Feeling Stuck at 23: Is This Normal?

🤗 to both

I'm glad I'm not alone in this 🤗

I totally get this! I have to really stop and think, actually do the math (like subtracting my birth year from the current year), when someone asks me how old I am. In my mind, I am in my late 20's- early 30's. Not only do I do this for my age, but I also do it for appearance as well. I get shocked anytime I see myself in a full-length mirror. I am constantly getting lost/confused when driving. Asking: How did I get here? Or, Where am I? I have been told by a counselor that the age/appearance mindset is disassociation and the driving thing is my mind being preoccupied with other things or racing thoughts. It's like I'm on auto pilot, my eyes see what's going on, my ears hear everything, my body acts accordingly, and my brain processes it but doesn't put it to memory. It's so weird.

I can definitely relate to not feeling my age! I'm 44, with a 24 yr old daughter, and in a lot of ways, I still feel like my mentality is in my 20s. Im still blasting my music, bumping the bass in my car, i wear clothes like im in my 20s, and i just dont feel like im in my 40s. I feel time slipping away without having accomplished much. I also have memory issues and rely heavily on my phone for notes, lists, appointments, and reminders to make it through each day. You're not alone in this, and it's okay. Having a younger mentality isn't gonna hurt anyone. It's just coming from a different perspective than what's perceived as "normal". And being forgetful isn't a crime, though it is annoying. If anything you've mentioned previously is bothering you, it's okay to be straight up with your counselor about that. Any concerns you have are valid and you have a right to them. Just keep in mind that being different and thinking or doing things in an unexpected way can be of value and makes life more interesting. If you'd ever like to talk more about this or just talk, DM me anytime. I hope you have a good day.😁

I sometimes have periods where I feel like I’ve regressed back to being 11 again. I know that it’s trauma-related for me, but as others have said, stress and dissociation are definitely possibilities. It does sound a lot to me like a subtle form of dissociation. Your psychologist shouldn’t be laughing at that. I can understand other outsiders laughing because we hear people talk about “I’m X but I’m secretly 21” in lighthearted ways, talking about the way they still would like to live their life and whatnot. Perhaps people in your life who are otherwise supportive but laugh at this aren’t sure how to react when someone is speaking this way in a serious way? Regardless, it sucks that they’re just laughing about it. :/ If telling your therapist that it’s genuinely bothering you and feels different than the ““normal”” feeling of that doesn’t get them to take it seriously… Well. I’d say get a second opinion, but I think we all know how difficult it is to go through the whole process all over.

I think I have before but I dont remember. I'm lucky if I remember to go to my appointment. No one believes me. They laugh at it likes I'm joking.

Sounds like you're experiencing disassociation? Have you mentioned the last bit to your therapist? x

I can totally relate. Stress triggers my mental health issues and it affects my memory, too. I get the driving and then not knowing where you are. I am overwhelmed with a lot. Not sure if it's like your brain has a glitch and is rebooting or what. But you definitely aren't alone. And I'm 40, but in my mind I still think I'm in my 20's. Time flies. I hear of someone born in the 90's and my first thought is still that they are just a kid... Then I realize, oh yeah. Kids born in the early 2000' s are already grown. Smh.