I feel I've lost the steering wheel

[CarriedChrist]

I seem to have a terrible procrastination problem, which is badly interfering with my exams/assignments (I am in year 11). I feel that all the life plans I have made for the future are dissolving under my own eyes as I bodge more and more ATAR points. I constantly catch myself going off task when working, try going back on task to find myself unable, and feel like banging my head on a brick wall. I do not know if my late diagnosis of ADHD (circa. age 11) is the cause of this, or if it's an issue that rooted from being raised in a particular way. I realise that it's wrong to shift the blame on psychologists or parents, but my scientific mindset tells me that all problems have a source, and I can't figure out where this crippling issue came from, how I can fix it or why it's happening. I've never been diagnosed with depression, anxiety or others, so I don't think that's the issue. This issue is stopping me from doing the things I enjoy (gaming, hanging out with friends), as I sit down to try do work but don't actually ever get to it, so I have to come back the next morning to sit down at the same spot, procrastinate more, repeat. I'm sick of not being able to work, and I can almost see my life falling apart in front of me, please help.

[Croix]

Dear CarriedChrist~

Welcome here, while I'm not sure of the significance of your name but I do recognize Apollo 9 which was a symbol of complete success when venturing into unknown territory.

To watch your ATAR going down and not being able to sit down and work is very frustrating -and worrying, particularly as you are unsure of the cause. Academic performance seems so important it tends to overrule other things like stress reduction and a balanced life..

You mentioned this procrastination even apples to things you might enjoy, such as gaming or hanging out.

Different from mine, which only applies to things that I have been worried about and is due to anxiety conditions (study for tests - yes, seeing freinds - no).

When you said you had been brought up in a particular way did you have something specific in mind?

I do not know a great deal about ADHD except I believe it promotes concentration problems. May I ask if you have seen your doctor about this? Just wondering about causes is a worry in itself, if you can find out why there may be ways of getting around the problem.

In the interim is there someone who can sit down with you and help you with your studies?

I wold like it if you came back and talked some more

Croix

I too have procrastination problem, but know it's cause, anxiety. It applied whenever I need to accomplish something non-trivial and is quite hard to counteract, though I mostly do nowadays. It does not apply to thngs I'm looking forward to and enjoy.

I guess as yours does the cause may be different, in fact from the little I know