ADHD + time agnosia - make it visible

When my teen isn’t taking medication, every minute drags - unless they are playing an online game or out with friends. When I’m working on something I’m passionate about, my sense of time evaporates - so far, so typical. What doesn’t happen to most people is the absolute randomness of my awareness of time - how this affects long term goals (like saving for retirement (ha!) or planning my work to allow me to complete things in a timely manner. This has always, always been true - and for young people without an official diagnosis or people working in pressured jobs, discounting the passing of time and how we experience it can literally change their lives, for the worse.

Today, we're tackling a topic that's both elusive and essential: our perception of time. While everyone can feel like time flies, especially when we're having fun, those with ADHD often experience what's known as 'temporal discounting' or 'time agnosia.' Understanding this concept is not just an academic exercise; it's a crucial step in enhancing our daily functioning and overall well-being. So, let's delve into what this means and how to manage it effectively.

What is Temporal Discounting?

Temporal discounting refers to the difficulty in grasping the concept of time passing. It's not just about being late or procrastinating; it's about literally not having a real awareness of what the passing of time means. This cognitive challenge can affect everything from task management to long-term planning. In our Vibrant Visionaries Group Program, we discuss how this unique aspect of ADHD can impact goal-setting and achievement, which are so important for achieving our big life vision.

Why 'Time Agnosia' and not 'Time Blindness'?

The term 'time blindness' is often used, but I prefer 'time agnosia' or 'temporal discounting' for clarity. These terms more accurately describe the cognitive aspect of this challenge, rather than suggesting a complete lack of awareness - we know that time is passing, we just can’t grasp what that means and turn it into action. It's important to differentiate between these terms because language shapes our understanding. In the ADHD Mindfulness Program, we emphasize the importance of accurate terminology as it helps us approach our challenges from a place of understanding rather than judgment, as well as experiencing a short, measured period of time during our daily practice. Anchoring ourselves in a concrete period of time, and pracising feeling fully ‘embodied’ can help to build our awareness muscles, so to speak..

The Impact on Daily Life

Temporal discounting can wreak havoc on various aspects of life:

- Work: Difficulty in estimating how long a task will take can lead to missed deadlines. This is especially problematic for professionals who are juggling multiple responsibilities, handing work over to colleagues or returning it to customers. It will also impact estimates of how long work will take and mean that you may struggle with over-committing.

- Relationships: Being perpetually late can strain relationships. It's not that you don't care; it's that your perception of time is skewed.

- Self-Care: Poor time management can result in neglecting essential self-care routines, such as exercise, sleep, and even eating. We forget these things with some safety in our twenties but as we reach our forties and beyond, the loss of muscle each year, the inability to maintain foundational health practices etc contribute to the rise in inflammatory conditions like type 2 diabetes etc.

Making Time Visible: Actionable Strategies

So, how can we make time more 'visible' to mitigate these challenges?

1. Timers and Alarms:

Use timers to break tasks into manageable chunks - experiment with how long you can focus just now and what type of timer works with your preferred processing modality. This technique is often used in co-working sessions, as well as accountability groups (which is part of the Vibrant Visionaries program). Lots of ADHDers find smart watches are helpful and I am a fan of ‘time timers’, where a visual segment of time disappears as time goes on. These are really helpful especially when supporting ourselves and young people with a fairly short length of time.

2. Visual Schedules:

A visual representation of your day can help you better understand time allocation. This is particularly useful for those who are visual learners. Play with colour, use stickers - use that problem solving ability to explore what options you find most useful. (I use a gigantic whiteboard with moveable magnetic pieces to plan out my weeks)

3. Reminders:

Set reminders for important events or deadlines. Technology is your friend here; use calendar apps and reminder functions to your advantage. Reminders can be set for a few intervals before a task but they are also useful to come back to focus on a task. I never have less than two reminders for an event or appointment - one first thing in the morning and 30 minutes and/or 10 minutes before.

4. Accountability:

Having someone to keep you on track can be invaluable. Whether it's a coach, a friend, or a family member, accountability can make a world of difference. Many people with ADHD use co-working sessions, body doubling etc to make sure they are showing up and staying to do the work that they find less interesting. The goal is not to be permanently reliant on others but to understand that we need the scaffolding - for long or short term use - because of a structural difference in our brains. We don’t complain that beautiful cathedrals use buttressing (it’s a thing! - see photo) to keep those arches up - so don’t feel any shame about meeting your OWN needs.

The buttressing on this beautiful cathedral allows it to have large windows and stay upright and strong. Why should we feel ashamed for using our own type of buttress?

Seeing The Path Forward

Understanding and managing our perception of time is crucial for those with ADHD. As we continue to explore ADHD this month, let's also explore ways to make time more 'visible' in our lives, enhancing our productivity and well-being. Whether you're considering being part of my Vibrant Visionaries Group Program or exploring the ADHD Mindfulness Program, remember that understanding time perception is a journey, not a destination - and adding new strategies as we adapt and uncover our own needs and strengths will make it easier.

Want to learn more?

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Warmly,

Katherine

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Further Reading

Radonovich, K., & Mostofsky, S. (2004). "Duration Judgments in Children With ADHD Suggest Deficient Utilization of Temporal Information Rather Than General Impairment in Timing." [DOI: 10.1080/09297040409609807](https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09297040409609807)

Miglin, R., Kable, J., Bowers, M., & Ashare, R. (2017). "Withdrawal-Related Changes in Delay Discounting Predict Short-Term Smoking Abstinence." [DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntw246](https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntw246)

Wilson, R., Hardisty, D. J., Epanchin-Niell, R., Runge, M. C., Cottingham, K. L., Urban, D., Maguire, L. A., Hastings, A., Mumby, P., & Peters, D. (2016). "A typology of time-scale mismatches and behavioral interventions to diagnose and solve conservation problems." [DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12632](https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/cobi.12632)

 Willis, K., Araújo, M., Bennett, K., Figueroa-Rangel, B., Froyd, C., & Myers, N. (2007). "How can a knowledge of the past help to conserve the future? Biodiversity conservation and the relevance of long-term ecological studies." [DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2006.1977](https://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2006.1977)

Ptáček, R., Weissenberger, S., Braaten, E., Klicperová-Baker, M., Goetz, M., Raboch, J., Vňuková, M., Stefano, G. (2019). "Clinical Implications of the Perception of Time in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A Review." DOI: 10.12659/MSM.914225 PDF

Zheng, Q., Wang, X., Chiu, K., Shum, K. (2020). "Time Perception Deficits in Children and Adolescents with ADHD: A Meta-analysis." DOI: 10.1177/1087054720978557

Nejati, V., Yazdani, S. (2020). "Time perception in children with attention deficit–hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): Does task matter? A meta-analysis study." DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2020.1712347

Amida, A., Algarni, S., Stupnisky, R. H. (2020). "Testing the relationships of motivation, time management and career aspirations on graduate students’ academic success." DOI: 10.1108/jarhe-04-2020-0106