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You ever have that feeling where you're just so sure you've got tons of time and then bam?
Oh yeah.
It hits you that you're totally wrong.
Yeah.
Like it happened to me all the time back when I was at Vancouver Hospital.
Really?
Ward rounds started at nine sharp.
Oh wow.
And there would be some mornings, 850, in the shower thinking, yeah, I've got plenty of time to make it.
You'd think?
Logically, I knew it was a bit of a drive, parking could be a hassle, something could always come up.
Sure.
But there was this other part of my brain, like a little kid, that just wouldn't listen.
Right.
So I'd be scrambling at nine, grabbing my coat, running out to de -ice the car, and then realizing, oh shoot, I forgot my charts.
Every time.
Finally get there.
All flustered, but trying to act cool.
Of course.
All right, everyone.
Let's get started, I'd say.
We'll do.
Well, let's just say not everyone was as thrilled as I was about the whole situation.
I bet.
That feeling, you know, that gap between what you think is going to happen with time and what actually happens.
Does that ever ring a bell for you?
It's interesting because while I think everyone can relate to misjudging time sometimes,
what this material points out is that for some people, it's not just a once in a while thing, it's like a totally different way of experiencing time.
It really reminds me of something Dr.
Russell Barkley said, he said, ADD is not a problem of knowing what to do, it is a problem of doing what you know.
Wow.
So it's not that they don't understand, or even that they don't want to do it, it's there's a disconnect between knowing and actually doing.
And that's exactly what we're going to dive into today, this idea of time blindness that often comes up with ADD.
We're not just going to define it though, we're going to try to understand why it happens.
We'll be looking at this idea of time illiteracy, where it might come from, how it affects planning for the future, and even what's going on in the brain neurologically speaking.
Yeah, I think that's really important because this whole concept of time blindness gives us a new way to look at some of the core issues with ADD.
It goes deeper than just noticing things like being disorganized or late, it gets to the root of how time is experienced.
So let's start with time illiteracy or time blindness.
The material describes it as this feeling of constantly being rushed, like you're always behind, or on the flip side, acting like you have all the time in the world, even when you don't.
Exactly.
It's this extreme, unpredictable relationship with time.
And what's fascinating is how the material compares it to how little kids see time.
Oh, interesting.
For a toddler, time is basically now and not now.
Right.
Now is what's happening right this second.
And not now is basically forever.
I can see that.
Think about a toddler who has a total meltdown because they have to wait for a cookie, even if it only takes a few minutes to bake,
their sense of time is so limited.
Yeah, they just can't grasp it.
And the material suggests that for adults with ADD, it's like that early way of seeing time kind of sticks around.
So their internal clock hasn't fully matured.
Exactly.
And it's not just about understanding that time passes, is it?
The material talks about this tendency to underestimate how long things will take.
Oh, yeah.
Almost like a kind of magical thinking.
It's like they think that just wanting something to be quick will make it quick,
regardless of how much work it actually takes.
It's like how little kids think they can build a huge Lego castle in five minutes or travel to faraway lands just by using their imagination.
It all goes back to how our sense of time develops.
We aren't born with a fully developed understanding of time.
It's a cognitive skill, something we learn over time.
Right.
The material mentions Jean Piaget, the famous developmental psychologist.
He found that it's usually around age seven that kids start to understand time as this continuous flow.
Like past, present, and future.
Exactly.
What happens before that?
Before that, during what Piaget called the preoperational stage, kids are very egocentric, meaning they see everything from their own point of view.
And that includes time.
They truly believe they can control time.
Like they can stop it, speed it up, slow it down, just by wanting it to happen.
And how does this relate to ADD?
Well, the material suggests that in people with ADD,
there might be a delay or a problem with the full maturation of this sense of time.
Interesting.
It's like the brain network's responsible for processing time.
The time intelligence circuitry, haven't fully developed.
And this can affect how they plan for the future, which leads to that really powerful idea from the material, forgetting to remember the future.
It argues that because of this underdeveloped sense of time, adults with ADD often live as if the present is the only thing that matters.
They prioritize what's happening right now, the immediate reward or consequence, without really considering the long -term effects of their actions.
Unless, of course, it's something they're super interested in, something that really lights up that motivation and reward center in the brain.
Because then it becomes immediate.
So it's not that they consciously ignore future responsibilities.
It's more like they're disconnected from those future realities in the moment.
It's like a little kid who grabs a cookie before dinner.
They don't think about getting in trouble later, or missing out on dessert.
And the material connects this to the bigger idea of self -regulation.
It explains how these difficulties with time perception are tied to other challenges.
Like focusing attention, controlling impulses, and being mindful.
And importantly, self -regulation is another skill that develops over time.
That's right.
It's not something we're born with.
It develops as our brains mature.
The material mentions Daniel Goleman's definition of emotional intelligence.
Which includes things like self -motivation, persistence,
impulse control, delaying gratification, and regulating moods.
And here's where it gets really interesting.
The material says that if you take each of those elements and add not being able to the beginning.
So like not being able to motivate oneself.
Exactly.
You get a very accurate description of the core challenges of ADD.
Wow.
That's powerful.
And what's even more interesting is how the material talks about the variability of these challenges.
You might see someone with ADD act mature and competent in one situation.
And then suddenly react in a way that seems much younger, almost childlike.
The material suggests that this could be triggered by deep -seated anxiety.
Anxiety.
Yeah.
It can overwhelm their more developed self -regulatory abilities.
Oh, I see.
It's like those times when parents or partners feel like they're dealing with a child, even though the person is an adult.
Yeah, I've definitely seen that.
And to understand why this happens, we need to look at the brain, specifically the prefrontal cortex.
Right.
That's the part of the brain right behind the forehead.
And what does it do?
Well, the material says it's involved in a lot of important functions.
Like impulse control,
social -emotional intelligence, motivation, and attention.
So basically all the things that help us function as adults.
Pretty much.
And the material connects this part of the brain to ADD, right?
Yes.
It mentions something called prefrontal patients.
These are people who have had injuries to their prefrontal cortex.
Oh, wow.
And they often show symptoms that look a lot like ADD.
Really?
And it's not just in humans.
Studies on monkeys with damage to this area have shown similar changes.
Like what?
Increased hyperactivity and problems with social interactions, especially when separated from their mothers.
And it's not just about injuries, is it?
The material also talks about brain scans.
Right.
MRI studies have shown that people with ADD tend to have slightly smaller prefrontal cortexes.
Is that a big difference?
It's subtle, but it's been found in many studies.
So it supports the idea that there are developmental differences in this part of the brain.
Exactly.
And then there are those EEG studies from the University of Alberta.
Oh, yes.
Those were fascinating.
They looked at brainwave activity in teens with and without ADD.
And what did they find?
Well, when they were resting, their brain activity looked pretty similar.
But when they had to focus on a task, things changed.
The teens without ADD showed more fast wave activity.
Which means?
It's associated with thinking and focusing.
But the teens with ADD showed more slow wave activity.
Which is usually seen when someone is relaxed or even sleepy.
Right.
So it seemed like their brains weren't shifting into that higher gear for focus.
Interesting.
But here's something that seems contradictory.
If the prefrontal cortex is underactive in ADD, why are people with ADD often hyperactive?
Right.
It seems like it should be the opposite.
And how can stimulant medication, which is stimulating, actually calm things down?
That is a bit of a puzzle.
The material uses an analogy to explain this.
Oh, I like analogies.
Imagine a busy intersection in a city.
Okay, I can picture it.
Lots of cars going in different directions.
Now imagine the traffic cop at that intersection is asleep.
Oh no.
That's kind of what's happening in the brain with ADD.
The prefrontal cortex, the traffic cop, is underactive.
So there's no one to direct the flow of traffic.
Exactly.
There's a lot of activity, but it's chaotic and not going anywhere.
So the hyperactivity isn't because the brain is overstimulated.
It's because there's not enough control and filtering.
And that's where the medication comes in.
Right.
The stimulants actually wake up the prefrontal cortex.
Like giving that traffic cop a strong cup of coffee.
Exactly.
This allows the brain to prioritize information, focus on what's important, and block out distractions.
And that leads to better focus and less hyperactivity.
Precisely.
Now, this leads to a really interesting way of thinking about ADD.
Instead of seeing it as a disease,
the material suggests seeing it as a developmental issue.
That's a big shift.
The traditional medical model focuses on finding what's broken and fixing it.
Right, like a broken bone.
But a developmental perspective asks different questions.
Like what?
It looks at how humans normally develop.
Their sense of time, self -regulation, motivation.
Right.
And it asks what's needed for that development to happen.
And what might get in the way.
Exactly.
And this perspective helps explain why we see ADD -like symptoms in people who don't have an ADD diagnosis.
Because very few people grow up in perfect circumstances.
Right.
Life is full of stress and challenges.
And that can affect development to some degree in everyone.
So it's not that everyone has a mild case of ADD, it's that these developmental processes exist on a spectrum.
And can be influenced by many things.
I see it.
The material uses a great analogy about trees on Vancouver Island.
Tell me more.
There are these stunted conifer trees on the coast.
They're small and twisted because they grow in harsh conditions.
Not enough nutrients or something.
Right.
But they're not diseased, they've just adapted to their environment.
And inland, where conditions are better, you have these tall, straight Douglas firs.
It's the same trees, but different outcomes because of the environment.
Exactly.
And the material suggests it's similar with human development.
We shouldn't always assume there's a disease.
We need to consider the environment and experiences that shape development.
What's the takeaway from this developmental perspective?
That medication can be helpful.
Right.
It can be a support.
But the real answer lies in fostering development itself.
And how do we do that?
By creating environments that support growth.
Both internally and externally.
Exactly.
And the material emphasizes that development doesn't stop in childhood.
It can continue throughout life.
So to recap,
we've explored this concept of time blindness in ADD.
We've seen how it's linked to developmental delays in time perception and how that's connected to the prefrontal cortex in the brain.
And we've talked about how this can affect planning, self -regulation, and emotional responses.
And how the material reframes ADD as a developmental difference, not a disease.
Right.
It's not about being broken.
It's about being on a different path.
Now, I want you to think about how this idea of forgetting to remember the future might apply to your own life.
Have you ever procrastinated, struggled with organization, or made impulsive decisions?
Yeah, I think we all have at some point.
Could those things be related to this idea of a developing sense of time?
That's something to think about.
And here's a final thought.
If development is a lifelong process, what can we do to nurture our own time intelligence and ability to plan for the future?
That's a great question.
It's not just about managing symptoms.
It's about fostering growth and maturation in these fundamental areas.
Who have your thought?
Absolutely.