Is there anyone else out there who is naturally lazy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


Yes, it's linked to inattentive ADHD and is partly hereditary.

My son and I are like this.

Posting again to express my great surprise that it's only on page 4 that I'm the first to come along and mention inattentive ADHD. I'm a research scientist and had to have my son evaluated for ADHD, but I thought it was recognized in the general population as well. There is a reason, apart from the worldwide obsession with coffee, why you so desperately need your caffeine in the morning. There is a reason why stimulants for ADHD might work for you... because you might have ADHD! Inattentive and hyperactive ADHD are both treated in the same way, with stimulants, even though they have certain diametrically opposite symptoms. Hyperactive: can't sit still, always rushing, mercurial temper, flashes of brilliance, great talker, high energy. Inattentive: quiet, introspective, slow, prone to motor issues or hypotonia, thoughtful, low energy. Commonality: attention issues. Sometimes you can be diagnosed as "mixed type" if the psychologist evaluating you sees a few traits of each type.

Please don't call it lazy. By using the derogatory word on yourselves, you are perpetuating the shame and guilt placed on certain inborn traits that you cannot help! Don't make it so easy for others to dismiss and belittle you.

Don't forget that our traits are all linked together (genes). It's important to know this about ourselves to find the right job and the right mate. My mother, myself and my son, are all low-energy and slow, yet we are creative and thoughtful. We might not be one without the other, and this is a critical concept. You cannot separate the desirable from the less desirable in a human being without heavy intervention, either pharmaceutical or otherwise, and sometimes not even then. My son does very well in school and is respected by his teachers as a "deep-thinker". Of course he is. He's so slow. Goodness knows he takes the time to do it

I have inattentive add and feel
Sloth like not on meds yet but seeing doc. Was on meds before pregnancy but nursing now

And just became a mom. Any tips would be helpful

Random:
Also what kind do research do you do?

If you can't take your meds right now, make yourself lists, write everything down before you forget - I prefer a paper planner, but electronic calendars and lists can be shared with your spouse and years from now, your teen children, so everyone can see instantly what the schedule is and what's changed. Developing routines for mornings and evenings (eating, washing, getting dressed) are a godsend for my son otherwise he would forget the most basic stuff. What I struggle with are tidying up and having a place for everything, because I'm the least impaired and have trouble, and no one else in the house seems capable of replacing items where they're supposed to be! Sigh. You're supposed to do a little bit at a time and "reward" yourself, but that's never worked for me. I've taken to scheduling get-togethers at my house every two weeks, so that it forces me to clean and tidy up before the guests come! How awful is that

My husband and I have worked in all kinds of biomedical research (DH works at NIH), including ADHD.

Congrats on the new baby. Rest!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


Yes, it's linked to inattentive ADHD and is partly hereditary.

My son and I are like this.

Posting again to express my great surprise that it's only on page 4 that I'm the first to come along and mention inattentive ADHD. I'm a research scientist and had to have my son evaluated for ADHD, but I thought it was recognized in the general population as well. There is a reason, apart from the worldwide obsession with coffee, why you so desperately need your caffeine in the morning. There is a reason why stimulants for ADHD might work for you... because you might have ADHD! Inattentive and hyperactive ADHD are both treated in the same way, with stimulants, even though they have certain diametrically opposite symptoms. Hyperactive: can't sit still, always rushing, mercurial temper, flashes of brilliance, great talker, high energy. Inattentive: quiet, introspective, slow, prone to motor issues or hypotonia, thoughtful, low energy. Commonality: attention issues. Sometimes you can be diagnosed as "mixed type" if the psychologist evaluating you sees a few traits of each type.

Please don't call it lazy. By using the derogatory word on yourselves, you are perpetuating the shame and guilt placed on certain inborn traits that you cannot help! Don't make it so easy for others to dismiss and belittle you.

Don't forget that our traits are all linked together (genes). It's important to know this about ourselves to find the right job and the right mate. My mother, myself and my son, are all low-energy and slow, yet we are creative and thoughtful. We might not be one without the other, and this is a critical concept. You cannot separate the desirable from the less desirable in a human being without heavy intervention, either pharmaceutical or otherwise, and sometimes not even then. My son does very well in school and is respected by his teachers as a "deep-thinker". Of course he is. He's so slow. Goodness knows he takes the time to do it

Well, I'm 49 and have never been diagnosed with ADHD (and I doubt I will seek a diagnosis for that). So I'm not going to blame my low energy behavior on ADHD when I don't know it's that. Everything else tests normal and as long as I'm doing well at work (which I am) and can keep a roof over my head I will just have to accept my limitations.

PP you responded to.

I do not have a formal diagnosis either, it's rare that someone in my generation would seek one out if we've managed our life so far without major mishap. Yet my husband and my son have diagnosed ADHD (mild mixed type and severe inattentive, respectively), and I can see all my son's documented ADHD traits in myself, albeit milder - so I would probably be diagnosed as mildly inattentive were I to be evaluated.

And yes, I completely agree with you that it is all about accepting yourself as you are. Loving yourself. We are not lazy. We are not piling on the guilt. It's not burnout, except if we really do too much. It's just the way our bodies and brains work.

The real problem is that American society (above all other societies in the world) prizes multitasking and overworking. Not healthy, even for the super-energetic.

IT's helpful to know that what could come across as simple laziness could actually be inattentive. Adhad, however, you almost seem to be asserting that all f us PP's robably actually have inattentive ADHD. I simply have very low energy levels, I don't have a difficult time focusing at all. Why is it so hard to accept that some people really have less energy than others? It seems odd to assume that low energy people actually have ADHD.

[Anonymous]

“Well, I'm 49 and have never been diagnosed with ADHD (and I doubt I will seek a diagnosis for that). So I'm not going to blame my low energy behavior on ADHD when I don't know it's that. Everything else tests normal and as long as I'm doing well at work (which I am) and can keep a roof over my head I will just have to accept my limitations”

Amen.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I've always had very low energy levels. Have no problems paying attention, but was eventually diagnosed with thyroid problems.

[Anonymous]

OK, me too! I don't have to be doing something all the time and people who do exhaust me. My SO is always tinkering and doing something and it makes me feel like I should be too which isn't natural for me, but I can tell he is uncomfortable doing a Netflix binge with me because that is just too lazy for his natural energy set point.

[Anonymous]

How do my fellow naturally lazy people answer the question "Doing anything exciting this weekend?" I mean, exciting for me is sleeping till noon with no obligations, then taking my sweet time getting dressed (if I get dressed at all), then finding some low-key way to pass the day until bedtime. But I never have anything to say when coworkers are comparing their weekend ski trips and kid activities and entertaining 15 houseguests and whatnot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
“Well, I'm 49 and have never been diagnosed with ADHD (and I doubt I will seek a diagnosis for that). So I'm not going to blame my low energy behavior on ADHD when I don't know it's that. Everything else tests normal and as long as I'm doing well at work (which I am) and can keep a roof over my head I will just have to accept my limitations”

Amen.

+1 preach

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do my fellow naturally lazy people answer the question "Doing anything exciting this weekend?" I mean, exciting for me is sleeping till noon with no obligations, then taking my sweet time getting dressed (if I get dressed at all), then finding some low-key way to pass the day until bedtime. But I never have anything to say when coworkers are comparing their weekend ski trips and kid activities and entertaining 15 houseguests and whatnot.

I just say "Yes, it was great, very relaxing. But now it's over. Back to the grind." Then I smile and walk away.

[Anonymous]

Hmmm. I love to sit on the couch after a long day at work but I’ve never considered myself lazy. With work, a kid, working out five times a week, am I not supposed to chill out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Me

I actually read the term “low energy introvert” on here once and realized that describes me well.

Me too. I've learned to accept it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m so lazy and I just don’t know how to change. I don’t like coffee. I just like lounging around. I find it exhausting to be around people and love being alone. I don’t know if it’s depression or what but I’m already taking Wellbutrin and don’t feel depressed at all. Never did. My doctor gave it to me for binge eating and laziness. Wish I wasn’t like this but I’m also so so so happy being alone and lounging. I’m not happy being around people or doing stuff.

This is exactly me. On the weekends, I wake up late and also take a nap. I love to be at home with my family. Luckily, my husband is the same way, so we never entertain (my least favorite activity). On occasion, we might meet friends somewhere for dinner, but basically we're homebodies and that's exactly how we like it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do my fellow naturally lazy people answer the question "Doing anything exciting this weekend?" I mean, exciting for me is sleeping till noon with no obligations, then taking my sweet time getting dressed (if I get dressed at all), then finding some low-key way to pass the day until bedtime. But I never have anything to say when coworkers are comparing their weekend ski trips and kid activities and entertaining 15 houseguests and whatnot.

Ha, same here! A no-obligations weekend is the best. I have a FB friend who is constantly posting pictures of one get together after another. She seriously goes to parties constantly, as well as tons of sporting events. I would be miserable! I need my alone time more than anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

HAHHAHAHAHA - look around, OP.

I know people that are smart, but lazy - one parents was one of each, and they acquired both traits. It's.....interesting.........

I'm smart but lazy. Whatever academic and professional success I've had has been because certain brainpower things come easily to me. The moment something becomes too challenging, I lose interest. Sometimes I think about how much more I could accomplish if I put even a modicum of effort into anything. After years of trying (uh, not very hard) to change, I've accepted that low energy is my natural, preferred state.

The real problem is that I'm living in a world dominated by high-energy dolts who make everything so much harder than it needs to be. I am absolutely convinced that success has very little to do with intelligence, good judgment, and strong leadership skills. It's all about having enough energy to steamroll through everything and everyone in your path.

Team Sloth for the win.

Same.
#foundmytribe

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am also low energy but make it my life mission to get my kids going- they hardly watch tv and hardly have time to lay around. I am hoping this will combat the laziness. When I grew up I hardly did anything. No activities. My parents were ok if I didn't turn in homework. And my childhood had a lot of tv! I don't know if these things are related to being lazy but I'm trying to do the opposite with my kids. It is exhausting though.

I'm 22:52, who was too lazy/stressed to have children. My childhood was very structured. My "tiger dad" scheduled every minute of my day with piano, French, Kumon, exercise, team sports, church activities, on and on and on. I've always assumed my adult laziness is from burnout.

My parents didn’t overschedule me, but they never allowed me a Saturday at home just lounging or playing with myself. They were constantly pressuring me to have friend(s) over. I resent them immensely for it.

[Anonymous]

I am also like this, but I also have serious FOMO and they seem to balance out in terms of social interactions. Cleaning, exercising, etc on the other hand... In my case, I really think it’s psychological, because once I actually start doing the thing it’s not so bad.