Is procrastination a result of psychological problems.

[Husseinisdoingfine]

Ever since I was bought my first personal desk top computer in my freshman year of high school, I have always had an issue with chronic procrastination. It seemed that no matter how much effort I devoted to dealing with this issue, this particular thorn in my side never went away. This lead to putting everything off until the last minute, I can vividly recall how when I was younger, projects for which I had several months to complete would be put off to the very last day. Working late into the night, the very night before an assignment was due in high school was not an uncommon experience for me, and not because I was being overworked, but rather because of my chronic procrastination. After those painful late nighters, I would tell myself that I would NEVER do this again, only to again and completely unconsciously fall into my old habits. 

My favorite way to procrastinate is to binge on the Internet, wether it be YouTube, Reddit, 4chan, I just can't seem to stop. I have had it with the chronic issue for which I suffer with, I keep telling myself that I have had it, and that I'm not going to do it anymore, only to find myself unconsciously reverting to my old habits. I would put in place so many ways to prevent this, none of which seem to work. From putting my computer in the basement and only working on my school assigned laptop, to taping big warning signs to my wall reading NO PROCRASTINATING, nothing seemed to work. The only thing which seemed to work was refusing to go home from school untill all of my homework was completed, and having a teacher monitor me as I worked on my homework, using my school assigned laptop.

I'm not asking for advice, as I'm already in a procrastination and OCD support group right now. I'm asking whether I'm either lazy, or stupid, OR do I have a legitimate psychological issue which is causing it.

[Princess Arabia]

 

[Princess Arabia]

31 minutes ago, Husseinisdoingfine said:

I'm not asking for advice, as I'm already in a procrastination and OCD support group right now.

Do you ever procrastinate on going to the support group.

Edited December 11, 2023 by Princess Arabia

[LastThursday]

14 hours ago, Husseinisdoingfine said:

I'm asking whether I'm either lazy, or stupid,

Neither.

14 hours ago, Husseinisdoingfine said:

OR do I have a legitimate psychological issue which is causing it.

I don't know your history, so it's hard to comment on it.

Everyone procrastinates at one time or another. But procrastination is actually a fiction. The underlying assumption is that a particular task must be done. If the task were optional, and you chose not to do it, then there wouldn't be any procrastination. Apart from doing things which maintain your survival such as eating and having a roof over your head, all other tasks are in fact optional and fictional (and mostly imposed on you by others).

Related to that is that tasks stop being tasks when you actually want to do them. Bingeing on the internet is also doing a task - which you don't seem to procrastinate about. You already have the solution.

In my eyes the psychology of procrastination is this:

• You/someone needs to invent a "task". 
• You put off doing that task.
• You wait until you can bear it no longer.
• You do the task.
• (Or you let it slide)
• You or someone who invented the task, gets angry or stressed for not doing it quickly and/or efficiently.
• You beat yourself up for getting angry or stressed and concoct stories about being lazy, stupid or worse.

@Husseinisdoingfine what do you think?

[Yimpa]

15 hours ago, Husseinisdoingfine said:

I'm not asking for advice, as I'm already in a procrastination and OCD support group right now. I'm asking whether I'm either lazy, or stupid, OR do I have a legitimate psychological issue which is causing it.

Asking for reassurance, are we? 

[gettoefl]

do everything possible today

treat life as if it's one day

tomorrow should be a clean slate

this frees up the mind so that mostly you have nothing to do

be realistic too, if it's unfinishable i will finish tomorrow

leaving things until the last minute is stupidity at its worst

[Ulax]

To my understanding, procrastination can stem from self sabotaging that stems from unconscious feelings of shame.

[Gabriel Joy]

I think it's your psychological issue causing it.

People don't voluntarily chose to be stupid or lazy, it's how they were raised and reacted to their environnement that caused them to be stupid or lazy (All parties influence whether one procrasinates or not). Therefore, I think whatever caused your psychological disorder may have overrided your desire to not procrasinate. Although that's reversible with the right mindset and methods.
 

[Ry4n]

I think you have ADHD, I have it myself this is extremely UNdiagnosed in adults (vs over diagnosed in children).

Do you struggle with sleep and emotional regulation? Do you struggle to know what to prioritise over any given day? I would definitely look into it. 

[ZenAlex]

Procastination, IMO, is the result of us habitually escaping from something, or just a lack of interest in the things we need to get done.

You don't procastinate from doing your favourite things. You don't procastinate when you're watching your favourite movie or playing a fun sport or game.

[UnbornTao]

Regardless of stories, contemplate what and why it is.

What happens in your experience that is called procrastination?

[numbersinarow]

Honestly yes. If you're running through life with 0 trauma and just a borderline psychopathic brain that goes from point A to point B instantly, where does the procrastination come from? Look at the turmoil. It needs to cure itself otherwise working would be like slamming a severely damaged part of your body against metal.

[Peo]

In my experience procrastination is caused by frustration. That is my own personal experience of procrastination. Whenever i get stuck or see no results, it only dobbles my procrastination. Once you make some progress i find it easier to keep working. This is why i think having a teacher, mentor or chatGPT to point out what your doing wrong can really help reduce your tendency to procrastination.

Edited March 4 by Peo
Grammar mistakes

[Wilhelm44]

Procrastination happens when the higher order functions of the brain get downgraded, because either a sense of social threat or survival threat is perveived.