ADHD as Motivation Deficit Disorder

In response to a subscribers request, I have created a short video that can be used to educate friends and family on the nature of the motivation deficits that plague people with ADHD. I start by pandering to the propensity of Internet viewers to love dogs and cats by giving a brief cameo to our dog, Moose, a Coton de Tulear. That said, this video discusses how ADHD as a disorder of self regulation and executive functioning leads to problems with the sense of time and anticipation of the future. That creates a high time preference, which is a greater desire for immediate over delayed rewards. That can then lead to serious problems in self motivation when work or other unrewarding tasks have to be done. While this motivational deficit is clearly neurobiological in origin, people with ADHD must find ways to compensate for it in order to succeed in the demands of work, school, home etc. I give several suggestions for refueling the motivational tank at the end of this clip. Note that ADHD medications, especially stimulants, can also help compensate for this motivational issue by enhancing the reward value of environmental events related to the task to be done.

[tayzonday]

This helps explain why my processing speed is 30th percentile on IQ tests and the other three categories are 99th percentile.

[Plasmafox]

I don't understand how to bootstrap this stuff. Like on an intellectual level I figured all these things out at some point but that doesn't make them happen for the same reason every other plan, need or goal in my life never happened. And like you said, people just see it as a personality defect, a lack of integrity or something. The weight of shame and rejection rivals the weight of everything left undone.

[leothepuppp]

hello! i know this isn't related to this video in particular but i wanted to say how grateful i am for all of the work you have done! i found out about you just a few hours ago and i want to cry my eyes out out of happiness, i was diagnosed adhd almost two years ago after it almost completely destroyed my life, now i'm on the journey of owning my adhd and acepting what i can do with it... either way, thank your for sharing all of the information and for making it accesible for people who are across the seas 💗 lots of love from Argentina! you got yourself a new fan over here ❤️ thank you so much for everything you have done

[andymellor]

Hi Moose... Good boy!

The deficit in motivation / activation is, for me, more of a problem than distractibility.

I completely subscribe to the "it's an explanation and not an excuse" line.

[Osvath]

But for me, I certainly have long term motivational goals, and I intellectually understand what microsteps I would take to achieve them, but: there is almost always a black hole between thinking and doing. I can barely explain how this black hole fels like, but I remember telling people when younger about my lofty plans, and they asking: "Well, what are you doing to try to achieve them?" and I would answer: "Uh... Nothing." and they would say: "Why?" and I would say: "I... I honestly don't know." and they would respond: "I guess you are just not motivated enough then, huh?" But that was usually not the actual case: it was not a lack of motivation, it was just a black hole between thinking and doing, that I never saw other people my age struggle with to nearly the same degree.

But now when older, it is even worse, as doing a relatively simple task can be a hugely organisationally demanding event for me, so now by age 25 it really feels like my brain has learnt to send me the signal: "Trying is not even worth it." (well, it feels like my brain learnt that fairly early, but it gets more entrenched in to my psyche with age). So actually doing the first step, for example figuring out what I am even supposed to study for this module, is such a demanding task to do in a time efficient manner that it almost feels like I am about to run a marathon, both in mental energy spent and in anticipatory anxiety.

Basically, it feels like I have taught myself that there is no point in actioning on my motivation, since I will just fail before I even start, rather than lacking motivation in the first place. As I have gotten older I have made myself extremely anxious about it. Just THINKING about a relatively simple task like figuring out how to clean my room fills me with anxiety and dread, since I know how horrible I am at it, and the anxiety in turn makes me want to avoid activities which makes me anxious, which I am already failing to do due to the ADD, going in to a really bad feedback loop, and that is not exactly conducive to acting on motivation.

Sorry if this is ranting and kind of incoherent, but I guess being unstructured is par for the course for us haha!

[winterhtech]

Dude, you had me until "if you're a worthy person you'll figure out how to deal with it" - that crushes the souls of adhd people who are already dealing with more mental overhead to get through the day.

[Livefreeordie-]

Every time i talk to drs about lack if motivation i get anti depressant recommendations.

[uidentity]

Only the last one works - making yourself accountable to others. And it’s so incredibly hard when you want to start your own business.

[PerKristian]

I love how Moose tried to find whoever you started talking to at the start of the video

[walterskent]

Simply the fact that you took the time to fulfill a request fills me with joy! You have a great way of explaining things that we might not be able to organize and reproduce easily in our own.

[john]

I’m 60 and just find out I have adhd. I knew something was not right but was always going after the depression problems. I Took a on line test and checked all the boxes. I can’t tell you the mixed feelings I had. I did get tested and was diagnosed. I’m on stimulates and this is like opening the shades of the world. I Would like to know how I can get into a group to help me move forward. My therapist is real busy and hard to get appointments with her. A direction would help. Thanks for showing us who we are as we seem to have blinders on.

[BlackIceDragonSalome]

I find the point with telling others of your plans to motivate you quite interesting. I tried that like a million times and it always failed. I do adhere to my plans if I don't talk about them more often. I feel like my brain thinks talking about something is the same as doing and achieving that thing. So stupid tbh.

[JackAcid]

I have NEVER heard anything that remotely comes close to explaining ME than this video. Thank you, .Dr, from the bottom of my heart. This has explained EVERYTHING I simply cannot put into words. ❤

[lowcarbRD]

recently diagnosed here at 40yrs old. Your videos are amazingly helpful. Suddenly I don't feel broken and can see how to adjust things. Thank you Dr.

[katattack]

Thank you so much, Dr. Barkley! It's humbling to see the lack of future orientation written out like that and encouraging to know that
1. it's not a personal failing that my brain works this way, and
2. there are interventions that are proven to help get my brain back on track.

[ADHDGirl-jvcw]

Seeing him with his dog gave me the motivation to watch this video

[muriellaki]

Thank you Dr. Barkley for setting up a YouTube channel with all your priceless knowledge. I've been consuming your lectures, interviews, book and you have been the source of eye-opening information and explanations for me. I also want to take the opportunity to say that watching your older lectures were not only extremely valuable but very funny too. You could do stand-up comedy and fill up theaters of ADHDers !! I'm a 52 (female) officially diagnosed 3 years ago but investigating on my own for the last 10. I've been doing group BT and this helped a lot with identifying that I was not a lazy, My major issues are inconsistency, time blindness -where I hyperfocus on watching YouTube for hours to acquire MORE knowledge on ....well...everything, on what now seems my way on trying to crack my brain. It's like I'm searching for the next video that will be better explained or understood because I forget the 95% of what I just watched, read, listened to. - Then my brain is overwhelmed with do-lists that I can never put into the right order, I cannot focus, I'm easily distracted by all the post-it sticky notes that I have on my desk and cannot even prioritise them, and at the end of the day I end up having done 1-2 things that could have been done in 10 minutes. My doctor didn't want to give me stimulants due to my mothers bipolar disorder (for the fear of some kind of worst disregulation?) and my premenopausal /hormonal situation that might be causing my memory/brain fog lack of motivation and energy to feel worse. Do you think I should ask for a new visit ? I'd love to try some meds. Thank you again

[maryannnichols]

Thank you so much for this, sir! It helps to understand WHY it’s so difficult to get/stay motivated, particularly with regards to personal goals, rather than job related ones.

[grandlaphi]

Thank you . I’m 79 yr old . I knew it before but now I understand!

[TylinaVespart]

I remember seeing this in a larger lecture and it made so much more sense of my choices throughout my life. Really helpful having it in a shorter form to share!

Just knowing about it is helpful, it also means you can put in your supports and accommodations to account for it because you’re then addressing the right problem.