I have kind of wanted to ask this question for a while now, so here we go.

I have been diagnosed with autism, ADHD, anxiety, and OCD. Well, every one of these can cause someone to develop a hyperfixation, meaning that they are super super into certain topic(s) that can almost entirely consume their daily lives. My main hyperfixation is definitely anything with electricity, and has been for most of my life, it is what I am thinking about probably at least 10 hours of every day (as of now). On of my more minor ones is scientific glassblowing, and both of these hyperfixations come together very nicely in the form of lighting. I have other hyperfixations as well, but they are irrelevant.

No offense to everyone else, but you are probably at least a tiny bit crazy if you are on this platform, whether it is a diagnosable condition or not. I just would like to see if anyone else can relate, I know this can be a sensitive topic for some people, obviously if you don't feel comfortable talking about it you don't have to say anything.

I would also like to say thank you to the majority of the users on this platform that make others feel included no matter what, you make the world go around.

Thanks!

You are not alone, Multisubject.  I do have mild autism and able to manage it

Probably 99% of members on here, and those who say they aren't are most likely in denial.

@rjluna2
Thanks! I think I manage pretty well

@Al_M
That is sort of what I was alluding to, but I didn't want to say it outright lol

I'm not formally diagnosed with anything, but I'm likely at least a little bit autistic. Also ADHD for sure. I have the same "can't focus for sh*t" vs. "hyperfocused to death" stages that people with ADHD do. Something just clicks, and my brain starts firing on all eight cylinders.

Also mild OCD is probable, I've always had an obsession of adding values to numbers to get an even value, ie, 10,000. I remember i would stare out the car window and do that with every mailbox number I would pass. Now, as a driver, I do it with license plate numbers when stopped at a red light or in standstill traffic. Also, I used to have an odd obsession where if I tapped two fingers together, I would have to tap every finger twice– up from the pink to the thumb and down again. Weird, I know. 

Finally... if that wasn't enough, i learned to talk very late. But once I learned, you couldn't shut me up if you tried. And social settings have always been difficult (i couldn't read the room in my younger years), though now that I've spent years working on that I've vastly improved. Weirdly enough, I've always loved public speaking... 

@Maxim
I could write a book with all of the weird obsessions I have had, one notable one from when I was very young is if I spun around (like going up multiple flights of stairs), I would count how many times I spun and then when I was done I would spin the opposite way, as if I was unraveling an imaginary string that had wrapped around me.

I also learned to talk very late. I think I have improved sort of decently, but I am definitely very different than others in a crowd if you pay attention (this of course led to issues in school). Interesting that you like public speaking, public speaking is a total disaster for me, unless it is something I am interested in (so pretty much never). That is a skill many people would love to have.

@Multisubject - I feel like your spinning thing is very similar to my finger tapping thing... I had a similar perception- as if I am unraveling or "undoing" what I did before. For me though, it was more of a "cancelation" of the previous action to stay in "balance". Lol.

My parents chose to never get me diagnosed, which honestly I really appreciate. I've never taken Adderall, and never plan on taking it in my lifetime. I've learned to accept and appreciate myself for who I am, and work with / accept my flaws. I feel like drugs take away your personality and who you truly are, but I do get their purpose, especially in more serious cases.

@Maxim That sounds like a great way to be!

@Maxim
That is an excellent description! Another common one was if I would hit my hand on something, I would hit the other hand, which would usually be overcompensating, so I would lightly hit the original hand again, and then I am just sitting there lightly going back and forth tapping both of my hands on something before realizing "ok, what the actual frick an I doing" lol. Everything has to be equal!

I am medicated, not with Adderall but with something milder. Everyone has their own reasons for doing so or not doing so, but I am glad you have enough confidence to go out into the world "raw"!