Procrastination as mental health symptom

 

People commonly link procrastination to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other mental health concerns.

The source of procrastination sometimes runs a little deeper than a difficulty regulating emotions.

If you live with anxiety, for example, you might spend a lot of time worrying about what specific tasks involve or feeling nervous about what could go wrong. These kinds of fears can absolutely lead to delay.

The link between anxiety conditions and perfectionism can also play a part in procrastination. When you don’t believe you can do something perfectly, you might feel anxious about doing it at all and continually put it off instead.

Depression, which often wears away at energy and self-worth, can also involve procrastination. You might neglect certain responsibilities because you can’t muster up the motivation to complete them, or because you doubt yourself and your skills.

Procrastination can also result from inattention symptoms of ADHDTrusted Source, like:

  • distractibility
  • concentration difficulties
  • hyperfocus

You can learn more about the connection between ADHD and procrastination here

https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/chronic-procrastination#when-to-seek-help

Medically reviewed by Alex Klein, PsyD — Written by Crystal Raypole on July 19, 2021

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