Attention span

I wonder if it has anything to do with reward chemicals in the brain?

Take the opposite - things we are interested in, enjoy and are motivated doing, can spend hours doing. Reward chemicals must be involved in the feeling of security, pleasure, relaxation, coherence, safety etc that these activities bring.

The issue with people on the autistic spectrum is that there are a lot of uncomfortable or distressing environments, a much greater range than for NTs. Conversely there are only a few safe environments. Reward chemicals must strongly reinforce these very few refuges.

NTs have a much wider range of pleasurable or restful or comfort zone activities, which include socialising, and also many aspects of their work. Therefore it is more likely that they find some motivation in what they do because the less enjoyable activities are not too far removed from the comfortable ones. So they can be more flexible and more motivated.

The question is, can people on the autistic spectrum diversify and increase their comfortable activities so they too have a wider range, and are therefore more readily motivated. Is this something we can change?

As far as I can find out motivation isn't an explainable aspect, and there's a range of different behaviours. I believe they are already aware of reward chemicals as a factor in favourite interests.

Has anyone managed to break out of their constraining special interests and develop greater motivation?

I wonder if it has anything to do with reward chemicals in the brain?

Take the opposite - things we are interested in, enjoy and are motivated doing, can spend hours doing. Reward chemicals must be involved in the feeling of security, pleasure, relaxation, coherence, safety etc that these activities bring.

The issue with people on the autistic spectrum is that there are a lot of uncomfortable or distressing environments, a much greater range than for NTs. Conversely there are only a few safe environments. Reward chemicals must strongly reinforce these very few refuges.

NTs have a much wider range of pleasurable or restful or comfort zone activities, which include socialising, and also many aspects of their work. Therefore it is more likely that they find some motivation in what they do because the less enjoyable activities are not too far removed from the comfortable ones. So they can be more flexible and more motivated.

The question is, can people on the autistic spectrum diversify and increase their comfortable activities so they too have a wider range, and are therefore more readily motivated. Is this something we can change?

As far as I can find out motivation isn't an explainable aspect, and there's a range of different behaviours. I believe they are already aware of reward chemicals as a factor in favourite interests.

Has anyone managed to break out of their constraining special interests and develop greater motivation?