The ability to start something is called initiation. For individuals who have had a frontal lobe injury, this skill can be impacted, often leading them to be mislabeled as “lazy” or “not caring enough”. However, it is important to recognize these judgements as inaccurate, because the person is not intentionally failing to start a task. In addition, the person may not be able to verbalize or understand why they lack this ability to get going, causing even greater confusion or even depression.
Initiation problems can also be attributed to other mental health issues. A team approach is best when deciding what is driving the person’s difficulty with starting and maintaining tasks.