Abnormal Time Experiences in Major Depression: An Empirical Qualitative Study
Psychopathology December 15, 2016 Giovanni Stanghellini, Massimo Ballerini, Simona Presenza et al. 115 citations
In major depressive disorder, abnormal time experience is nearly universal: 96 out of 100 patients reported at least one disturbance. The most common patterns are a sense of stagnation in vital processes, feeling trapped by the past so that the present and future seem dominated by it, and a slowing of the flow of time. Unlike in schizophrenia, where time experience becomes fragmented, depression involves a blockage or inhibition of forward movement. These findings confirm that distorted time perception is a core feature of depression, which could aid differential diagnosis and distinguish true depression from milder forms.