“The paralysis doesn’t limit itself to homework. It becomes pervasive; it starts creeping into “bigger” choices too — the ones that actually shape your future.” - Part 1
Part 2: Why the Freeze Locks You Up
Here’s what I mean:
Like most diseases and overachiever issues, Parkinson’s disease and decision paralysis both worsen over time. In Parkinson’s, muscle freezing often starts as tiny, infrequent pauses; your brain sends a signal, but your body hesitates to react. Over time, these hesitations accumulate and grow severe. Movement gets harder, freezes become less predictable, and risk of injury climbs. Soon, the fear is so gripping it feels safer to not move at all.
Decision paralysis carries the same danger. At first, it seems harmless — freezing on whether to start math or history homework, or struggling between two good college options. Those feel like “normal” pauses. But the more your mind hesitates, the more hesitation becomes your default. The pause grows into overthinking. Overthinking grows into stress. And soon, the freeze becomes a pattern.
You start missing opportunities, not because you lack ability, but because your brain convinces you there’s a “perfect” answer you’ll ruin by choosing wrong. Each missed action feels like proof you’re “bad at decisions,” which only makes the next choice scarier. Soon, the fear is so gripping it feels safer not to move at all.
Let’s take a glimpse into the life of a student with decision paralysis:
At first, Emma’s indecision felt harmless. She’d spend fifteen minutes debating which font to use for an essay, or whether to start with math or history. But soon it spread. When friends asked where to eat, she froze and said “I don’t care,” even when she did. When a teacher let her pick her project topic, she stalled until the night before.
By the time college applications arrived, the hesitation had become suffocating. Emma stared at two essays: one was polished but safe, the other was bold but risky. Hours turned into days. The more she thought, the harder it became to choose. Eventually, even opening her laptop filled her with dread.
What started as tiny pauses had spread into every corner of her life. Big or small, every decision carried the same weight: terrifying, paralyzing, impossible to escape.
Moral of the story: left unchecked, decision paralysis doesn’t just stall your homework. It stalls your life.
But there’s hope: just as muscles can be retrained to move again, decision-making can be strengthened too. It’s not about forcing choices — it’s about teaching your brain to trust movement over hesitation.
To be continued :)
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