So, I was diagnosed with Asperger's at age 6, but for a while now I've suspected that I probably also have ADHD. I was wondering how many of you can relate to this specific experience I have, and which of the two disorders (or both) you have.
I have a lot of small passions, things I know a lot about and can really get into. Some examples of these are vintage computers, old versions of Minecraft, the Civilization series, typewriters, twisty puzzles, analog media formats, D&D, etc. I've heard this phenomenon referred to as "microfixation," and I think this applies well. I'm usually only primarily fixated on one of these until something in my life reminds me of another one and I transition to the next microfixation for a few weeks to a few months. Occasionally I pick up a new microfixation, but usually I go back to things that have interested me in the past.
Is this characteristic of ADHD, autism, or both?
I have both (only formally diagnosed with ADHD tho) and I honestly can't really separate them too well.
I do the same thing, though — I'll have accumulate encyclopedic knowledge about a Special Interest niche topic over a period of months and eventually lose interest, either in favor of a new niche topic or even just to kind of be adrift for awhile. I always associated the niche topic fixations with autism, and me wringing them for every drop of dopamine until they don't stimulate me anymore with ADHD, but there's so much overlap between the two it's really hard to say.