Procrastinators Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from chronic procrastination.
Withdrawal symptoms? The First 90 Daze
I've never noticed anyone sharing here about the 90-day phenomenon that people in some other 12-Step programs have dubbed "The 90 Daze" - can others identify with this?
After a period of lurking here but not participating, I jumped in and started actually applying PA Tools and Steps - and the first few months felt like an actual withdrawal period. Physical and emotional turmoil became acute, and the temptation to procrastinate was stronger than ever at times. But this seemed to ease after the first few months, as I built the new PA recovery habits that I strive to apply daily now. In retrospect I think I was just noticing more, once the sedative/adrenaline effects of procrastination were absent.
What was your experience? Did you suffer anything like withdrawal? In the spirit of Step 12*, please share experience, strength and hope about your first few weeks/months of PA recovery. Thanks!
*Step 12: "Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to other compulsive procrastinators, and to practice these principles in all our affairs" -
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Don’t Let Whatever Grind You Down!
An interesting post exploring the addiction side of procrastination here: In Need of a Real Addiction. I do wonder whether a procrastination addiction is partly due to a person self-medicating on internal substances like brain chemicals and hormones released each time one procrastinates
Also a link to another post on support for working the 12 STEPS which might be helpful during the recovery process.
Plus I've come across this book which I haven't read but looks interesting. 50 Things Every Alcoholic and Addict in Early Recovery Should Know.
thanks Agnus
Thanks Ag, that is really interesting and thought provoking. Very helpfu to me.
Am experiencing this now I think
But I kind of took it to be the fact that I am trying a lot harder/focussing a lot more on working on my thesis, which is my major source of procrastination and anxiety, therefore I am experiencing a lot more anxiety (and as a weird side effect, my house is super tidy). Let's hope that it is this effect, rather than just a general increase in anxiety.
tidiness as withdrawal symptom lol
My spouse has commented that he can always tell when I have billing to do: our house is never cleaner! The cat particularly enjoys these times, because I tend to compulsively clean the litter box whether it needs it or not...
The good news is, this does get better...after a few months of working PA recovery here, I now recognize that level of anxiety as my "disease acting up." It's my clue to ask myself honestly what's going on, then apply the 12 Steps and PA Tools to get back to serenity again.
re: my house is super tidy
Chemgirl, you are always welcome to come over to my house and procrastinate by cleaning! lol
Although I must admit the house is much more under control these days, thanks to PA!
Jo
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
I only have two modes...
Super tidy and chaos, lol. And the super tidy is usually due to anxiety.
Am still super tidy today, but am actually working on my thesis (although should not have taken a break to check here - will get back to it before I lose my flow)!