When Your Brain Gets Stuck: Understanding and Managing Long-Term Monotropism
For the past few months, I’ve been absolutely consumed by Amazon book publishing and POD product creation. I wake up thinking about keywords. I fall asleep listening to podcasts about print-on-demand. Seriously, I dream about formatting and text placement. My other interests—the ones I swore I loved just a few months ago—now feel about as appealing as soggy cereal.
If this sounds familiar, you might be experiencing what I call long-term monotropism: that neurodivergent tendency to fall into one obsession so deeply that everything else fades into the background.
So, What Even Is Monotropism? (hint, we talked about it here)
In fancy researcher words, it’s the tendency to have a narrow attention tunnel that processes fewer things at once, but with way more depth and intensity.
In real life? It’s your brain basically saying:
“Hey, you know this one thing? Yeah, that’s all we care about now. Forever. Cancel everything else.”
Most people think of monotropism as hyperfocus—like a few hours lost in a project. But for some of us, it’s weeks. Months. Sometimes years. It’s like being sucked into a mental whirlpool where everything in your life either gets pulled into The Thing… or tossed overboard.
Signs you might be in a long-term monotropic state:
You literally cannot stop thinking about your current obsession
Things you used to care about now feel impossible (hello, neglected everything else)
You’re baffled about why Past You ever cared about other stuff
Friends and family keep calling you “obsessed” (thank you, Captain Obvious)
Small talk feels like someone is slowly draining your soul - ok, this is always true, but still
You’re super productive in your focus area while the rest of life is crumbling quietly in the background
Sound familiar? No, just me?
The Double-Edged Sword
Monotropism isn’t good or bad—it’s just how some of our brains roll. Which means it can make us absolute geniuses… or absolute wrecks. Sometimes both at the same time.
The Upside
You get ridiculously good at something fast
You produce high-quality work because all your brainpower is going into it
You see connections others miss
You live in an extended flow state (basically obsession, but make it aesthetic)
The Downside
Life balance? Ha. Relationships, health, finances… all on the back burner
Burnout risk is sky-high if you never come up for air
Missed opportunities in other areas (this is a biggie for me)
Social strain when every conversation is about your obsession
And when it ends, you’re left wondering: who even am I without this thing?
How to Survive Your Own Brain Whirlpool
You don’t need to (and quite honestly cannot, I don’t believe) “fix” monotropism—it’s not broken. You just need to manage it so you can ride the wave instead of drowning in it.
1. Spot the Pattern
Keep a focus journal: track what’s got you by the throat and how long it lasts (you know I’ve got you covered on that one)
Notice your warning signs: like when you “forget” to eat because keywords are life
Map your cycles: maybe you’re a six-month person, maybe a two-year person
2. Build Guardrails (Before You Crash)
Automate the boring but essential stuff (bills, meds, groceries)
Do quick check-ins: “Have I eaten? Do I still have friends? Has the dog been fed?”
Set boundaries: “No work after 9 PM” or “Sundays are for anything but The Thing”
3. Handle the Transition Like a Grown-Up (Or Try To)
Accept that the obsession will eventually fade (it’s normal, not a failure)
Leave breadcrumbs for Future You (notes, outlines, half-baked drafts)
Process it: journal, rant, or make memes about what you learned
4. Stay Connected (Even If You Don’t Want To)
Schedule relationship time (yes, force yourself)
Find fellow obsessives—at least they’ll listen
Learn how to pivot conversations away from your obsession before your friends stage an intervention
5. Break the Tunnel (Strategically)
Use timers (90 minutes on, 30 minutes off)
Move your body—walk, stretch, dance in the kitchen
Schedule variety: actually block in time for something else, even if it feels like punishment
Making Peace With It
The hardest part of monotropism isn’t the obsession—it’s the guilt. Society worships consistency, but our brains? They’re like, “Consistency is boring, next.”
Your shifting obsessions aren’t a bug; they’re a feature. Yes, it’s chaotic. Yes, it makes balance hard. But it also means you get to dive deeper than most people ever will.
So maybe the real question isn’t “why am I like this?” but “what can I build while I’m here?”
Questions for Reflection
What patterns do you notice in your obsessions? (Do they rotate like a playlist or hit you like random shuffle?)
How can you better support yourself when you’re knee-deep in an all-consuming focus?
What quick systems could you set up so the rest of your life doesn’t completely fall apart while you’re in obsession-land?
When the interest finally fades, how can you reframe it as a strength instead of a personal failure?
Bonus round: can you name one “abandoned” interest you might actually circle back to someday?
The Moral (ish)
There is no lesson here other than “remember to eat and occasionally talk to humans while you’re in a monotropic deep dive.” But let’s be real: I’ll forget, you’ll forget, and we’ll both end up explaining to someone why we haven’t answered a text in three weeks.
The truth is, getting stuck isn’t always bad. Sometimes it’s where the best work comes from. Sometimes it’s where burnout comes from. And sometimes, it just teaches you that your brain plays by its own rules—and your job is to work with it, not against it.
Which brings me to another fun brain quirk I live with: aphantasia. You know when people say, “just picture it in your mind’s eye”? Yeah, mine’s out of order. That’s where we’re going next.
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About the Author
Gal is an autistic artist, late-diagnosed at 49, and the creator of AuRTistic Expressions—a space where neurodivergent truth meets creative survival. Through blog posts, printables, courses, and the “This Might Get Messy” podcast, Gal explores what it means to unmask safely, communicate authentically, and make art that doesn’t ask for permission. Stick around—there’s plenty more where this came from.
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Photo by John Kinnander on Unsplash
