Re:Ask HN: Is it 'normal' to struggle so hard with work?
by downandout on Monday February 19, 2018 @05:46AM
(#16412075)
I had a long period of time where I couldn't get motivated to do anything after a business partner screwed me out of millions of dollars from an acquisition. I would try and try, but I just couldn't get started on things, or I would start and never finish. I later learned that after this incident, I was suffering from "learned helplessness" [1]. This is a phenomenon where after experiencing a trauma that you were powerless to stop, the brain generalizes that powerlessness and applies it even to situations where you do have control. Essentially, you no longer believe that your efforts can yield positive outcomes, and you stop trying.
Learned helplessness is believed to be a major driver in depression and obviously is a source of issues with motivation. It's a really interesting and treatable condition. If anyone reading this believes this may be an issue for you, you should look into a therapist that is experienced with CBT, as this can be an effective treatment for learned helplessness.
Re:Ask HN: Is it 'normal' to struggle so hard with work?
by thenaturalist on Monday February 19, 2018 @08:32AM
(#16412736)
Whoa, thank you so much for sharing this. I never heard of this concept before, it's an unknown unknown for me. This explains a lot of my personality.
Re:Ask HN: Is it 'normal' to struggle so hard with work?
by baby on Monday February 19, 2018 @02:48PM
(#16415193)
Sometimes it's also a bad self-diagnosis, we tend to forget that a few months ago we were the most productive. People have ups and downs.
Re:Ask HN: Is it 'normal' to struggle so hard with work?
by MIKarlsen on Monday February 19, 2018 @05:15AM
(#16411950)
I think you are right about the mild depression. In my own post further up, I suggested Cognitive Behavioural Therapy as a possible solution (possible to do as self-study and self-practice)
Re:Ask HN: Is it 'normal' to struggle so hard with work?
by TomMarius on Monday February 19, 2018 @07:40AM
(#16412500)
> possible to do as self-study and self-practice
Do you have any tips on getting started? A blog/website, what to look for?
Re:Ask HN: Is it 'normal' to struggle so hard with work?
by thrwaway45689 on Monday February 19, 2018 @08:58AM
(#16412865)
Rhena Branch, Rob Willson: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy For Dummies
https://www.amazon.com/Cognitive-Behavioural-Therapy-Dummies...
Ignore the stupid series title, it's a great book.
I think this calls for a self-diagnostic. I would definitely see a therapist and maybe a doctor to make sure there aren't any subtle undiagnosed issues holding you back. This could be mild depression, ADHD, or heck sleep apnea. Or maybe you're completely in the wrong field for yourself and a counselor could help to quickly suss that out. Or maybe you're a wild perfectionist and don't even know it. There's a million possible explanations that could be completely invisible to you but accessible to a trained 3rd party.
If you were in your early 20s I'd say... muddle through, no one starts off awesome. But by your 30s I think it's reasonable to expect more and appropriate to get proactive about getting to the bottom of this.