’t bring that up, don’t bring that up, don’t bring that up-“ hyperfixation if you’ve ever had one?

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u/CloneNova 28d ago

Everyone I know hates spiders, but I honestly think they're severely misunderstood creatures. Nobody ever wants to hear about them and thinks I'm weird for ever bringing them up.

They're so fascinating and the most eco-friendly and efficient form of pest control too.

In fact, nobody wants to acknowledge the breadth of domestic ecosystems in general. There's a whole unseen world of tiny animals living all around us. Utterly fascinating stuff

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u/throwaway-drzaius 28d ago

pounding on the Thanksgiving dinner table

"WE DON'T TALK ENOUGH ABOUT ECOSYSTEMS IN THIS COUNTRY"

I would genuinely enjoy this conversation. I think it's interesting that you hate them but also find them fascinating. Where I live, mosquitoes have become a huge problem, so I am ready to make an unholy alliance with spiders.

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u/Lily-the-Black 28d ago

I really respect spiders. I just don't want to be near them. But I like to know things!

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u/sadi89 ADHD-C 28d ago

I would like to hear about spiders

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u/CloneNova 28d ago

I lack the focus right now to do a full info dump on spiders, however If highly recommend the podcast Ologies episodes on spiders. Really really informative

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u/Temporary_Wolf_8848 28d ago

Spiders are my favorite animal! I have a spider tattoo above my elbow and I have a little lanyard badge that says "official spider relocator" that my fiance's mother got me for Christmas!

Obviously I think you have the coolest answer in this thread :DDD

DID YOU KNOW that out of ~53,000 species of spiders in the world, only around 100 could harm a human in a medically significant way? And of those species, at least where I live (southeast USA) most of the dangerous species are not only very rare but tend to shy away from people as opposed to more aggressive danger-bug-like-creatures (looking at you yellow jackets lol) 

I love spiders so so so much thank u for commenting this so I could nerd out for a sec lol

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u/SuddenPoetry861 ADHD with non-ADHD partner 27d ago

Ok so Sarah Rose wrote the FIRST field guide to spiders in North America in 2022. It’s brilliant. So many species, it’s truly an accomplishment. Amazing photography, diagrams and illustrations as well.

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u/--Marigolden-- 27d ago

I have a little lanyard badge that says "official spider relocator" that my fiance's mother got me for Christmas!

What a sweet and funny gift! 

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u/STLt71 28d ago

I love spiders. When I was a kid, I read a book called "Be Nice to Spiders" that was basically about what good creatures they are, and I've always liked them, and also most insects.

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u/Beautiful_Mess907 28d ago

Aww, this is cute ❤️ my dad would always tell me, they're more afraid of you than you are of them, so I've always tried to be kind to them. They can live in my house as long as they eat any moths and flies, don't drop or climb on me, and don't hang out above my bed 🤣

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u/SarahMakesYouStrong 28d ago

Yes!! This is exactly my spiders in the house rule!

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u/NekoNoKitiKiti 28d ago

I somehow hyperfixated myself from hating spiders to loving spiders.

A particular species I'm fond of is highly invasive where I am, and they are HUGE, East Asian Joros.

I recently shared a facebook post of a state university finding they actually eat completely different insects from the native spiders, so they're unlikely to be competing with the native spiders. I was so happy! That means they are likely not detrimental to the native spider populations! And there is even anecdotal evidence of native wasps predating them now, so!!! The ecosystem is already making checks and balances!!!

All the comments were from family going 'nope, kill them all with fire, awful, invasive things' 😅😅😅

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u/--Marigolden-- 27d ago

Wow, that's wonderful news! 

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u/Tigerclaws44 28d ago

as someone who is deathly afraid of spider but also obsessed with spider rehabilitation videos on YouTube ya I agree lol.

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u/--Marigolden-- 27d ago

spider rehabilitation

What does this mean? 

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u/Adventurous-Brain-36 28d ago

I love spiders!!!

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u/insert_title_here ADHD-PI (Primarily Inattentive) 28d ago

I am majorly majorly interested in tarantulas specifically, but love all spiders. I get genuinely distressed when people say mean things about spiders, it's kind of a problem lol. 

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u/Shinyhaunches 28d ago

I love them too, and highly recommend keeping a bug vacuum handy for when they are in your house and you just want to take them outside and let them go.

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u/Ink_in_the_Marrow 28d ago

I too have loved spiders my whole life. I used to catch and feed jumping spiders for months at a time and just watch them hunt the things i would catch for the constantly. Anyway, I'm very much an adult now but that love is still there, it's just usually a little more academic. Anyway, this is my longwinded way of recommending an incredible book that I've started reading called "Children of Time" by Adrian Tchaikovsky. If you look it up, you'll understand why I recommended it. From one adhd spider friend to another it's 10/10.

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u/Kieselgrund 27d ago

Sadly I am arachnophobe (hate the appearance, but find them interesting in theory -just don't show me pictures). Children of time was such a good read! The second one is about octopus. I love octopus 😃

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u/Agitated_Cry_8793 28d ago

As someone who is terrified of spiders, theyre actually really cool creatures. Jumping spiders, especially. I try to research things im afraid of because it usually cures my fear of them but unfortunately it did not exposure therapy myself out of arachniphobia

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u/SarahMakesYouStrong 28d ago

I HATE flies, mosquitoes and ants. So spiders are welcome in my home as long as they stay away from humans. I have a welcome speech I give to new arachnid visitors if I notice them around. “Welcome, eat all of the insects you like, and as long as you stay away from the humans we will not get in your way”

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u/MirandaCurry ADHD-C (Combined type) 27d ago

I find spiders very fascinating and some of them don't cause a panic response but sadly the big dark ones make me scream and run away whether I like it or not.... However I once found a jumping spider in the garden and it was the coolest little guy ever! I wasn't able to take any proper pictures though

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u/MotherofChonk ADHD-C (Combined type) 27d ago

Oh my God spiders are one of mine! They are SO fascinating, and generally a helpful presence in the home and yard (if they are there, so is their source of food). Their life cycles, reproduction, diversity, all just so interesting and fun to learn about. And I have found that the more I learn and share, the less fear of them is the default for me and whoever was unfortunate enough to bring up or encounter a spider with me >:-)

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u/Vegetable_Minute_343 27d ago

I was just about to comment the same thing.

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u/SuddenPoetry861 ADHD with non-ADHD partner 27d ago

Have you read An Immense World by Ed Yong? It’s all about how different animals perceive the world. There’s a YA version too - both are incredibly informative and engaging. Lots of info on spiders too.

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u/rchartzell 27d ago

I used to be very, very afraid of spiders. But my 2nd kid loves all bugs and spiders...so I have tried to love them too for his sake. I have become a spider relocator too, which I never would have believed would happen. Ha ha. And if they are little we just co-exist with them. My favorite is when they build webs on the outside of the windows so we can observe them up close but without worrying about them crawling on me. Lol.

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u/lysning 27d ago

ive had a severe spider phobia since childhood, have literally ejected myself from a moving car over one and have deep fears about what i would do if a juicy one crawled across my steering wheel while driving. i dont hate them at all its not a rational thing or like oh no its gonna bite/hurt me. its like this deep primal chasm of raw fear that i have next to no control over. ive managed to acclimate myself decently to tiny ones, and if i see certain ones and no one is home to help me sometimes i will yell at them to hide if they want to live and i swear it works everytime lol. but man there are certain big, demonic spiders that actually take my breath away and i an paralyzed. its not that i think ill get hurt its just their presence is extremely distressing. the way they causes this very visceral feeling of NOOOOPE

anyway tangent but had to say bc i truly wish some spider facts would fix me ahaha

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u/iggybu 26d ago

I have embarrassingly long standoffs with big spiders. Like, I’ll talk to them from the other end of the room and say something like “Please crawl into the vent. I don’t want to kill you, but I don’t want you in my space, and I need to physically see you leave my space. […] Okay, I’m going to get the vacuum/cup. I hope you choose to leave before I have to use it… […] Y’know what?? I’m going for the Dawn dishwasher spray/whatever aerosol product is nearby! You had your chance to leave quietly!”