Do you think not having the ability to folow things through to the end or stick at things is a mental health problem ?

[NervousNutty]

I mean like if someone repeatadly starts courses and drops out after a few weeks, or starts jobs and gives them up etc etc.

I know alot of people would just think the person is lazy, lacks determination etc etc, but what if they literally can't seem to stick at anything.

I think it might in some cases flash a warning light there is something up. That might be that you're just pursuing completely the wrong field or have faulty ideas of what a role entails, but my Mum was like you describe and we are now fairly certain it was due to undx'd AS (the issue was she coudlnt take the remedial steps needed- usually talk to a manager). That might also flag up an anxiety problem, or some big confidence issues as well.

I don't have a mental health problem but I do find it very hard to stick to things and see them out. I really struggled when I was at work because I enjoyed the start of projects so much but never, ever finished them off properly and would have done anything to pass them on to someone else.

I was talking about this yesterday with someone and we felt that it is a skill you have to learn, sticking things out when they get hard or boring. And I don't seem to have picked it up because at school I was exceptionally quick to learn and despite never doing any work I was always top of the year, A grades for everything etc. It has done me no favours.

It could mean a MHI but I don't think it has to. Either way, if it affects someone's life to that degree then they need to get to the bottom of it.

Hmm I think I was a little bit like it at school but not majorly so. It is since I left school that it has been a problem, it is like someone flicked a switch the day I left school and that was it.

I don't know why I am like this though and it bugs me, because I so don't want to be like it.

Actually i'm not sure that is true, I probably do know deep down.

I haven't stuck at one single thing since I left school 15 years ago, well not until I started my driving lessons anyway.

So if you know why - now you can face it head on and start to deal with it. Maybe start with small things and build up to the bigger stuff later?

Yes you'd think I could, but I just don't seem to be able to.

I am scared of statring anything else incase I don't follow it through again. I always start with the best of intentions but never get very far.

Well you are obviously able to start some things and finish them or you'd never get through the day! Maybe you need to set yourself very small challenges first rather than the life changing things?

I am just the same about not starting things but think - how logical is it? Not very. If we are frightened of not finishing things, it is DEFINITE that we won't finish them if we don't even start them!

On a day to day basis, doing what I have to do every day I am fine, I mean I have to get up, sort kids etc thats not optional.

Will have to try and think of a small challenge.

If your mindset is that you have no option with the day to day stuff, perhaps you could introduce some small steps in your daily routine that are also not optional but which lead you to your end goal? I don't know what kind of things you are wanting to do but if it was a course you wanted to do, you could aim to read a page from a textbook every day (before you start the course I mean, just as a way of building up knowledge and confidence.

Yes i think you are right, I just need to think of what direction to go in.

It can be the sign of a mental health problem. But only, of course, in conjunction with a lot of other things, which you don't mention. But with bipolar disorder, for instance, people may get fired up and excited about projects and start off with the best intentions...and kind of lose interest either because a depression is setting in, or because their minds are so active that they've thought of another cool thing to do.