The Subjective Perception of Time as a Factor of the Course of Depressive Disorders

Abstract

Introduction

Personal peculiarities of the individual are the separate significant factor of formation and course of depression that has a predictive value.

Objectives

Investigation of an emotionally significant attitude of patients to their past, present, future and also depending on the severity of depressive symptoms.

Methodology

Forty patients with depressive episodes (F 32.0. F 32.1, F 32.2) and 35 persons without mental disorders were examined. An integrated approach was applied using the method of “Semantic time differential”.

Results

Correlation analysis showed that in mild depression patients experienced their present condition changed, it is associated with emotional assessment of the past (r = −0.441) and extrapolated their experiences for the future–feeling doubt about their implementation in the future, including its activity (r = −0.484) and size (r = −0.523). In an moderate degree of depression patients in the present acutely realized that they had depression and from the point of view of this condition perceived their past and future–feeling a structureness and size of the past (r = 0.500) and worrying about the emotional background, structureness and activity of the future (r = −0.500. r = −0.756 and r = −0.500. respectively). In severe depression patients did not associate their condition with the past, realized the presence of depression in the present, and did not expected to improve their emotional conditions in the future (r = −0.432).

Conclusions

The data can be used to assess the dynamics of patient's conditions with depressive episodes as well as to develop an adequate psychotherapy.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.