Translating ADHD

Episode: Embracing ADHD Curiosity: How to Manage Hobbies, Hyperfixations, and Self-Identity

Hosts: Asher Collins & Dusty Chipura
Date: April 28, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Asher and Dusty dive into the experience of hobbies and hyperfixations as adults with ADHD. They explore how ADHD brains engage with new interests, often toggling between intense hyperfocus and a wide, shallow array of hobbies. The conversation unpacks common struggles, including guilt and shame around hobby abandonment, challenges with self-identity, and strategies for pursuing interests more mindfully. Both hosts share personal stories and actionable frameworks to help listeners embrace curiosity, manage expectations, and develop a more forgiving attitude towards their own shifting passions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The ADHD Hobby Paradox: Hyperfixation vs. Fleeting Interest

• Dusty introduces the theme of hyperfixation and how it relates to hobbies, clarifying that hyperfixation can be on anything (even non-hobbies) but focusing this episode on intense interests and new hobbies.

  “People with ADHD have interests an inch deep, but a mile long.” (Dusty, 01:11)

• Asher shares that clients often feel guilt for money spent on hobbies and for not following through.

  “It goes from something that they wanted to do to this kind of should.” (Asher, 01:56)

2. Shame, Guilt, and the “Rules” About Being Into Things

• Many with ADHD struggle with feelings of imposter syndrome: Am I ‘allowed’ to claim an interest if I drop it after a short time?

  “If I say I’m into this… there’s a good chance I only know about like 10% of that thing. Do I get to lay claim to that identity?” (Dusty, 05:18)

• Dusty points out the “moralizing” of hobbies and the pressure to master them to be legitimate.

  “There’s a moral aspect here… that there’s a right and wrong way to be into things.” (Dusty, 07:37)

3. Identity and the ADHD Experience

• Asher discusses how ADHD can complicate forming a strong sense of self and how this affects identifying and nurturing interests.

  “ADHD people struggle to form a strong sense of identity. And when we don’t know who we are, it can be really hard to know what we like.” (Asher, 09:27)

• They advocate for curiosity in these “in-between” phases and not moralizing the search for new interests.

  “Rather than moralizing that as something you’re doing wrong, think of it as an opportunity.” (Asher, 10:50)

• Community can play a significant role in making a hobby more meaningful and sustainable.

4. Personal Stories: Hobbies, Abandonment, and Mastery

• Dusty gives examples from their own journey, like learning languages or drawing just for enjoyment, and the guilt when these didn’t “go anywhere.”

  “It took me like 20 years to get back to realizing I could just have hobbies, no purpose, because they are things I literally just enjoy doing.” (Dusty, 13:58)

• Sometimes higher stakes are needed to stick with an interest (“I started a band so I’d finally learn the banjo.”). (Dusty, 15:11)
• Asher discusses intentionally slowing down and engaging with hobbies step by step, like preparing for stained glass art.

  “Intentionally not skipping steps… The taking a class will come when I’ve got the space set up so that I can then work on stained glass at home.” (Asher, 21:46)

5. Approaches and Frameworks For Sustaining Interests

• Dusty shares wisdom from a friend about “mastery versus novelty,” encouraging a pause to reflect before starting something new:

  “Is there an interest I already have that I want to deepen instead?” (Dusty, 16:50)

• Adding novelty within existing hobbies can reignite passion and keep engagement high.

  “There’s always something novel about the thing you’re already doing if you look for it.” (Dusty, 19:27)

• Giving permission to pick up and put down activities based on enjoyment, not obligation.

6. Cyclical Nature of Interests & Permission to Abandon

• Interests often “come back around if they were meant to; and if they weren’t, that’s okay.”

  “It didn’t mean there was no value in the time spent.” (Asher, 20:45)

7. Social Learning & Community Engagement

• Both hosts highlight that having people to learn with or ask questions to can be the magic key for re-engagement or for deepening interest (“Help me think about how to think about something.”).

  “That interaction of dialogue with someone else... can help shake things loose, can help slow your own brain down.” (Asher, 27:02)

• Exposure to community often helps define what direction an interest might take.

8. Framework: Three Categories of Interests

• Mastery: Core interests you want to actively get better at.
• Threads: Areas you’re curious and exploring, but not yet committed.
• Constructive: Simple pleasures that give back to you, without need for skill or productivity.

  “Constructive is like the stuff that gives back to you, like it puts something back in your tank, even if that’s all that it does.” (Asher, 32:29)

9. Letting Go of Shame: Your Journey is Valid

• Final encouragement to treat current interests with curiosity, not judgment:

  “Don’t judge yourself… be curious about where you are… what are those constructive things for you that put something back in your tank?” (Asher, 35:23)

Memorable Quotes & Highlights

• “People with ADHD have interests an inch deep, but a mile long.” — Dusty (01:11)
• “It goes from something that they wanted to do to this kind of should.” — Asher (01:56)
• “There’s a moral aspect here… that there’s a right and wrong way to be into things.” — Dusty (07:37)
• “ADHD people struggle to form a strong sense of identity. And when we don’t know who we are, it can be really hard to know what we like.” — Asher (09:27)
• “I could just have hobbies, no purpose, because they are things I literally just enjoy doing.” — Dusty (13:58)
• “There’s always something novel about the thing you’re already doing if you look for it.” — Dusty (19:27)
• “Constructive is like the stuff that gives back to you, like it puts something back in your tank, even if that’s all that it does.” — Asher (32:29)
• “Don’t judge yourself… be curious about where you are… what are those constructive things for you that put something back in your tank?” — Asher (35:23)

Notable Moments with Timestamps

• 01:11 — The “inch deep, mile long” analogy; shame around abandoned interests
• 07:37 — Dusty discusses moralizing hobbies and the “right way” to be into something
• 09:27 — Asher talks about identity struggles and transitioning from frustration to curiosity
• 13:58 — Dusty’s breakthrough on hobbies as valid even without purpose
• 15:11 — Using accountability to learn (starting a band to learn banjo)
• 16:50 — The “deepening vs novelty” framework
• 19:27 — Finding novelty within existing interests
• 21:46 — Asher’s step-by-step approach to starting stained glass
• 27:02 — The value of social learning and talking with others for deeper engagement
• 32:29 — Constructive hobbies: “putting something back in your tank”
• 35:23 — Final encouragement to drop guilt and embrace curiosity

Takeaways for Listeners

• ADHD brains may have shifting or shallow interests, and that’s not a flaw.
• Guilt and shame around ‘wasted’ hobbies are common, but unnecessary.
• Interests don’t have to “go anywhere” to be valuable — enjoyment is enough.
• Consider which hobbies you’d like to master, which are just threads to follow, and which are simply for joy.
• Community and support are often the “secret ingredient” for making hobbies stick.
• Embrace curiosity and permit yourself to pick up, drop, or return to hobbies as needed—your journey is valid!

For more ADHD coaching insights or community, check out the hosts’ offerings:

• Asher: coachasher.com
• Dusty: ADHDstudio.ca