Psycho-Babble Medication | about biological treatments | Framed
This thread | Show all | Post follow-up | Start new thread | List of forums | Search | FAQ

Procrastination/Desperation

Posted by forth Meg on May 28, 2000, at 17:02:14

In reply to Re: Procrastination as Disease, posted by Mark H. on May 25, 2000, at 11:26:02

Procrastination's a joke to most people, but not to me. My procrastination is TOTALLY out of control. All my life I've gotten myself in *lots* of trouble because of it, and I can't seem to get a handle on it no matter how much I focus on it.

I've come to the conclusion that it's something like an addiction - even though there's no "high" or anything - I feel it's a compulsive, destructive behavior I don't know how to stop.

I've been working on it in therapy, and there are probably a LOT of reasons why I procrastinate - habit, anxiety and avoidance, anger, a touch of anhedonia and hopelessness, identity issues, perfectionism, laziness, passivity, "locus of control" problems...but knowing these things doesn't get me to change my behavior.

I've tried some techniques, making lists, tracking my time, etc., and they work for a little while sometimes, but I always return to the same patterns eventually.

It's not ADD/ADHD I know, because usually I can concentrate very well - if it's something other than the "task at hand" that is. I have no other symptoms of ADD really either - probably fewer than the average person. I've had a lot of depression, and that always makes the situation MUCH worse - but even when I'm "well" I procrastinate.

Some medications that have helped with depression have helped with procrastination - a LITTLE - that is, when my energy returns I start doing *more* - sometimes working incredibly hard - but usually it's unfocused, irrelevant work that wastes a lot of time on unimportant details. In fact the one time I was fired, ironically, was during one of these high-energy periods, where I felt I was working incredibly hard, but kept missing deadlines because I was zooming off in so many directions.

At this point I don't know where to turn next. I feel completely hopeless about myself/my life. I know that doesn't help the situation, but it's how I feel.


> Brian,
>
> I'm very interested in procrastination as a disease or defense mechanism or even just as an amazing personal phenomenon. What am I doing on Psycho-Babble at the moment when I know I have a desk full of work to get to and I leave for vacation in two days? I would rather vacuum the house or wash dishes than get to my tasks. I would rather clean toilets that just sit down and do the work. Yet, like you, I know that getting even a couple of things done today would make me feel infinitely better. What is this all about?
>
> Any procrastination experts out there? No humor, please -- I've read it all.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mark


Share
Tweet  

Thread

 

Post a new follow-up

Your message only Include above post


Notify the administrators

They will then review this post with the posting guidelines in mind.

To contact them about something other than this post, please use this form instead.

 

Start a new thread

 
Google
dr-bob.org www
Search options and examples
[amazon] for
in

This thread | Show all | Post follow-up | Start new thread | FAQ
Psycho-Babble Medication | Framed

poster:forth Meg thread:34476
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000526/msgs/34990.html