[tiredofself]

Hello,
I am 23 yr old girl preparing for a competitive examination. I was full of determination & zeal when i started preparing and put my best efforts in. Now as time passed i became more & more disinterested instudies. I completely lack motivation and determination. Days pass without studying. I dont feel like studying even when i know i would regret this later. I am too concerned about everything topics time too much. I am try to be prefectionist and even when there is one glitch i wate the whole day. all i want the day to end and a new day to begin. To start afresh. I have a weird sleeping pattern and i fail to stick to a routine which i make everyother day. I even have trichotillomania which further distracts me. please help me.

[Skeezyks]

Hello tiredofself: This appears to be your first post here on PC. So... welcome to PsychCentral... from the Skeezyks! I hope you find the time you spend here to be of benefit.

I'm sorry you are encountering such difficulty. It's been a lot of years... decades really... since I was in your situation. But I remember how it was for me & it was similar to what you describe. I was seldom a motivated student. I pretty-much always waited until the last minute to get assignments done. Then the night before it was due, or a test was scheduled, I would scramble to throw something together or to study madly for the test.

I don't know if this is part of your problem but, in my case, I simply wasn't interested in anything I was studying. I went to college simply because that's what everyone said I should do. Under those circumstances it's difficult to get, & keep, motivated. Of course it may also be that you are struggling with some depression as well as other mental health issues. It may be wise for you to see a counselor or therapist, if such is available to you, in an effort to figure out what to do. You don't want these sorts of difficulties to continue to follow you throughout life. I wish you well...

[BeaFlower]

Hi tiredofself!
You said that you losd motivation. Maybe you don't like what you're studying anymore, or changed idea about what you want to do? A counselor could really help.
I understand about being perfectionist, sometimes it's an obstacle. Just try to do your best. If you do just something every day, it's however better than not to study at all because you're worried not to do well enough.
Good luck

[seeker1950]

Hello, Tiredofself!
I can identify with what you described! Sometimes, being under such pressure, anticipating a big important test, can actually cause you to shut down. Especially, if you have obsessive compulsive tendencies.

In my years in college, I found it very hard to focus, though I loved being there and appreciated the opportunity to learn. One year, I could NOT stay awake, slept all the time at irregular hours. Looking back now, I realize I was suffering from major depression, but that was many years ago, and there was no resource like counseling or medication.

Later in life, going back to college, I learned that I have to take study in small disciplined increments. I'm pretty sure I've always suffered from Attention Deficit Disorder, though I've never been diagnosed.

I agree with the others here that a counselor might be helpful to you.
Perhaps you are in a form of depression, or, like me, some sort of attention deficit. Or maybe you're just overwhelmed!

I learned later in life that I had to limit the amount of classes I could take in college. Sometimes, just one or two per semester, since more courses overwhelmed me.

[Talthybius]

I think it is either an upward or downward spiral where in some cases, there is a steeply going downward spiral.

When you fail one exam, move unto to the next one, which is even harder, and reexaminations stack up and you start to wonder about if this really is what you want to dedicate your professional life on, things get difficult, frustrating and depressing really quickly.

The only way to protect yourself is to become disinterested. If you really care a lot, it is too much to take failing all those exams. If you become apathetic to it, it becomes more bearable. But as you are apathetic, you will study even less, your results will become worse, leading to you becoming more apathetic, losing any love you had for the subject.

You have someone how able to start afresh when a new period/subject starts. How? Donno. It is a struggle.

Somehow you need to put double-think stress on yourself. Stress that prevents you from procrastinating. But stress that avoids you feeling terrible about failing.

You need healthy distractions, like sports and social activities.

Any respected educational institution has professionals that can help you with study problems.


Maybe start with fixing your sleeping routine and make a study routine/schedule that is so easy to follow you can be sure you will follow it. Then when you follow it 100%, make it more demanding slowly. No point making a routine you know you won't be able to follow.