I feel like I am in my early 20’s but I am in my mid 50’s. anybody else here with this problem?
judy
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Hi judy - I too feel as if my emotional growth stopped at the age that my SZ/bipolar came on full force - around 21yrs old? It seems as I am stuck in my 20s also in many ways
Are you trying to imply that your thinking is still immature?
If not,it’s actually great that you think like a young person in truth
wave,
i tell myself i should feel lucky… i feel young… but it is like you say, kind of stuck. how do you like it? judy
Yes I like the fact that I feel young at times, but it is hard to describe the feeling, it seems that I am stuck at 21 yrs old emotionally, not so much intellectually, it is like I stopped growing emotionally, if you know what I mean, its difficult to describe
I’m still young (31) but yes I feel much younger than my years. There are even brief moments now and then when I feel like a little kid, this is mostly because I’m so damn shy (wasn’t even shy as a kid though) and tend to not have anything to say in certain situations so I just stand there smiling and nodding and feeling like a little kid.
Emotionally I feel my age and tend to socialize with people older than I but much of the time despite my level of maturity I feel like I’m still a teenager. Part of this is that I haven’t had to deal with the responsibilities most adults deal with like making a living and supporting family and whatnot. But also I feel it’s probably because I grew up way too fast, by the age of 14 I was dealing with things most adults can’t sanely deal with and didn’t have much in the way of things to look forward to.
It’s ironic really, grew up fast and therefor remained forever young.
Problem? I don’t consider it a problem at all. I have felt and often acted early 20s since i was 13 to my age now which is just a little younger than you.
I have also had most of my friends online or 3D in their mid 20s.
As far as close or romantic type relationships that’s been a mixed bag…some older, some younger…though the best/closest as far as synchronicity goes and having like everything in common is 11 years younger…X 2, so 11:11.
But I still feel and sometimes act college age…20 - 25ish…and even the “older” people I know and have been closest to are just big kids at heart…I had a 45 year old woman friend tell me sometimes she acted 2 when I told her sometimes I acted 12, LOL…I was 39 - 40 at the time…then she threw a piece of wet fish at me and splashed me with water, at work LOL.
In life skill level I feel like I’m 18-19 just learning stuff that all 18 year olds are already learning and knowing. I’m 29. But I feel so behind in many things. Plus some birthdays passed me by while I was in hospital or not lucid so that also makes me feel like I’m younger.
I still feel like I’m 16-18 when I’m 21 I know the gap isn’t as big but I’ve had arrested development due to schiz, I lost about 6 years of my life. I feel so behind on so many levels, I’m trying to learn independence etc when I’m still terrified of being away from my mum or my house.
I’m learning to cook, do chores etc I have to be constantly reminded that I’m 21. I feel threatened by 14-18 year olds thinking they’ll randomly attack me like at school, so I have to say ‘no, I’m an adult’.
Sometimes I feel younger, some days I’ll wake up feeling 8 years old and tiny in comparison to everyone else.
I think it’s quite common with psychosis and any severe mental illness as it takes you away from the collective reality, for me I lost a complete sense of time, I knew the time, I could have told you the year on good days, I just didn’t absorb it.
You’re not alone, take care,
Meg.
Mine isnt arrested development or any learning disability or loss of education…
In fact I graduated at age 17 at college level in some subjects, and I had skipped school for half the days in my 11th and 12th year.
The things like cooking and chores I learned in my early teens, and at age 14 was working construction building buildings for my school…
Mine is more the playfulness and energy aspect of things and looking at things in nature and other things with almost a magical perspective as a younger person would. And I enjoyed college in my 40s and fit right in with the 21 - 25 crowd…
I’m 30, but feel like a teenager of 16 because I still get these beastly pimples on my face. You would think they would go away in my twenties, but no, they are still there, and I was a spoilt child with mommy and daddy doing everything for her, so now I’m married, I have had to grow up fast. It’s not easy! Some days I wish somebody else would do the shopping, but there’s nobody else to do it. My husband told me a few times to grow up. Don’t know if the SZ makes it worse, because he’s always saying I must get a little stronger. I’m emotionally timid and weak, things scare me easily and I’m not independent. So, no, I don’t feel like a 30 year old at all.
Yes, 12 years old gets to be a little unbelievable at 61. Most of my life one of my roles has been precociois child. It’s relaxing and rewarding to take that mask of when I think of it.f. Then I begin to see with my own face.
Become a teenager and turn 13?
I feel like a 16 year old and I’m going on 33 this year in August…I wonder if its because 16 is when I was in full psychosis and since I was given so many different drugs in the hospital and my mind had a bit of a shut down then if I feel like I’ve lost a few years in my life…I don’t know I just thought it was me. Everyone else is getting older and I feel like I should still be in high school despite having a bachelor’s degree Heath Administration…
I already did that once - wouldn’t want to again. I pretty much like to put the kid act aside when I can + be who I am from all the life experience I’ve had between then and now. 50 years of it - though I haven’t had the usual 50 years of experiences most people have had. That’s how I can be 61 in my book.
I can’t do the glitter. Too hard to clean up. Andsome gets on your skin without you knowing it + you’re talking to some with glitter stuck on your chest + they’re thinking strange things about you.
I like the one about fear. I’ve been turning that one around inside of me. Major fear I can tackle.
Only the good die young.
Gosh that just cracks me up @pob the way you said that!!
I have a good time when I get asked my age, the look they give me makes me laugh. People used to mistake my ex husband for my father…didn’t make him one bit happy seeing as though he is only 5 years older than me.
Maybe because I was the youngest in the family it has kept me thinking young…my mom is an artist and her abstract thinking and great sense of humor keeps her young (and young looking too), so I guess as long as I can act responsible when needed, I’m free to be any age in my mind.
i am the opposite i feel like 80 and i am 46…with an emotional age of 4 !?!
take care
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LOL, I was kind of joking about the glitter…but with me (And I’m a guy 50s) even that doesn’t matter. When I was 41 I met my wife who was 30 and when she came to visit the first time we both threw glitter all over each other and walked around town with it on us. In fact we deliberately put it on us.
I’ve even on occasion thrown it on guys but have to be careful with that one and make sure you know them and what their reaction might be…
This guy has been glittered by someone but don’t know why he looks like its so awful and he’s almost in tears…LOL
We didn’t go that crazy though…just a little in hair and on cheeks…very subtle, like this
You’re definitely finding some pictures. It must be not too uncommon.