The psychological toll of COVID-19 lockdowns could lead some people to misremember the timing of recent events, according to a new study published by University of Aberdeen researchers.
The lapses were similar to distorted time perception observed among some prisoners, said the study, conducted in 2022 and published in open-access journal Plus One on Wednesday.
While it’s not unusual for people to mix up the timing of events that took place in the distant past, the researchers found that people who had lived under pandemic-era lockdowns exhibited similar levels of error on events that happened just a year ago. It was especially pronounced among those who felt stressed, depressed and anxious living under the measures.