Could perpetually running late be a sign of a mental health condition?
A person recently went viral on TikTok for saying in a tearful video she got reprimanded for asking for an accommodation for “time blindness,” a condition that she said makes it harder to show up for work on time.
The video has garnered over 4.6 million views and plenty of mockery in the comments. But mental health experts say time blindness is actually a legitimate experience, especially for people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.
“Time blindness is a difficulty with a perception of time, how much time is passed, how much time it’s going to take to do something, and it can be quite impairing to people,” says Stephanie Sarkis, a psychotherapist and author specializing in ADHD, anxiety and narcissistic abuse. “It is a real thing that’s been researched.”
If you consistently over- or underestimate how much time has passed, seem to run late no matter how hard you try not to or think you’ve been distracted for a few minutes only to look at a clock and see two hours have gone by, you may be time blind. Here’s what you should know if you think you might be time blind:
What causes time blindness?
People with time blindness struggle to keep track of and estimate time. It’s harder for them to gauge how long it will take to complete tasks or how long it will take to arrive somewhere.
Though it’s most commonly observed in people with ADHD, Sarkis says time blindness can manifest in anyone with impairment in executive functions stemming from the frontal lobe area of their brain, which is responsible for personality, judgment, self-control and more.
“It’s like a floodgate for the brain,” Sarkis says of the frontal lobe, adding that time blindness can also present in people with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health conditions. “It’s not exclusive to ADHD, but it does impact ADHD quite a bit.”
Ari Tuckman, a psychologist specializing in ADHD as well as couples and sex therapy, adds that people can also experience temporary bouts of time blindness if they are grieving, drunk, stressed or sleep deprived.
People also experience time blindness to varying severity, he says.
“We all have some sense of time,” Tuckman says. “This ability to see and be aware of time, it’s a human ability that’s on a spectrum. Some people are really good; some people are not as good.”
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How can people cope with time blindness?
Sarkis and Tuckman offer the following tips for those struggling with time blindness:
- Alarms and scheduling apps are your best friends: “Apps are really helpful, so use your timers as much as possible,” Sarkis says. “Change the tone of your timer if your brain’s getting used to it. Use apps that help you schedule and help you prioritize. Take advantage of the technology we have.”
- Try an analog clock instead of a digital one: Using an old-school clock with minute and hour hands can help people with time blindness keep track of how long things take as well as see the present moment in relationship to the past and future, Tuckman says. “It’s much more tangible,” he says. “You see the hand move, and you see how close it is to whatever time point, as opposed to digital clocks that are really just abstract.”
- Get plenty of sleep: Sleep deprivation can exacerbate time blindness and other symptoms of ADHD, Sarkis says. “If you’re having a lack of sleep and having a lot of life changes going on, it’s really important to talk to someone about that, because that can make your executive dysfunction even more dysfunctional,” she says.
- See an ADHD specialist: If you struggle with time blindness, it’s possible you have ADHD, which can be treated, Sarkis says, adding that working with a professional to find the right medication can alleviate time blindness and other symptoms.
For those who don’t struggle with time blindness, Sarkis says getting frustrated and exasperated with someone who does won’t solve the issue.
“We all have different strengths and weaknesses,” she says. “Not only do we positively reinforce people’s strengths, but we also need to be kind and understanding about people’s weaknesses, and getting upset with someone isn’t going to improve that weakness.”
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