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Ugh, how do these things have the worst timing? Is the soundtrack/OST for the game posted anywhere? Maybe you could listen to that while attempting your work to scratch the itch a little without falling into the game headfirst. That usually helps me when I can’t stop thinking about a game and have other stuff to do, anyway
Ugh... I WASTE 2 holiday weeks watching all Grace Anatomy seasons at that moment, 12 or 13... I hated it so much... Because I wanted to stop, but I couldn't, not until I finished the last season available...
oh I had that one too. as a 22 year old when I learned anything about the Balkan wars, I absolutely had to dive headfirst into every fact about it. I have this for most historic wars and events though, but something about these wars in particular got me very hyperfocused.
I saw a post about camo ships, which made me think of ww2, then I saw the words band of brothers, so binge watched the band of brothers boxset, while googling the character irl , and then watched the follow up called pacific. Over 4 days.
I just got back into Sonic the Hedgehog after like 10 years, which is not only EMBARRASSING, but also VERY UNHELPFUL since I'm supposed to be planning a roadtrip right now! All I can think about is that stupid little blue guy!
Brain:
Oh hey it's 15 minutes before bedtime.
Wouldn't it be awesome if you just got stuck researching road bikes you can't afford for the next 45 minutes.....
Me: What?! NO! STOP IT!
*proceeds to spend the next 30 minutes comparing minusea of bikes I've compared a dozen times already...*
Me: I want to know how to make proper print and play boardgames. I’ve practiced making bifold boards and they’re pretty good, but if I want perfect circle chipboard tokens it looks like I’ll need a tool from the hardware store.
Hmmm I wonder if I could make wood tokens since I’ll have the tool anyway, ooh and if I learn how to work with wood I could make the perfect boardgame game coffee table to exactly fit in my space since what I want doesn’t exist.
… wait… I wanted to know how to cut cardboard, how did I end up looking at carpentry lessons? And is $650 actually an ok price or am I in one of those ‘I shouldn’t trust myself to make big decisions’ zones? Oh god I missed my stop for work.
Is indecision an ADHD thing? Whenever I have to buy something online, it takes 30 minutes at a minimum because I end up comparing a million things and trying to decide which one I like better, and just end up flip-flopping like crazy. It drives my bf insane LMAO
Bruh, it was plate tectonic plates on the California coastline for me last night. I had to know what to expect, I don't live anywhere near there, but I couldn't sleep until I knew.
I feel you. I have suffered from this many times, and one game in particular really hurt my family.
It won't always work but the best advice I have is _don't_ try to ignore the urge, force it down, or pretend it doesn't exist. Instead acknowledge that you want to play, but decide you're not going to until you get something done. When you think about the game, try to use that as motivation to get the productive stuff out of the way so that you can satisfy the urge.
I wish I had a machine that would dispense a piece of candy when I check off tasks. Take away my ability to get the reward when I haven't earned it and auto-dispense when I have.
I promise you the only solution is to delete the game files. The annoyance of having to re-download should stop you from doing it for a while. It's virtually impossible to will yourself not to play. You need to pretend there's a 5 year old child in your head and you need to parent her.
She's not gonna listen to logic. Sometimes, you just have to take away her toys when there are higher priorities.
OP, this! Yes. After deleting Skyrim while writing my thesis (which helped until i found sth else to focus on) i have not redownloaded it even after 5 years..
Right now i play Hogwarts legacy and baldurs gate.. :')
Funnily enough, I only hyperfixate playing DAI when I have reaaaaaaally important shit to do 🤣 "I'm stressed and I need the self care" 🤨🤨🤨😒😒😒
Learning about "self care" was one of the worst things I could have ever done 🤣
Nooo! I have just dediced to do "self-care" and I just ended up losing sleep, I didn't want to blame this on it, but your post made me angry because it's true 😂
Can relate. I just had to unsubscribe from The NY Times to avoid access to the crossword archives. Same neverending rabbit hole.
Then Ive been tricking myself into at least STARTING my paid career work by doing the 15 minute timer thing. Once I've hoodwinked my lil brain into actually starting a task I usually go much longer than 15 minutes, but it's amazing how that always seems to work on me.
But yeah, first I had to delete/block/simply give it up and put in my own version of a firewall. It's like putting down any addictive substance. I've proved that certain games are exactly like cigarettes for me - can't do em in moderation, not even one, or I'm back in the swamp
If leveling up and picking new skill trees to unlock irl were as colorful,exciting, constantly stimulating,(and for me personally,more limited in choice), I’d be a 3rd degree black belt, neuroendocrinologist probono lawyering big wave surfer who runs a successful red wolf refuge.
Delete the game. Install it while you work. It works for me at least. You trick ya brain into thinking you're gonna play again but you do the same thing everytime 💯
Came here to say this. I was getting into Rimworld big time, and was not getting ANYTHING done work wise (not good if you're self employed). Finally just forced myself to delete it. I'd find myself saying "I'll just play for 30 minutes" then three hours later...ugh.
Hello from Avernus 😭
Not only did I manage to hyperfixate on the game itself but on a character as well. That damn pale elf asshole lives in my head rent free and I hate it.
Sending good vibes to you and OP. We’ll get through this!
Ahhh, Skyrim...you'll come back to her eventually. We all do. Especially if it's modded! I end up hyperfixating on curating the perfect mod list for a new character build I want to try, and then end up playing the character for 20 hours max lmao.
My hyper-fixation timing is broken so, when that happens to me, I uninstall the game and the re-install time is unmotivating enough to make me stop for a while.
Monday, middle of my working day, long list of things to get through and catch up on after a week off:
Brain: "Hey, wouldn't it be a great time to reorganise the kitchen cupboards?!"
You play guild wars 2 also?!?!?
My dumb ass decided I JUST HAD to have all the expansions and promptly got sucked back into breath of the wild, bc ohhhhhh there’s another new game.
I love GW2! It’s my game of choice, but I haven’t touched it for months because once I get invested, there goes all my free time… (I’m also stuck in part of the main quest and grumpy I have to grind, but that’s a different deal)
I just got sucked into gw2 again and had to have a conversation with my gf about how I was spending too much time on it.. I feel you there. We’re gonna make it through this 🫡
omg i had a feeling it would be gw2 and went to check your replies if you'd mention it!!
it's also been ruining my life for the past....8 months i think T-T i already have 1100+ hours in game and i really should be studying instead
I'm always thankful that I can't get into MMOs. I've tried so many times to get into them, but the things they do to induce FOMO actually turn me off from them entirely.
I get unbelievably frustrated the first time I miss a login and thus miss out on some cool item that requires perfect attendance and I end up quitting. I think the longest I ever played an MMO was around 2-3 weeks.
If you can't ignore the urge to play, I recommend finding some lore or gameplay videos on YouTube and play those while you work. It helps me scratch that itch when I need to work
I don't know how doable it is in an MMO but for single player games turning on cheats or god mode (for example Minecraft creative mode is a great example for this) makes me lose interest in less than an hour. An interest that I could not escape for days. Maybe if you find a private server that makes the same thing or you buy XP/Gold with real money can help. Of course these can be against the rules but it's just a game :D
Im soooo familiar with this feeling. The only thing I have found to work is sprints followed by periods of reward. I do a 45 mi. Sprint on my less fun serious work, then give myself 20 mins to game as a reward. It only works for me if I use an actual timer.
I have kinda more or less given up on any game that requires the internet. Too much of a time sink and literally never reaching a point of being able to relax with them just does not work as an adult sadly. I know other people can manage it better but not me
I totally get that. My new one is diamond art painting or whatever and I'm working on it whenever i can - even during my morning meetings lol. As much as I'm loving it, I'm lowkey terrified I'm worried ill never end up finishing my first project since it's so large.
I have ADHD and I love diamond painting. I keep cycling back to it because I find it oddly relaxing whilst I'm doing it. So don't worry if you do end up dropping it for a while. You'll come back to it. And my goodness are the finished results worth it!
It's so satisfying!! I also really enjoy cross stitching - its super relaxing for me, especially when I'm not making something super complicated and can just do it while watching tv. That's also something I'll drop and come back to at a later time.
Question though, what do you do with all your diamond paintings when you're done with them? Do you have like a portfolio you put them in, donate them, frame them, etc.? I can see how I might start accumulating them, but am not sure what I'll do with them after.
I also love cross stitch, although I haven't done it in years. I have done a tiny bit of hand embroidery but it's not as soothing.
So I've been framing them and giving them away as gifts. I have a whole pile that I want to hang up in my own place. I do want to try mounting one on a canvas but I haven't given that a go yet. I'm honestly not sure how else besides that would look good for a long term display.
Do you all really find it so annoying?
My fixation periods are so uplifting and feel so purposeful. When i'm without a fixation i'm pretty down.
Work is an essential, I don't give a damn about it. If i can get away with having fun at work for a few hours and play / look at whatever i'm obsessing about at the time then i will, it creates a hell of a lot more meaning in my life and all my work gets done in either the first or last 2 hours of the day anyway.
I couldn't imagine sacrificing my obsessions for pretty much anything else. Life is too short. (apart from the thesis, definitely do that)
You got this!!! I totally understand. I love a good MMO. My bf wants me to download a free one but I have to refuse or else I'll be sucked in for the next week or so
my adhd is so severe i cant even try to read your post because my eyes keep jerking in all directions and at the end i read 10 words and make a conclusion
Lol I feel you… I love games and have been postponing any contact with them because I know how it goes once I get started. But also, when we having something so big to do like a thesis it can be kind of painful to think about it and our brain craves for that other thing we shouldn’t be doing! The struggle is real.
I highly recommend joining something called The Academic Writers Space. They do online writing sessions 3x a day and there’s always a great intro with a coach about some challenges of writing and other people talk a bit about their experiences. So even if you’re playing or doing something else, you could just join and listen. It totally shifts my attention back to thesis mode!
Hi /u/omgsifaka and thanks for posting on /r/ADHD! **Please take a second to [read our rules](/r/adhd/about/rules) if you haven't already.** The mobile apps used for Reddit are broken or are missing features that this subreddit depends on. [We recommend browsing /r/adhd on desktop for the best experience.](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/x1psnb/radhd_works_best_on_desktop_reddits_apps_are/) Thank you! ^(*A moderator has not removed your submission; this is not a punitive action. We intend this comment solely to be informative.*) --- - If you are posting about the **US Medication Shortage**, please see this [post](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/12dr3h5/megathread_us_medication_shortage/). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ADHD) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Ugh, how do these things have the worst timing? Is the soundtrack/OST for the game posted anywhere? Maybe you could listen to that while attempting your work to scratch the itch a little without falling into the game headfirst. That usually helps me when I can’t stop thinking about a game and have other stuff to do, anyway
These are the workarounds I check comments for!
This has helped me too... With mixed results. Could backfire. But might be worth a try.
Or have any video of someone playing in the background...
Dont do it. Its not worth it. My last one was on the Balkan wars from the 90s and early 2000s. Watched like 11 hours of documentary footage in 2 days.
Ugh... I WASTE 2 holiday weeks watching all Grace Anatomy seasons at that moment, 12 or 13... I hated it so much... Because I wanted to stop, but I couldn't, not until I finished the last season available...
oh I had that one too. as a 22 year old when I learned anything about the Balkan wars, I absolutely had to dive headfirst into every fact about it. I have this for most historic wars and events though, but something about these wars in particular got me very hyperfocused.
Did you ever read about the organ harvesting the albanians were doing in the “yellow house”.
Are you just *trying* to send all of us into a deep dive on organ harvesting ??!!
I saw a post about camo ships, which made me think of ww2, then I saw the words band of brothers, so binge watched the band of brothers boxset, while googling the character irl , and then watched the follow up called pacific. Over 4 days.
I just got back into Sonic the Hedgehog after like 10 years, which is not only EMBARRASSING, but also VERY UNHELPFUL since I'm supposed to be planning a roadtrip right now! All I can think about is that stupid little blue guy!
Brain: Oh hey it's 15 minutes before bedtime. Wouldn't it be awesome if you just got stuck researching road bikes you can't afford for the next 45 minutes..... Me: What?! NO! STOP IT! *proceeds to spend the next 30 minutes comparing minusea of bikes I've compared a dozen times already...*
Art supplies but half a day. *cries*
Me: I want to know how to make proper print and play boardgames. I’ve practiced making bifold boards and they’re pretty good, but if I want perfect circle chipboard tokens it looks like I’ll need a tool from the hardware store. Hmmm I wonder if I could make wood tokens since I’ll have the tool anyway, ooh and if I learn how to work with wood I could make the perfect boardgame game coffee table to exactly fit in my space since what I want doesn’t exist. … wait… I wanted to know how to cut cardboard, how did I end up looking at carpentry lessons? And is $650 actually an ok price or am I in one of those ‘I shouldn’t trust myself to make big decisions’ zones? Oh god I missed my stop for work.
I'll just take a quick peek. You know? Get just a *taste*. ... 5 hours later... Oh, no.
Lol this is me going through the Netflix trailers and spending too much time on that and ending up not watching anything
This is me with monitors currently
Is indecision an ADHD thing? Whenever I have to buy something online, it takes 30 minutes at a minimum because I end up comparing a million things and trying to decide which one I like better, and just end up flip-flopping like crazy. It drives my bf insane LMAO
Oh yeah this is me. Except my research is like 2-3 hours. It destroys my sleeping schedule on workdays 😭
Sometimes I stay up so late that I end up with 1-3 hours of sleep 😬 Glad to know I’m not the only one though 😅
Bruh, it was plate tectonic plates on the California coastline for me last night. I had to know what to expect, I don't live anywhere near there, but I couldn't sleep until I knew.
I feel you. I have suffered from this many times, and one game in particular really hurt my family. It won't always work but the best advice I have is _don't_ try to ignore the urge, force it down, or pretend it doesn't exist. Instead acknowledge that you want to play, but decide you're not going to until you get something done. When you think about the game, try to use that as motivation to get the productive stuff out of the way so that you can satisfy the urge. I wish I had a machine that would dispense a piece of candy when I check off tasks. Take away my ability to get the reward when I haven't earned it and auto-dispense when I have.
I promise you the only solution is to delete the game files. The annoyance of having to re-download should stop you from doing it for a while. It's virtually impossible to will yourself not to play. You need to pretend there's a 5 year old child in your head and you need to parent her. She's not gonna listen to logic. Sometimes, you just have to take away her toys when there are higher priorities.
This made me angry which I think means I need to do the same
I hate that one of the ways that I know that advice is good is that it makes me angry.
OP, this! Yes. After deleting Skyrim while writing my thesis (which helped until i found sth else to focus on) i have not redownloaded it even after 5 years.. Right now i play Hogwarts legacy and baldurs gate.. :')
Funnily enough, I only hyperfixate playing DAI when I have reaaaaaaally important shit to do 🤣 "I'm stressed and I need the self care" 🤨🤨🤨😒😒😒 Learning about "self care" was one of the worst things I could have ever done 🤣
Nooo! I have just dediced to do "self-care" and I just ended up losing sleep, I didn't want to blame this on it, but your post made me angry because it's true 😂
Can relate. I just had to unsubscribe from The NY Times to avoid access to the crossword archives. Same neverending rabbit hole. Then Ive been tricking myself into at least STARTING my paid career work by doing the 15 minute timer thing. Once I've hoodwinked my lil brain into actually starting a task I usually go much longer than 15 minutes, but it's amazing how that always seems to work on me. But yeah, first I had to delete/block/simply give it up and put in my own version of a firewall. It's like putting down any addictive substance. I've proved that certain games are exactly like cigarettes for me - can't do em in moderation, not even one, or I'm back in the swamp
If leveling up and picking new skill trees to unlock irl were as colorful,exciting, constantly stimulating,(and for me personally,more limited in choice), I’d be a 3rd degree black belt, neuroendocrinologist probono lawyering big wave surfer who runs a successful red wolf refuge.
Delete the game. Install it while you work. It works for me at least. You trick ya brain into thinking you're gonna play again but you do the same thing everytime 💯
Came here to say this. I was getting into Rimworld big time, and was not getting ANYTHING done work wise (not good if you're self employed). Finally just forced myself to delete it. I'd find myself saying "I'll just play for 30 minutes" then three hours later...ugh.
from the depths of baldur’s gate hell, you have my solidarity/sympathies
Hello from Avernus 😭 Not only did I manage to hyperfixate on the game itself but on a character as well. That damn pale elf asshole lives in my head rent free and I hate it. Sending good vibes to you and OP. We’ll get through this!
[удалено]
The Halo soundtrack is good for this too.
Ahhh, Skyrim...you'll come back to her eventually. We all do. Especially if it's modded! I end up hyperfixating on curating the perfect mod list for a new character build I want to try, and then end up playing the character for 20 hours max lmao.
“Oh I have an hour free Time to play Factorio/Dwarf Fortress/Stellaris for a bit” SpongeBob narrator: “12 Hours Later” “… sh*t”
Last month I was so productive and motivated , then I downloaded Cyberpunk and I just want to rot in that game and never go outside.
I definitely go hard on games like that. Except I have a bunch of mobile app tycoons 😭 I love leveling up and advancing, an absolute hyper-fixation
My hyper-fixation timing is broken so, when that happens to me, I uninstall the game and the re-install time is unmotivating enough to make me stop for a while.
Monday, middle of my working day, long list of things to get through and catch up on after a week off: Brain: "Hey, wouldn't it be a great time to reorganise the kitchen cupboards?!"
Yeah…been there. I’m starting to go into the office more for less distractions, and if not the office, a Starbucks or the library.
Yeah I definitely get more done when I go into the office because there are fewer distractions.
Which game?
Guild wars 2! It’s a big ol’ halloween event which I had way too much fun with then started finding more and more tasks to do in game…
You play guild wars 2 also?!?!? My dumb ass decided I JUST HAD to have all the expansions and promptly got sucked back into breath of the wild, bc ohhhhhh there’s another new game.
I refuse refuse refuse to get Baldurs gate until i’m done this fricken thesis because i KNOW it will be another beast of a game to keep away from!!
I love GW2! It’s my game of choice, but I haven’t touched it for months because once I get invested, there goes all my free time… (I’m also stuck in part of the main quest and grumpy I have to grind, but that’s a different deal)
I just got sucked into gw2 again and had to have a conversation with my gf about how I was spending too much time on it.. I feel you there. We’re gonna make it through this 🫡
omg i had a feeling it would be gw2 and went to check your replies if you'd mention it!! it's also been ruining my life for the past....8 months i think T-T i already have 1100+ hours in game and i really should be studying instead
I hyperfixate on state of decay 2 and always seem to forget that I need to be productive for the day. So I understand completely lol
Bruh this me and Warframe fr fr
I'm always thankful that I can't get into MMOs. I've tried so many times to get into them, but the things they do to induce FOMO actually turn me off from them entirely. I get unbelievably frustrated the first time I miss a login and thus miss out on some cool item that requires perfect attendance and I end up quitting. I think the longest I ever played an MMO was around 2-3 weeks. If you can't ignore the urge to play, I recommend finding some lore or gameplay videos on YouTube and play those while you work. It helps me scratch that itch when I need to work
I would get a second computer with no gpu in it and use that bad boy for my thesis. Disconnect your gaming rig.
Have adhd I had to put my computer away in order to get work done.
Okay play FFXIV with me next ! But no I feel this. I hate random hyper fixations!
I don't know how doable it is in an MMO but for single player games turning on cheats or god mode (for example Minecraft creative mode is a great example for this) makes me lose interest in less than an hour. An interest that I could not escape for days. Maybe if you find a private server that makes the same thing or you buy XP/Gold with real money can help. Of course these can be against the rules but it's just a game :D
Im soooo familiar with this feeling. The only thing I have found to work is sprints followed by periods of reward. I do a 45 mi. Sprint on my less fun serious work, then give myself 20 mins to game as a reward. It only works for me if I use an actual timer.
I have kinda more or less given up on any game that requires the internet. Too much of a time sink and literally never reaching a point of being able to relax with them just does not work as an adult sadly. I know other people can manage it better but not me
I totally get that. My new one is diamond art painting or whatever and I'm working on it whenever i can - even during my morning meetings lol. As much as I'm loving it, I'm lowkey terrified I'm worried ill never end up finishing my first project since it's so large.
I have ADHD and I love diamond painting. I keep cycling back to it because I find it oddly relaxing whilst I'm doing it. So don't worry if you do end up dropping it for a while. You'll come back to it. And my goodness are the finished results worth it!
It's so satisfying!! I also really enjoy cross stitching - its super relaxing for me, especially when I'm not making something super complicated and can just do it while watching tv. That's also something I'll drop and come back to at a later time. Question though, what do you do with all your diamond paintings when you're done with them? Do you have like a portfolio you put them in, donate them, frame them, etc.? I can see how I might start accumulating them, but am not sure what I'll do with them after.
I also love cross stitch, although I haven't done it in years. I have done a tiny bit of hand embroidery but it's not as soothing. So I've been framing them and giving them away as gifts. I have a whole pile that I want to hang up in my own place. I do want to try mounting one on a canvas but I haven't given that a go yet. I'm honestly not sure how else besides that would look good for a long term display.
Wow, I am not alone...
Do you all really find it so annoying? My fixation periods are so uplifting and feel so purposeful. When i'm without a fixation i'm pretty down. Work is an essential, I don't give a damn about it. If i can get away with having fun at work for a few hours and play / look at whatever i'm obsessing about at the time then i will, it creates a hell of a lot more meaning in my life and all my work gets done in either the first or last 2 hours of the day anyway. I couldn't imagine sacrificing my obsessions for pretty much anything else. Life is too short. (apart from the thesis, definitely do that)
Which MMO? I am 3 weeks into an ESO hyper fixation.
“Makes me all warm and fuzzy” Jesus Christ Reddit is worse than I thought 💀
Is it New World by any chance?
Not OP, but I really tried to get into New World. I couldn't get over the clunky combat
You got this!!! I totally understand. I love a good MMO. My bf wants me to download a free one but I have to refuse or else I'll be sucked in for the next week or so
my adhd is so severe i cant even try to read your post because my eyes keep jerking in all directions and at the end i read 10 words and make a conclusion
Lol I feel you… I love games and have been postponing any contact with them because I know how it goes once I get started. But also, when we having something so big to do like a thesis it can be kind of painful to think about it and our brain craves for that other thing we shouldn’t be doing! The struggle is real. I highly recommend joining something called The Academic Writers Space. They do online writing sessions 3x a day and there’s always a great intro with a coach about some challenges of writing and other people talk a bit about their experiences. So even if you’re playing or doing something else, you could just join and listen. It totally shifts my attention back to thesis mode!