Why People with ADHD Procrastinate

Do you have ADHD? Are you a procrastinator? If so, you're not alone. In this video I talk about what causes low motivation and procrastination what you can do about it.

References
Wise R. A. (2002). Brain reward circuitry: insights from unsensed incentives. Neuron, 36(2), 229–240.

Volkow ND, Wang GJ, Newcorn JH, et al. Motivation deficit in ADHD is associated with dysfunction of the dopamine reward pathway. Mol Psychiatry. 2011;16(11):1147-1154.

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Disclaimer: All of the information on this channel is for educational purposes and not intended to be specific/personal medical advice from me to you. Watching the videos or getting answers to comments/question, does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. If you have your own doctor, perhaps these videos can help prepare you for your discussion with your doctor.

[sarahk.]

There are those that say ADHD is simply an excuse for being lazy. But how many "lazy" people find themselves in tears and full of self hatred because they can not change about themselves what they want to change so desperately?

[LG-Musique]

Who is here instead of starting THAT task? 😅

[asdfssdfghgdfy]

The way I finally realised it wasn’t laziness is sometimes it’s just like, “brain says no”. I’m sitting there, I want to do it, but it’s just like bashing my head against a brick wall. 😊

[Freemm]

I added this to my “watch later” collection.

[lexaj]

Another "fun" thing with ADD is knowing you need professional help, but can't motivate yourself enough to go to the tough part of finding a psychiatrist who actually has capacity for new patients.

[visitingstatue]

i feel like the word 'unmotivated' doesnt even come close to how it actually feels. i always relate the feeling as being similar to depression - you have no energy, care or willingness to do anything. everything and any task feels like such a heavy burden that once you do complete it, it feels more like a relief than an achievement

[razanmadani]

Who is here because they cannot start the task 😅?

[LuckyCharms]

This explains why I even have difficulty motivating myself to do things I enjoy. It feels like it takes so much energy to start something that it’s not worth the effort.

Having ADHD is unfortunate for many reasons, not least of which is the blow to your self-esteem for not being productive and accomplishing things. We really do internalize that we’re just lazy and/or a loser.

[donkeyballs]

It's a strange feeling when someone you've never met before describes you like they've been living in your head for years

[RashidaB]

"Physically painful". It's affirming to know that there are people that understand that this is a real thing.

[RobespierreThePoof]

Just a tip to fellow ADHDers out there. My experience is that sometimes it's NOT the classic symptoms. In my case, i have had to learn that some of my wirst procrastination comes from very deeply set fears. The stimulation i found in other distractions became a way of avoiding those fears

[BrownGeorge-pwxo]

I was severely traumatized years ago as a teenage, got diagnosed with ADHD. Spent my whole life fighting ADHD. I suffered severe depression and mental disorder. Not until my wife recommended me to psilocybin mushrooms treatment. Psilocybin treatment saved my life honestly. 8 years totally clean. Much respect to mother nature the great magic shrooms.

[Danteztic]

"The need for urgency is why you work better under pressure." – As a university student with ADD, this one sentence just summarizes my cumulative experience with term papers. I have never finished one without having a nervous breakdown at some point because the deadline was only a few days off and I hadn't really started writing yet. Then I would just crank out the entire paper in two or three days and still make some corrections at the day of turning it in, race to the university to deliver it, and wonder why I had to stress myself so much instead of starting just a couple of days earlier. It's honestly just frustrating because it happened this way every single time.

[tigerpjm]

What kills me as an ADHD sufferer is the *inconsistency* of attention.

I can have laser-like focus and the very next day find the very same thing that I was almost obsessively engaged with is tortuously boring.

At work it has always been a massively limiting problem that no matter the treatment or strategy, there seems to be no way around.

[thisishappeningyes]

I started crying, thank you for explaining this and being so caring. It’s so hard to be taken seriously, and to see someone describe me to a T, with such compassion, makes me feel like things will get better

[Jonathan-cknd]

i keep trying to apply for college for 5 years now… i keep getting overwhelmed, confused, and it feels like a mountain of tasks which i’m sure it’s not but hearing you explain it out like this really helps me bc now if i understand it, i can overcome it. Thank you :)

[caljaysoc]

“Almost physically painful” to break the inertia. HOLY CRAP! Yes! I’ve never been able to find the right words to describe that feeling; but that’s it. Thank you!

[Nn-uhkb]

I am so affected by ADHD I zoned out at least 10 times trying to make it through this video. After a rewatch, great insights

[purposedparadise]

Thank you for this. I'm a 46 year old woman recently diagnosed after being misdiagnosed for years. I was told that ADHD looks different in women compared to symptoms in men. I used to thrive on writing college papers the night before they were due and still get As. However, at this age it's exhausting and part of my brain understands that it's not sustainable, or smart to continue procrastinating. I've taught myself to make lists, I drive a stick shift to keep me focused while driving, and I use self-talk to aggressively remind myself to finish a task before starting another. I start most projects early but don't enjoy it, at all. My doctor suggested mild medication but after all these years not knowing why I'd become the master of procrastinating, I'd rather be given skills that I can practice that add to strategies I already use. I appreciate the advice and will try your suggestions.

[dougr]

The low motivation state for myself (not diagnosed but definitely ADHD) also comes with a healthy dose of anxiety! Good times. Education like this is super helpful though. Understanding why I often feel this way makes it way easier to have compassion for myself!