Anyone else just feel... mentally and emotionally stunted in age?

[NearlyIrrelevantCake]

I've never put this into words before, but I've been feeling it... well, my whole adult life.

In my mind, going through everything in my life, I still feel like a child or a teen. Surrounded by adults doing adult things and I just feel different.

Or do I maybe feel like a child/teen still because I had to be an adult at that time in my life? Since I was a child, I had to take care of my parents and deal with adult issues... Raised by parents who were producing and dealing drugs from before I was born until I was 10yo--and both parents continued using the drugs until they died when I was an adult. Having to be a caretaker for my ill father from toddlerhood until high school.

 

[InezSerrano]

I feel like I was closer to being an adult when I was in high school. These days I'm a NEET doing nothing, those days I was in high school, also taking classes at the community college, also doing part time work, also doing a lot of volunteer work... I was doing very well, a year away from going to a very nice University, and then everything crashed. I almost don't believe I'm the same person I was then.

I have no clue how I could possibly live as a normal adult in society, I don't know. I guess I'll have to, unless I somehow gain a lot of money. I guess it's possible. I was talking to this guy who was very rich a few months ago, but he wasn't very attractive and he had a bad personality, so it wasn't worth it, even for the money. Ahhh, IDK.

I have a friend who's boyfriend lives with him, and he doesn't do much, soo.... IDK where I'm going with this. I guess I'm making a huge tangent, the point is I really relate to this, I wish I could be a child forever, the adult world is confusing and overwhelming, and I really hate it.

Part of it is probably nostalgia, I guess, I try my best to forget the horrible parts of my past life.... I don't know. It's all so difficult.

 

[Silenos]

I can relate a bit, but there's basically two sides to me.

One side is basically like a teen. In fact when I was 28 I had a therapist tell me I was acting like someone going through puberty, and wondering if I had ever gone through mine properly.

The other side is about 90 years old. Been around long enough, experienced too much shit, and tired of it all.

 

[whywere]

One thing that almost 66 years, reference point, birthday tomorrow, yikes! has taught me is this: Everyone is unique upon themselves. I have worked through the decades with tens of thousands of people and some acted 50 at 25 and other at 50 acted 25.

Absolutely nothing wrong with anything, as we are all ourselves and we should never judge ourselves against anyone else ever. We ALL bring talents, vision, and so much more to our lives, those around us and the public in general, that this is WHAT is the web of life and helps humans evolve.

You are a bright, kind and smart soul, just read some of your posts, very clear in this aspect and you are awesome, and you bring so much to life and everything here that without you here it defiantly would NOT be the same.

On another note, my heart broke for you, as you never had a childhood and you had to be an adult way, way too soon. Just look at yourself now, you are strong, you have persevered through so much and you are a kind and caring person.

You are a winner period and enjoy life. you really deserve it and just be yourself. I always have and never ever listened to anyone

Sending you lots of huge hugs, awesome weather and have a great weekend, my friend.

Walter

 

[heirofvoid]

Yea I'm 22 and like what the other person said here I actually felt more like an adult when I was around 12-16. Especially when I first started college because my family finally let me commute alone so I felt a little bit more independent. I had more work to do back then but now I'm just rotting in my room. I don't know how to be an adult and I can't ask anyone in my life on how to be an adult. I feel like a child again.

 

[Dyingtoleave]

I feel that I was more mature and ambitious at 16 than I do currently at 20. At 16 i was working , had a general plan of how my life was going to go. now i'm 20 lost my job to the pandemic and haven't been able to put everything back together yet and its already been 2 years.

 

[Pomegranate]

I feel exactly the same way! It's as if I never matured into an adult. I don't know how to drive, and I can't work. I messed things up wherever I went. It's like reverse Midas touch I see people around me doing all these adult things and I marvel at how they can do all of that when I struggle with the simplest things. I guess I'm still a kid in the body of an adult.

 

[StarryStarry]

Great question. I thought I was the only one who felt this way. I'm miserable I feel as if I'm a little girl who just wants someone to love her.

 

[Al Cappella]

Well I grew up, but part of me is stuck back there when I was a kid, and can't seem to escape. It's all a bit sad, really…

 

[whywere]

I feel exactly the same way! It's as if I never matured into an adult. I don't know how to drive, and I can't work. I messed things up wherever I went. It's like reverse Midas touch I see people around me doing all these adult things and I marvel at how they can do all of that when I struggle with the simplest things. I guess I'm still a kid in the body of an adult.

HI! Everyone has talents and everyone is a shining light. YOU are a fantastic example of this, as far as I did not figure out my life till I was in my late 20's and we are all one and we all have so much within ourselves that helps make up the human experience.

I 100% believe in you and you are a smart, kind and caring soul, just reading your post told me that.

Have a great weekend filled with sunny blue skies, great food and drink and the knowledge that I care about you and want the very best for you.

Walter

PS. Yep real first name, dislike it but never have gotten around to changing it.

 

[Weebster]

I look and act much like a 20 something which is a good thing for me. I tend to attract the women that I like.

 

[MellowAvenue]

Maybe a bit. I feel like I still indulge in childish behavior when I should be "adulting" but I hate adulting so I fall back on the childish habits.

 

[worseandworse]

yeah i know what you mean. ive felt like an adult from 12ish till i turned 18. never really got to have a childhood or teenage years. spent an entire year in hospitals if you add it all up since i was around 14. never got to graduate high school, i never had the fun experiences you're supposed to have as a teenager. i feel like i have to play catchup for the 5 years and i don't even know why. once i ctb itll all be over and that's the only grain of hope and satisfaction in my life.

i genuinely wouldn't wish growing up with crippling mental illness on anybody no matter how much i disliked them. it's robbed me of a normal life and happiness.

 

[ClownMe]

I'm only 21, so maybe im not the best qualified to comment on this? But from my experience, when you get older, you age physically, but not mentally, I still feel like a child/teen deep down. This might explain why so many adults are insanely immature.

 

[.............]

I'm not even 20 yet but honestly, I feel like I've been stuck at 12 for forever.

 

[littlelungs]

I can definitely relate to this. It's a weird feeling because in many ways I had to grow up very quickly, but at the same time I also feel like I've been frozen in time and am still an 8 year-old girl. I don't even know how to elaborate on this because my psyche is just such a clusterfuck and it's completely exhausting to live with, but an undergrad psychology student would probably have a field day with me.

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

I don't feel that way, I am that way. I thought maybe it was because I was traumatized several ways as a child but honestly the things I went through aren't so bad all things considered especially compared to a lot of the even worse things other people have suffered. My upbringing just seems to be in line with standard Asian American experiences and the fact I came out of it so poorly just shows how weak I am compared to other people who went through actual trauma. I think I was just always meant to be like an immature, selfish brat all throughout my life.