Procrastination, ADHD, and Coping Strategies: Embracing Your Wiring for Growth

I received several emails on my blog last week on procrastination. Most had similar messages, like:

• Does this mean I am not broken?

• I wish I had heard this years ago!

• Even though I am not a procrastinator by nature, I still find some of this exhibited in my life…

I think it is ironic that we often think we are the only ones who feel the way we do. When in fact many others are sensing the same thing. It is always dangerous to project ourselves onto others, but it is beneficial for everyone for us to be transparent with who we are.

Understanding Procrastination and Wiring

In my blog, I wasn’t trying to give people excuses to not deal with their shortcomings, but rather to give them insight into what may be part of their wiring and not necessarily of pathological origin. Seventy-five percent of the emails I received mentioned ADD or ADHD. It is probably no surprise to many of you, but as a child, experts suggested to my parents that I take meds from my lack of focus and hyperactivity. (note this was back in the mid-1960s before the terms used today were in vogue) Fortunately, my parents suggested they would give me less sugar and more exercise. I am glad they did because I learned to develop other coping strategies which have worked very well for me for most of my life.

A Psychiatrist's Perspective on ADHD

As a pastor, I had lunch with one of our congregants who was a PhD/MD Psychiatrist. As we were eating, he asked if I thought I might be ADHD, to which I said I was well aware of that tendency in my life. He suggested my running at a fast pace was a way of self-medicating because adrenaline is from the same family of meds as Ritalin. He pushed an envelope of pills across the table and suggested I take these. When I pushed them back, he said this would be an easier solution to my “problem” and I wouldn’t need to run anymore to remain focused. I told him I appreciated his concern and help, but I was managing my tendencies fairly well.

ADHD on a Continuum: Insights from Gabor Maté

I read a book several years ago named “Scattered Minds” by Gabor Maté MD. It was one of the best treatments I have read on the subject. He helped me appreciate that one’s scatteredness (ADD or ADHD) is not a pathology, but rather a continuum from very focused to very scattered. Unfortunately, we have created a two-state variable out of this, either you are ADD/ADHD or you are not. But let me suggest that on a continuum, neither extreme is wrong, just different. This is true for everyone who lies somewhere on the continuum. Each needs to learn various coping strategies depending on where you are. Some individuals are so focused, that they need to let some things go, while others can’t be focused for more than 3 seconds. Each of these individuals and everyone in between, needs to learn coping strategies that will enable them to be effective in a variety of environments.

Medication vs. Coping Strategies

Some at the extreme may need meds, but not nearly the number that are currently being treated as such. The NYT this last week did a feature article on Adults with ADHD. The article points out that it is much more common now for adults (and children) to be diagnosed and medicated for ADHD. I find it interesting that it is so much easier to take a medication to bring you back to “normal” rather than operate within your wiring, yes some are more scattered than others. However, developing the coping strategies needed for healthy functioning in our society is a critical skill that doesn’t detract from the unique strength we bring into our world.

Embracing Differences Over "Normalcy"

Most of us are extreme in one dimension of life or another. Unfortunately, our culture has elevated “normal” as desired, rather than being just different. Todd Rose in his book entitled: The End of Average does an excellent job of helping us understand that the goal should NOT TO BE in the middle (average) on any scale: physically, mentally, emotionally, or behaviorally. Some of us will be in the middle but many of us will be on one side or another of the “average”. Take it from one who knows statistics, we must appreciate our differences and teach everyone how to understand, appreciate, and develop strategies to allow us to be effective with where we are on the continuum.

My Coping Strategies: A Lifelong Journey

Some of you have asked how I have developed healthy coping strategies. Many of my blogs deal with this subject. It is too long to discuss here fully, but it has been a process of:

• Building consistent habits

• Prioritizing physical exercise

• Being mindful of what I watch, eat, and consume (especially caffeine)

For me, this is a lifelong journey and not a destination. As with any journey, it has a lot of right and wrong turns. But that is what growth is all about. Whether you’re dealing with procrastination, ADHD, or other challenges, understanding your natural wiring is a crucial first step. Growth comes not from striving for “normal” but from embracing who you are and developing strategies to thrive within your unique strengths.

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