Read on Twitter
A 
What is ADHD Time Blindness?
âTime Blindnessâ was coined to succinctly capture the ADHD experience of time awareness & time management.
It can manifest as
ă»Chronic lateness
ă»An inability or difficulty to sense time
&/or to estimate âHow long with this take?â
ă»etc.
2/
âTime Blindnessâ was coined to succinctly capture the ADHD experience of time awareness & time management.
It can manifest as
ă»Chronic lateness
ă»An inability or difficulty to sense time
&/or to estimate âHow long with this take?â
ă»etc.
2/
For those who experience Time Blindness, the way we experience time âin the momentâ is mostly binary:
âNowâ vs. âNot Nowâ
âNowâ only lasts about 4 seconds. ADHD or not, weâve all had experiences where that 4 seconds FELT either non-existent, or like an eternity.
/3
âNowâ vs. âNot Nowâ
âNowâ only lasts about 4 seconds. ADHD or not, weâve all had experiences where that 4 seconds FELT either non-existent, or like an eternity.
/3
All humans have variable experiences of time.
However, ADHD & other neurodivergent folks have a less predictable relationship with time. The experience of time is often highly inconsistent, highly variable, and frequently beyond the ability of the person to control.
/4
However, ADHD & other neurodivergent folks have a less predictable relationship with time. The experience of time is often highly inconsistent, highly variable, and frequently beyond the ability of the person to control.
/4
THE ADHD RELATIONSHIP TO PAST & FUTURE
(aka âNot Nowâ)
Because this experience of time can be so unpredictable, we also frequently struggle with
Evaluating, Anticipating, &/or Predicting theâŠ
ă»Duration of tasks & events
ă»Temporal distance between events
/5
(aka âNot Nowâ)
Because this experience of time can be so unpredictable, we also frequently struggle with
Evaluating, Anticipating, &/or Predicting theâŠ
ă»Duration of tasks & events
ă»Temporal distance between events
/5
Recognizing the arrival &/or passing of a specific instance in timeâ from moment to moment, day to day, etc â can also be a real challenge.
Itâs *always* âNowâ.
Itâs never âNot now.â
âNow" never changes.
However, *whatâs happening* right âNowâ doesâŠ
6/
Itâs *always* âNowâ.
Itâs never âNot now.â
âNow" never changes.
However, *whatâs happening* right âNowâ doesâŠ
6/
As things change in âthe Nowâ, we frequently struggle to notice the transition between when an upcoming event changes from âNot Nowâ to âNowâ. Even if we try to notice time passing.
We tend to do better with noticing environmental & episodic changes vs. time on a clock.
7/
We tend to do better with noticing environmental & episodic changes vs. time on a clock.
7/
But what causes this strange relationship with time?
WHAT CREATES OUR PERCEPTION OF TIME?
â Neurotransmitters
â Executive Functions
ă»Emotion
ă»Memory
ă»Circadian Rhythms
ă»Metabolic Rate
ă»Immediate Environment
ă»Language
ă»Cultural Norms
ă»Geography
8/
WHAT CREATES OUR PERCEPTION OF TIME?
â Neurotransmitters
â Executive Functions
ă»Emotion
ă»Memory
ă»Circadian Rhythms
ă»Metabolic Rate
ă»Immediate Environment
ă»Language
ă»Cultural Norms
ă»Geography
8/
ADHD Executive Dysfunction
& How It Can Alter Our Perception of Time
ADHD ExecDys affects our Working Memory & Emotional Regulation. As you saw in the previous graphic, Memory & Emotion have significant influence on our perception & felt experience of time.
9/
& How It Can Alter Our Perception of Time
ADHD ExecDys affects our Working Memory & Emotional Regulation. As you saw in the previous graphic, Memory & Emotion have significant influence on our perception & felt experience of time.
9/
Memory + Emotion + Executive Functions combine to create our perception of time: Past, Present, & Future.
Memory stores & accesses memories from the past & imagines the future.
Emotion colors our perception of Memory.
ExecFuncs organize everything to make coherent sense.
10/
Memory stores & accesses memories from the past & imagines the future.
Emotion colors our perception of Memory.
ExecFuncs organize everything to make coherent sense.
10/
Thereâs also the matter of Neurotransmitters.
Dopamine & Norepinephrine (Adrenaline) also have significant impacts on our perception of time.
While scientists are still unclear on *how* these impacts perception of time, itâs clear that they do.
11/
Dopamine & Norepinephrine (Adrenaline) also have significant impacts on our perception of time.
While scientists are still unclear on *how* these impacts perception of time, itâs clear that they do.
11/
Of course, the hallmarks of ADHD include:
Dysregulation of Dopamine & Norepinephrine
Executive DysFunctions
Emotional DysRegulation
Working Memory Dysfunction
Basically all the neurological systems that create our experience of time are impacted.
12/
Dysregulation of Dopamine & Norepinephrine Executive DysFunctions Emotional DysRegulation Working Memory DysfunctionBasically all the neurological systems that create our experience of time are impacted.
12/
This means that many ADHD people experience more frequent disruptions, inconsistencies, &/or variability in their perception & experience of time, compared to non-neurodivergent people.
In other wordsâŠ
For ADHD people, time-wimey is much more wibbly-wobbly.
In other wordsâŠ
For ADHD people, time-wimey is much more wibbly-wobbly.
As if all of thatâs not enough, other research shows that if any of the above mentioned systems get out of sync with each other, it also messes with our sense of time.
On the other hand, Sychrony among the systems creates Coherence in time perception.
Ah, sweet Synchrony.
/14
On the other hand, Sychrony among the systems creates Coherence in time perception.
Ah, sweet Synchrony.
/14
However, since all these systems already experience dysregulation, Iâd expect that ADHD brains tend to have a high rate of disruption in the communication between our time-perception-related systems.
Although, I couldnât find research on ADHD brains to confirm.
/15
Although, I couldnât find research on ADHD brains to confirm.
/15
So⊠Time. Itâs complicated.
Is âTime Blindnessâ really the best term?
Itâs certainly not true that we donât perceive or experience time.
We do. Itâs just different.
The systems that impact our perception & experience of time are more frequently & easily disrupted for ADHD
Is âTime Blindnessâ really the best term?
Itâs certainly not true that we donât perceive or experience time.
We do. Itâs just different.
The systems that impact our perception & experience of time are more frequently & easily disrupted for ADHD
Our experience of time is often much more varied & inconsistent. We really canât predict how long a stretch of time will feel.
Sometimes, we can even struggle to estimate how long it will take us to do something weâve done a million times.
Time is Variable & Unpredictable.
17/
Sometimes, we can even struggle to estimate how long it will take us to do something weâve done a million times.
Time is Variable & Unpredictable.
17/
By now youâre probably thinking,
âKnowing all of this is informative and allâŠ
But Iâm 18 tweets into this thread!
Whereâs that sweet Synchrony?â
Welp⊠Part I is the info.
Weâll get into, âWhere do I go from here?â in Part II.
But⊠just read at least one more tweet.
18/
âKnowing all of this is informative and allâŠ
But Iâm 18 tweets into this thread!
Whereâs that sweet Synchrony?â
Welp⊠Part I is the info.
Weâll get into, âWhere do I go from here?â in Part II.
But⊠just read at least one more tweet.
18/
RESOURCES TO DIVE DEEPER
ADHD & Experiencing Time
with @translatingadhd
To help you get a handle on your own ADHD relationship with time, start with this episode.
Then listen to the four @translatingadhd episodes after this one.
19/ https://pca.st/episode/2739edb1-8dfa-4678-96d4-7bfd003b3ad1
ADHD & Experiencing Time
with @translatingadhd
To help you get a handle on your own ADHD relationship with time, start with this episode.
Then listen to the four @translatingadhd episodes after this one.
19/ https://pca.st/episode/2739edb1-8dfa-4678-96d4-7bfd003b3ad1
Article Title: Time Perception
Description: And brief overview of the various NeuroPsychological systems that work together to create our perception of time.
20/
http://www.exactlywhatistime.com/psychology-of-time/time-perception/
Description: And brief overview of the various NeuroPsychological systems that work together to create our perception of time.
20/
http://www.exactlywhatistime.com/psychology-of-time/time-perception/
Article Title: The Fluidity of Time: Scientists Uncover How Emotions Alter Time Perception
Description: Actually⊠the title really nails it on this one.
21/ https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/the-fluidity-of-time
Description: Actually⊠the title really nails it on this one.
21/ https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/the-fluidity-of-time
Dopamine Cells Influence Our Perception of Time
22/ https://www.simonsfoundation.org/2017/01/20/dopamine-cells-influence-our-perception-of-time/
22/ https://www.simonsfoundation.org/2017/01/20/dopamine-cells-influence-our-perception-of-time/
@LeraBoroditsky on Language, Thought, Space & Time
on @seanmcarrollâs Mindscape #podcast
A great episode on the affects that language, thought, & space (i.e. spatiality) affect our perception & experience of time.
23/ https://pca.st/episode/270fa705-967e-457f-9541-493c082d5ff2
on @seanmcarrollâs Mindscape #podcast
A great episode on the affects that language, thought, & space (i.e. spatiality) affect our perception & experience of time.
23/ https://pca.st/episode/270fa705-967e-457f-9541-493c082d5ff2
If you're reading this tweet, I'm hoping that means you found the thread valuable.
If so, please consider:
â Re-tweeting the thread.
â Let me know what you think!
â Follow #KnowYourADHD
Iâll be dropping more threads like this under that hashtag.
Thank you!
If so, please consider:
â Re-tweeting the thread.
â Let me know what you think!
â Follow #KnowYourADHD
Iâll be dropping more threads like this under that hashtag.
Thank you!
