I often can’t let things go, even if I want to.
My focus (and special interests) are like a large vessel in an intense current that I can steer (but do not have complete control over). I can nudge my focus in the right direction, but it is hardly up to me if the current takes me with it (or not).

Often, by the time I realize I’ve fallen into the current of hyper-focus, it’s too late (because I’ve already gone too deep, losing large blocks of time to whatever has stolen my attention) and will now be unable to get the new topic out of my mind, once it has taken hold.

If my attention tunnels into something positive and constructive (or at least on a problem I can solve), my Monotropic tendencies can be a positive force in my life.

If my attention latches onto an unsolvable problem or any other unhelpful thought, this tendency to focus so intensely on one thing at a time can be torture (when my mind gets stuck on a loop, looping over and over again on the same hopeless problem). Continue reading Autistic Hyper-focus and Monotropism: Why Getting Hooked on The Wrong Topic Can Be Dangerous