From a Spark to a Bonfire: Understanding and Nurturing an Interest-Based Nervous System

The vast majority of people don’t exactly get stoked to do their taxes, for example, but we are all expected to make it happen anyway. For the majority of the population, the threat of the consequences of not doing your taxes is enough to get them going.

For many neurodivergent people, though, that threat of consequences isn’t going to spark anything. That’s just not how our brains work. A lot of us, especially those of us with ADHD, have what’s called an interest-based nervous system, a term coined by Dr. William Dodson.

Our nervous systems activate through things like genuine curiosity, excitement, and connection. Interest isn’t a luxury, it’s the ignition.