‘Time blindness’ trend is sweeping Gen Z as tearful TikToker complains she just ‘can’t get to work on time’
A TEARFUL TikToker has been lambasted for claiming she suffers from ‘time blindness’, which makes it hard for her to be on time.
Sarah Trefren – who goes by the name Chaotic Philosopher on the app – said she got ‘yelled at’ for asking if there were accommodations for her affliction when applying for a position.
Her emotional video prompted a flurry of criticism, with commenters dismissing her concerns and telling her to simply ‘use an alarm’.
In the clip – which garnered close to six million views and has been widely shared on other social media platforms – a tearful Sarah said that when applying for a trade school, she had asked “if there are accommodations for people who struggle with time blindness and being on time”.
In a later video, she explained that her mum was on the phone call when she discussed her application with the school.
According to Sarah, her mum cut her off during the meeting and pretended she had been talking about something different, before yelling at her afterwards.
The TikToker claimed she was told she’d never get a job if she struggled to be on time and that her “stupid generation wants to destroy the workplace”.
Though many might be quick to scoff at the affliction as a made-up Gen Z phenomenon, Sarah’s claims hold a grain of truth, according to psychologists.
Time blindness refers to the inability to recognise when time has passed or to estimate how long something will take, counselling psychologist Dr Becky Spelman previously told The Sun.
This persistently skewed perception of time attention is “often associated with neurodevelopmental conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)”, the expert and founder of Private Therapy Clinic said.
This the case with Sarah, who states on her TikTok account that she is neurodivergent and lives with ADHD.
She even followed up her viral clip after receiving criticism to say: “Let’s be real, when I posted the video I figured everyone would know I was referring to ADHD time blindness.”
But you don’t have to be neurodivergent – when your brain operates differently than what is considered typical – to struggle with being on time and perceiving how much time has passed.
According to Dr Becky, time blindness can sometimes happen when our brains suffer from ‘executive dysfunction’.
This is when something happens to disrupt the brain’s ability to control and regulate thoughts, emotions and behaviour.
Meanwhile, Stephanie Sarkis, a psychotherapist and author specializing in ADHD, anxiety and narcissistic abuse, told USA Today it can also show up in people who with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health conditions.
If you think you’re time blind, that doesn’t mean you have to give up on ever being able to manage your time properly.
Dr Becky gave a few tips for people to manage their symptoms, including:
- Using timers, alarms and calendars “to create a more tangible sense of time passing”
- Breaking up tasks into smaller, more manageable segments
- Setting out a clear schedule for yourself
- Speaking with an ADHD coach, therapist or support group