Do You Have a Motivational Deficiency Disorder?

Take a look at some research recently reported in the British Medical Journal: "Extreme laziness may have a medical basis, says a group of high-profile Australian scientists, describing a new condition called 'motivational deficiency disorder' (MoDeD). The condition is claimed to affect up to one in five Australians and is characterized by overwhelming and debilitating apathy."

Do you know people who might have MoDeD? Are you looking in the mirror at a person who might suffer from such a disease? Have no fear. This quote comes from an April 1 report in the British Medical Journal on purported research by neurologist "Leth Argos" and a team at the University of Newcastle.  If you haven't guessed yet, this report is a spoof. It was created by David Henry, a clinical pharmacologist.

Were you ready to believe the disease existed? Maybe you, like other Americans, have been reading too many Inquirer articles on pop psychology. We love to make disappointment over a bad day depression. We make every boy's short attention span ADD. When an experience can be labeled a disease, there is obviously little the individual can do. We look for drugs to cure and therapists to save us.

Sometimes drugs can be indicated for some conditions, but no matter what the great game of life deals you, learn to play the hand to the best of your own ability. Learn to manage your own motivation and how to bounce back from disappointment into constructive action. Value what others can do to help, but learn to do what you can yourself to be part of the answer.

Even great men of faith know the importance of putting faith into action. Thomas Aquinas once said, "Pray as though it depends upon God. Act as if it depends upon you." Amen! Trade in your version of MoDeD for a little healthy action one day at a time.

(Source: David Henry, British Medical Journal, in Fast Company, June 2006, p. 41)

Comments

[Cara Fletcher]

First I thought that I was suffering from a depression and took medicines to overcome it but then my doctor told me that I might be suffering from a Motivational Deficiency Disorder and he was right.Now I am going to a therapy to cure this problem.

[Chris]

You know... I always did think there was something wrong with me. I am 16 now, and ever since my first year of school I never wanted to do anything. Ever. Except draw. Whenever I go home it's almost as if I'm running away from homework. I don't even know why. All I do is sit in my room, draw, or do random crap on the computer. Before my internet days it was just T.V., playing with my brother, and drawing... as well as still just sitting in my room consumed in my own thoughts. Feeling depressed.

I always thought I was just making excuses for myself when I ever thought this might be a mental problem... but looking up this weird disease now I'm not so sure. Whenever I get assigned something new in class I always panic... because I always ALWAYS know I'm not going to do it. Doing work is like torture for me most of the time... only when I'm being watched over my shoulder and constantly reminded to do work do I ever even attempt it. I only ever want to do work in class. Never at home. Even then I hardly ever do work in class.

This is a bad life style... because I have big dreams. I want to be an animator, and start an animation company... but I don't want to wake up one day while in art school and decide I don't want to do my homework, of after graduating (assuming I do), wake up one morning and not want to run the company, and make a bunch of half-thought, half-decent, crap movies. I don't want that to happen... God knows I don't want that to happen. The habits I've engraved into my mind for all these years though, it's a shoe-in this it's going to happen if I don't get some help.

For a while I've wanted to do to therapy...

[Lauren]

Chris described my situation perfectly!
I couldn't really add anything to what he said because I feel the exact same way....
No matter what I do, I can't do homework unless I am being literally forced to, and even then it's hard! If a teacher tells me not to come to class unless I have sorted out my homework, I make excuses to myself, most of the time I don't understand them myself! I get worked up, depressed and extremely overwhelmed and no one understands me at all!
I have tried to explain how I physically can't sit down and do it but people think I am making up excuses!
I can't explain it really, but I related to Chris.... I am always on my own side because even though I don't know why, I feel like a victim and never believe it isn't my fault!

[Marie]

I have ridiculous motivational problems. I find it IMPOSSIBLE to get out of bed if I feel as though I have no obligation (which work is pretty much the only thing that can get me up and out of the house).

I regularly feel like a huge waste, however, I can not possibly convince myself that it would be worth it to get off the computer and do something "constructive"

I am currently 22 years old. I work in the restaurant industry. Back in highschool and prior to that even, I was a straight A student with high aspirations. I don;t understand when and where I let all of that go.

I think I really require counciling but I have not the slightest idea nor motivation to go about it. I dont have very much income. I just want to gain the desire to live a somewhat normal life. I dont know anyone that can stay in bed all day with no television or anything.

It makes me feel completely awful but I can;t seem to put an end to it.

[Jamie]

Everything that has been said here has described me exactly. I always thought it might actually be a real problem but was always told I'm just lazy and miserable..
Hopefully some day this problem will be brought to the attention of teachers/parents so that they will start beleiving their kids/friends and be able to help them.

[Hugh Jaynus]

Just FYI, this condition was made up by some guy for some reason (that I dont know). The fact that it was discovered by someone called 'Leth Argos' is a pretty big clue..
Im an extremely lazy bastard and would love there to be a reason, maybe in the form of a real disorder for it but there isnt. We're just lazy.
I used to be really sporty and active. Then broadband came and now I play no sports at all. I think its just a case of falling into a pattern of sitting around doing sod all and getting used to it as a daily routine.
I'm a huge hypocrit though, since I'm gonna finish typing this then not do the work I need to do or make the phone calls I need to make out of pure laziness.
:)

[Kamagra Discount]

i really like your post... very interesting

thanks

[casey]

everything above hold true to me too. one more thing though, i have found that i overestimate my capability or motivation level even though every time i am proved wrong. also, the only way i ever want to do anything is out of fear. when the fear is so much that i am thrown into the reality of the situation.
then i panic and that is the only time i ever do anything.

dont get me wrong, i have high aspirations and dreams and i never wanted to be this person. i used to be an A grade student. somehow along the line everything just kept getting worse. at this point in my life i just want to get by because i have stopped seeing any reason for doing anything.

[Dornier Pfeil]

This was an April Fools Joke. Reread the lead article very carefully.

[Julius Hernandez]

Omg there are people just like and it feels good. I thought that maybe no one could be as bad as me but perhaps there is. When people tell me they are lazy im like you have not idea. When I tell them my situation they seem like saints for the most part. I hate who I have become. I think I have it. If I dont, then I am just, perhaps, a lost cause. I graduated high school with a 1.7 GPA, first year of college I got a a 2.3 GPA, second 0.0 GPA, third 1.6 GPA. I am currently in 3 classes for 15 units and have not been going. I have been fired from every job I have always for not showing up and being late. Right now I am 21, have no freinds because I dont feel like talking to them or going out. So yea I really hope its real. And this is just the tip of the ice berg. I can relate so much to previous comments. Its probably not more known because the people who have it don't do anything about it and or just label their issue lazy, depression, or add/adhd. I have huge goals. I want to become a physicist to invent many ideas I have. I want to start my own company and I have gotten a provisional patten for an invention I have.

[Aly]

I want to be an accountant. I want to make lots of money. I want to have a successful career. I want to move out of my hometown. I want to keep a job longer than a few months. I want to graduate high school. I want to pass my classes. Shit, I want to take a shower more than every other day. I want to get out of bed and look nice in the morning. I want to clean my house. I want to do my homework. I want to go to my college class. I want to make my own dinner. I want to fix my car. I want to go hang out with my friends!!! I want to pass. I want to excel..
It is so nice to know that there are other people who honestly can't do a damn thing..
Go on, tell me that most people don't want to go hang out with their best friends, go out and party, go to the club because they don't want to move..

[Aly]

And to add to that..
I agree with the above..
I only ever do something when it's last minute.. For example..
I have a HUUUUGE project due in two days...
And when I say huge, I mean if I don't do it I don't graduate... I haven't started...
And probably won't until late today or tomorrow..
Out of fear.

[Dil]

I feel much better after reading all these comments. Bcoz was thinking that I am the only person who live like this. I really need some advise to get out from this damn cursed condition. this is killing me

[Hank]

These make me feel so much better. I think what I'm going through is an identity crisis. In order to get through life, you need to have some kind of an ego, which means you have to like yourself, but it's a little hard to like yourself if you don't know who you are. This leads to really not liking yourself at all, which can lead to being unmotivated, which can lead to hating yourself, which can lead to being more unmotivated. And of course, the side effects of this viscious cycle would include bad grades and exhaustion. This is my theory at least.

[Omar]

Hahaha GREAT article and LOVE how everyone just fell into the easy excuse of letting one's habit be named a disease and therefore assigned an excuse, and therefore many times a drug that acts more as a toxic placebo than anything else. DONT LET YOURSELF EXCUSE APATIC HABITS ON SOME NONEXISTENT DISEASE. Greetings! Find what you like to do in life and even if no one agrees do it to be happy ! That is it!

[Kord]

I think positive thinking people just can't understand the lazy, and visa versa. I can't speak for all you lazies out there but I know my own personal battles with laziness aren't all my fault. Because they are FREAKING BATTLES! I can't help the instantaneous uncontrollable thought that comes into my head saying "it's pointless," or "Jesus life is always going to be this hard" every time I try to do something productive any more than I can help s&%@ing myself every time a bear tries to claw my face off. Why? Because these are really feelings transformed into words by my brain, and feelings are determined by upbringing, genetics, and life experience. It's a self replicating cycle of negativity and it's not going to be solved by "happy thoughts," or "just being the best me I can be." Money is the only real treatment for these feelings folks because money buys the serious therapy and sweet sweet medication your going to need to get you out of the slump. To all of you motivated types I say good luck, and consider yourself fortunate. To all you lazy people please go see a professional about your feelings, they really can dominate your life. You might really just be plain old lazy or you could actually have a condition that's holding back untold amounts of potential that you could use to help yourself and everybody else in the world.

[Lorena]

PEOPLE!! THIS IS NOT REAL!!! IT WAS A JOKE THAT THE JOURNAL DID!! If you don't believe then go search!! but I'm totally honest with you… THIS DOES NOT EXIST!!

[Terry Paulson]

Lorena--I couldn't agree more. Labeling an attitude issue as a disease has to be a joke. But many act as thought it is. Attitude is a choice we bring to our day!