How Mental Health and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Influence Procrastination

Whether it be household chores, homework, or an essay due at 11:59 PM, everyone has procrastinated on something at least once in their life. Procrastination is the act of purposefully postponing tasks despite negative consequences, including increased stress, rushed work, or missed deadlines. Over time, society has formed the misconception that procrastination is caused by laziness or poor time management. Instead, it is primarily caused by an inability to regulate one's emotions. This misunderstanding is because most tasks that people tend to procrastinate require a lot of effort and discomfort, and therefore trigger negative emotions. Specific tasks make us feel tired, bored, or anxious, so our brains try to avoid those feelings at all costs. Our brains prioritize short-term gratification, or avoiding the task, over completing the task, which will have future benefits. Instead of avoiding work, people actually elude the unpleasant emotions associated with it. Despite its widespread influence, procrastination is often overlooked by researchers as a topic of study. Fuscia Sirios, a professor in the department of psychology at Durham University in the UK, explained that about 50% of students consider their procrastination to be chronic, and about 85-90% will procrastinate at some point. Chronic procrastination is habitual, and pervasive in one's behavior, while less severe kinds of procrastination are only temporary or occasional. Though since the habit of procrastination is a universal issue, it is essential to understand the different causes and effects it has on individuals.

While procrastination can arise from a variety of factors, poor mental health is a main driver of this bad habit. Mental health disorders serve as both a determinant and an effect of procrastination. Depression, for example, is characterized by persistent feelings of extreme loneliness and sadness, resulting in a loss of interest in activities, sleep issues, struggles with appetite, and even withdrawal from social situations and relationships. Those who suffer from depression face stress and negative emotions at higher levels than those who do not, and have more trouble processing emotions. Therefore, they become more likely to avoid delay tasks that bring those negative emotions, as they feel them more explicitly. Additionally, depression lessens people's energy, making small tasks feel more daunting and tiring. At the same time, inaction to complete a task creates feelings of guilt and regret, which can heighten depressive symptoms that those suffering may face. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health illness linked to perfectionist behaviors that also affects levels of procrastination. Individuals with OCD may have self-doubt or fears of making mistakes, leading them to not even attempt the task at all. OCD also involves uncontrollable intrusive thoughts, or the need to make something "just right". As a result, making decisions or even starting the task feels nearly impossible.

Neurodevelopmental disorders also pose a threat to how someone processes their emotions, and therefore procrastination. Research has indicated that those who have Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) suffer from dopamine dysregulation (Green and Bradford, 2025). As compared to those who are neurotypical, people with ADHD produce less dopamine, or the "feel-good" neurotransmitter. This deficit makes it more difficult for people with ADHD to process rewards, pleasure, focus, and motivation. Since reward processing can be challenging for those with ADHD, gratifying tasks, like doomscrolling or playing video games, are more likely to be chosen. Such tasks instantly boost one's dopamine levels, therefore temporarily improving how they feel.

Therefore, procrastination is caused by a failure in emotional regulation and is used as a coping mechanism to avoid such negative emotions. Additionally, there are mental health illnesses or neurodevelopmental disorders that exacerbate this dysregulation. Various treatments have been used to treat those who procrastinate on a chronic level. One type of treatment is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), where a person works with a clinical psychologist to alter negative thoughts and emotions with positive ones. Individuals can also develop better studying habits and practice mindfulness to curb procrastination. Ultimately, everyone is affected by procrastination to some degree, however many people do not seek out help or solutions. Procrastination can feel overwhelming, and though it may seem counterintuitive, by acknowledging and tackling the problem directly, procrastination becomes more manageable and treatable.