The Banalities of Depression - Queendom Research Shows Link Between Depression and Procrastination

Queendom.com's latest study indicates that depressed people are more likely to put off doing things in both their personal and professional life.

MONTREAL, CANADA (MARKETWIRE) -- November 17, 2012

Queendom.com, a pioneer in online personality, IQ, and career tests, has released its newest study on procrastination. Queendom's research reveals that the tendency to put things off can have an underlying cause that goes well beyond laziness, and into depression.

Whether it's a doctor's appointment, cleaning out the garage, or visiting a really annoying family member, most people procrastinate to some degree, according to Queendom research; a lack of motivation and a low tolerance for frustration being the most common causes. For those who have been diagnosed with depression, however, the tendency to procrastinate can become more pronounced. Queendom's statistics reveal that depressed people outscored the rest of the population on tendency to procrastinate (score of 45 vs. 38, on a scale from 0 to 100). Depressed people are more likely to put off household chores (42 vs. 34), tasks at work (42 vs. 37), and fixing relationship problems (44 vs. 36). They're also more likely to avoid seeking help for personal problems or health problems (53 vs. 43).

"With health issues being the most common area where people procrastinate, especially those with depression, this can cause serious problems," explains Dr. Ilona Jerabek, president of PsychTests. "Someone who is depressed tends to lack motivation and feel overwhelmed. Therefore, they will have a propensity to procrastinate, making it less likely that they will seek professional help for their issues. Without therapy, the person is at risk of developing more severe depressive symptoms, which can have a negative impact on their home life, relationships, and work. This procrastination-depression combination can be a very difficult cycle to break."

Queendom's data indicates that the most common underlying reasons why depressed people procrastinate include:

  • Low tolerance for frustration (score of 61)
  • Perfectionistic tendencies (59)
  • Lack of motivation (56)

Queendom's procrastination research also reveals that:

  • 71% of depressed people get sidetracked easily by obstacles to their goals (vs. 57% for non-depressed people).
  • 65% of depressed people have difficulty getting themselves going when they know they have a lot of tasks to take care of (vs. 53% for non-depressed people).
  • 60% of depressed people admit that they've put off completing their personal goals several times (vs. 40% for non-depressed people).
  • 48% of depressed people admit that fear often holds them back from accomplishing their goals (vs. 28% for non-depressed people).
  • 29% of depressed people get discouraged when faced with a difficult challenge (vs. 22% for non-depressed people).

"While it can be difficult to summon the motivation to get things done when you're depressed, fighting this tendency to procrastinate is precisely the step that depressed people need to take in order to gain control of their life and their sense of self again," explains Dr. Jerabek. "The urge to just lie in bed and give up can be strong - but if you can manage to get up and get one chore done, no matter how minor, it gets the bar rolling. You'll start to feel that motivation building up again."

"Obviously, not all people who procrastinate are depressed, but if you put things off frequently and just can't motivate yourself to get even minor things done, let alone major tasks, there is bound to be an underlying cause that needs to be looked into. We can't just label people as lazy anymore. There is more to procrastination than a desire to sit on the couch all day - it means you're putting off living your life, and this warrants attention."

Those interested in assessing their procrastination tendencies and getting advice on how to break this habit can go to:
https://www.queendom.com/tests/access_page/index.htm?idRegTest=3046

About Queendom.com
Queendom.com is a subsidiary of PsychTests AIM Inc. Queendom.com is a site that creates an interactive venue for self-exploration with a healthy dose of fun. The site offers a full range of professional-quality, scientifically-validated psychological assessments that empower people to grow and reach their real potential through insightful feedback and detailed, custom-tailored analysis.

About Psychtests AIM Inc.
PsychTests AIM Inc. originally appeared on the internet scene in 1996. Since its inception, it has become a pre-eminent provider of psychological assessment products and services to human resource personnel, therapists, academics, researchers and a host of other professionals around the world. PsychTests AIM Inc. staff is comprised of a dedicated team of psychologists, test developers, researchers, statisticians, writers, and artificial intelligence experts. The company's research division, Plumeus Inc., is supported in part by Research and Development Tax Credit awarded by Industry Canada.

Contact:
Psychtests AIM Inc.
Ilona Jerabek, Ph.D., President
http://testyourself.psychtests.com/
1-888-855-6975
ilona@psychtests.com