I know, the title is inflammatory. Trust me, this post isn't to claim that all ADD people are just lazy and looking for excuses. This is about me (self-centered, aren't I? :) )

I know that this board hosts both pro-meds and anti-meds people, as well as the majority that's more "meds-neutral." I tend to fall into the neutral category, leaning more towards pro-meds (just so's yall know where I'm coming from).

So, I procrastinate. There's a few things that I need to do (HAVE to do) that I REALLY don't want to do -- one example is get my wisdom teeth removed.

I know that procrastination is a "symptom" of ADD, but I really don't understand this. Isn't procrastination a failure of willpower? IE, it's a simple matter of DOING what you have to do instead of putting it off. However, from what I understand about ADD, it's a limitation of focus, not willpower. IE, my forgetfulness, my disorganization, etc. -- all of these I can see as legitimate side-effects of ADD (and I'm hoping that they improve with my meds!)

But I can't see a pill making it easier for me to do what I don't want to do. Obviously, I'm hoping that I'm wrong.

So what are your opinions on this? Obviously a pill can't "give" me the willpower to do something I don't want to do -- but can it help me have MORE willpower? What is "willpower" anyway?

-- Tom

I don't think it's laziness. I too am not quite sure of what will power truly is. Many of the things we procrastinate about are things that cause of some sort of discomfort.

For instance I put off many household chores. Yes, I know most people don't enjoy household chores. I think many of us ADDers get so overwhelmed by many of the chores so we feel a lot more discomfort than the average person does.

As for you procrastinating or avoiding getting your wisdom teeth out well that not as easy as it seems either. I had mine out several years and it wasn't that bad. It's not an ejoyable thing plus is requred multisteps to make the appointment and to actually go through the procedure.

I don't think a pill can make you want to do these things any more than you do right now but it may help you be bit more focused to accomplish the steps to help get them done.

Yeah, thanks for that... I read that procrastination is actually a side-effect of ADD according to the DSM.

I guess EVERYONE procrastinates, it's just that the lack of focus, and the problems with attention and impulse control make the problem much more serious for us ADD'ers.

So (answering my own question -- I always do that!) the pills (or whatever) won't "cure" my procrastination, but they may make it easier for me to cope with it.

-- Tom

Personally, meds help me deal with the problems of attention (focus) and impulse control, thus reducing the problem (though not eliminating it, as is evidenced by my responding to this discussion as opposed to focusing on my work...lol)

I find that to be able to discern between the two is what answers my question or solves my problem at that time. Honesty is the key. Am I putting something off knowingly? or Am I forgetting? The key word......honest self evaluation.Once we are able to be fully honest with ourselves, alot of things become clear and alot of things find solutions. If you are happy with how things are , be honest and own it. If you want change, be honest and own it. But never talk out of both sides of your mouth on purpose.

My procrastination is more like this...

I know that I should get my wisdom teeth removed. But then I say "not today..." Maybe because I don't have the time to find a new dentist and deal with all the complications of surgery. Maybe because I don't have lots of money right now and our stupid dental plan doesn't cover the whole cost like our medical plan does. Or maybe for some other reason. But the real reason is because I'm scared spitless of the idea of some guy going into my mouth with fookin plies and breaking a tooth and yanking it out. I'm scared of the fact that a fair, if small, number of people DIE every year during routine oral surgery.

But the ADD part is that (A) instead of saying to myself, "no, Tom, you have to do this now or it will be much worse later," I say one of these excuses (poor impulse control), and (B) later, I forget (poor short-term memory, poor organizational skills).

This is very typical of my procrastination. So the ADD isn't 100% of the cause, but it's a big contributing factor. If I couldn't just "put things out of my head" like I do, but was forced to keep thinking about things like getting my wisdom teeth pulled, or going crazy trying not to think about it -- I think that in this case I'd procrastinate a LOT less...

So, there's hope. I think I need to get medicated/treated/whatever FIRST, because as long as I have the ADD symptoms, there's no (or very little) hope of getting the whole beast under control.

-- Tom

wow living you discribed my procrastenation to a t! its controlable i get overwelmed on the chores and homework (espicially if its a project like a report or any of the kind) and then i dont do it but why is i forgot an exscuse when its true??? i never understood that.

now im actually understanding add/D/HD MORE BETTER NOW THAT I GOT ON here......sorry for yelling accidently touched caps lock button in stead of a

Tom, dd I mention Im a registered dental assistant? I'm not being a pain, Im being honest in hopes to answer what youre asking. I reiterate...if you are ok with what you choose, then own it and be ok with it. If you arent ok with it, decide what you want to do. There is a happy medium here. You could say make an appointment to remove one tooth at a time say once every month for the next four months. Or pick a Friday some day in the future, get all four removed with say, Nitrous Oxide to releive your anxiety, then you have the weekend to recoup. The very slight number of people who have died during routine oral surgery had some compicated issue they or the doctor wasn't aware of etc. Healthy normal folks dont die getting teeth removed.Some times appearing to agonize over something etc, can help us releive some of the finger shaking from others. Though it leaves us in neutral. Do you want the teeth removed? If no, thats a choice and its a viable one.

Crissy,

Thanks for the reply. There's a complication with me -- I have severe obstructive sleep apnea. So I can't be put under general anesthesia -- at risk of asphyxiation. So I have to do it under local. Which means that I have to be aware of the guy going in and... ugh.

I have to have the teeth removed. I have a relatively small mouth and the wisdom teeth (which are all in, and non-impacted) are crowding my other teeth, causing wearing that's slowly eating away my lower front teeth (it's not noticeable yet, but it's progressing).

*sigh*

So you want the teeth removed? Or youre are willing to accept things as they are and will progress ? Im just clarifying, as sometimes we dont even realize what we really want to do. Nitrous isnt the only way either, the once a month thing may be what you need, as holding your jaw open for long periods of time is hard especially for microstomia. The good thing about non impacted wisdoms are they are usually conical in shap due to the roots fusing together to form on fat root with a point. So they tend to slip right out.This also breaks your project down to more (pardon the pun) bite size peices. I dont think this is laziness issue. i think this is a fear issue. Which is extremely normal.

Oh absolutely -- it's 100% about fear. No doubts there. A lot of my procrastination has fear as its roots...

It's just that I get into these loops of telling myself that I "should" do this or I "shouldn't" do that... Like going and getting my w. teeth removed "shouldn't" be such an issue with me -- despite how terrified of it I am.

You ask, do I want the teeth out or not... Of course I want the teeth out -- I just don't want to have to be there when they're removed :( So in this case the procrastination is actually the result of an internal conflict caused by two powerful, competing internal goals -- I want my wisdom teeth out so they don't destroy my other teeth, but I also want to not have to go through the pain and fear of the removal.

-- Tom

Exactly exactly. Shoulda coulda woulda. We shoulda woulda coulda ourselves to death. This is what i mean by making a choice and owning it. Listen, I have lousy toes. I have had them worked on twice. It was traumatic and painful. At one point the podiatrist said to me. "What is it you do for a living, again?" as I sobbed into a towel. I SHOULD go get them worked on again according to the committee in my head. But I dont want to do it. I dont want to go through that God awful fear and pain. And thats fine. If and when my toes hurt that badly I will choose to go get it done. It may not be what someone else feels I SHOULD do, but its what i have chosen to do and thats my business . I choose to be concerned about my house and the order its in, others are happy with their house in a different order. Which is a better choice and which is the lesser choice? Neither. It is up to the person living in it. When I was questioning you about your teeth, it wasnt really about your teeth (they're yours to do with as you please. Far be it for me to decide what you should could or would do with them). its about seeing what we are thinking, what is propelling us forward, what is screaming at us from our subconcious, what is the motivating factor ( what is my motivation? the actress asks haughtily). Shoulda Woulda Coulda.

OKay, i' m so ADD it's not even funny
i've completely ignored everone elseo,
1) i'm .. . . (fill in the adjective)
2) go to the dentist. . . no on likes the scrapy sound
i hate it my self. . . i have no caveities.
nuf said

OKay, i' m so ADD it's not even funny
i've completely ignored everone elseo,
1) i'm .. . . (fill in the adjective)
2) go to the dentist. . . no on likes the scrapy sound
i hate it my self. . . i have no caveities.
nuf said