in a to study Published in the journal Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, researchers surveyed a nationally representative sample of 5,661 American adults about their mental health in March-April and September-October 2020. Participants answered questions about your experiences with the coronavirus, your history of stressful life events, and your life and financial stressors related to the virus.
When participants were asked about their perception of time, more than 65 percent reported distortions, even six months after the pandemic began. More than half said they felt time was speeding up or slowing down. About 46 percent reported that they weren’t sure what time or day it was, and 35 percent reported short-term memory problems.
More women than men reported these distortions, and the same was true for people who had been exposed to trauma earlier in life. Higher media exposure was also associated with a distorted perception of time.
The pandemic was “an unprecedented and prolonged collective trauma,” the researchers write. Although more research is needed, they conclude that time distortion is likely associated with mental health symptoms in the pandemic.
Looking ahead is associated with better mental health outcomes.
“There are relatively new therapies that can be used to help people regain a more balanced sense of time,” says E. Alison Holman, professor of nursing at the University of California, Irvine and co-author of the study, in an article. Press release. “But if we don’t know who needs those services, we can’t provide that support.”
With a better idea of who is at risk, providers can treat those who need it and know what to look for in future traumatic moments.
