Do aspie adults have a difficulty in "growing up"?

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Joe90
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11 Mar 2011, 1:08 pm

I may behave immature a lot, but I don't think immature. I am equally friends with both men and women, and I may go a bit over the top with fancying some men, but that's not abnormal because I know some NT women, who are twice my age, and are still stupid over men. One NT woman I know thinks when a man looks at her it means he fancies her. Even I know that isn't always necessarily true. I may be an Aspie, but I know when a man fancies me or not. I may be flattered when I get a smile from a man, but that's as far as it goes. I have a few men fancying me now, (seriously), but I don't fancy them so I've told them that I just want to be friends. But there is a few men who I do fancy, but some of them are married, so I don't go any further but be friendly and talk to them if they want to talk. But there is one man who isn't married and I fancy him, and we are still getting to know eachother. I like to take it slowly. I think that's pretty impressive for a 20-year-old girl on the Autism spectrum.

But I have immature manners. I don't know if this is immature or not, but I shout out private things out loud in the garden for all the neighbours to hear, but not realise I'm doing it, or I forget that my stupid voice echoes off like a frog horn. Like once my brother farted, and people farting makes me angry, so I shouted, ''don't fart!! !'' when the back door was wide open and the neighbours were out in their garden, on a hot sunny day. My mum rushed out hissing, ''sssshh! Why do you have to yell and let everyone hear?!'' Then I felt embarrassed.

I don't know what my neighbours think of me, but I bet they hate me.


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universeofone
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11 Mar 2011, 1:14 pm

If I divide my age by seven, it feels about right.

Woof! :)



Sweetleaf
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11 Mar 2011, 2:51 pm

Snivy wrote:
I can't seem to grow up at all. I change majors every semester at college, which led me to flunk it. Went to a tech school where they promised you a job upon graduation. I knew this would be a bigger benefit, because once you choose a major, you are locked into it until you graduate. There's no english classes, no psychology, just every class that relates to your career choice.

Thing is, at age 21, I can't seem to learn how to grow up and be the adult. The majority of people my age, already have a bachelor's degree by now, and I can't seem to get an associate's. I know the only way of getting a good job is getting to college, getting a good education, and flaunting your degree at employers, but I can't seem to grasp it.

My mom is pressuring me to drive, but I'm terrified at being behind the wheel. I can't focus to save my ass, and she knows it. If I ever get a car, who's paying for the insurance? How am I going to handle the liability of possibly killing someone in a car accident? I can't get a job, because I don't know how to keep one. I wanted to wait to get out of school anyway to find a job.

I want to live on my own, but don't know how. My parents think I just don't care, but in truth, I'm helpless right now. I don't know what to do. I don't know how to act and live like an adult. A part of me is terrified. I really want to prepare for adult life, but I just don't know how.


Most 21 year olds seriously have a bachelor's degree? I am not even close and I've been 21 since august.....lol, but its possible. You are not the only one who does not have one yet though so try not to worry too much about that. As for driving that is hardly nessisary for 'adult' life. Do you live somewhere with public transportation? If so you can always use that instead of driving yourself. As for living on your own that is a hard one, maybe you should try and find someone you could room with......I am going to try and do that with my sister.



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11 Mar 2011, 3:06 pm

I made a few attempts at getting a degree before giving up.

I almost feel guilty when saying this because it's so ingrained in our society today that you have to have a degree to get anywhere, but not everyone needs to have a degree. Some people are able to learn the skills they need to earn a living on their own, which is what I ended up doing. I have no idea if you're one of those people though, so I can't guarantee anything. I don't mean to imply that I'm any smarter or anything, just that I happened to have an interest which I put a lot of time into that I was able to use to make a living.

But yes, I feel like the other people in this thread. I am in my 30s and don't feel like I've made it to adulthood yet. I'm pretty sure I never will, but I don't mind.

Edit: The interest thing is important, I think. Someone I know has a son with ADHD (which isn't exactly the same, I know), but she always complained about his problems similar to yours and worried that he was going to live in her basement all his life. But he eventually found something that he was really interested in and was able to follow through on. It might take a little longer than it does for others, but that doesn't mean you won't eventually get there.



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11 Mar 2011, 3:59 pm

My own kids (who are now 26 and 28) as well as the kids I mentor (many from ages 13-28) all agree that I am the most immature adult they have ever met. My shrink says I actually am whimsical... LOL!



FunnyFairytale
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11 Mar 2011, 4:08 pm

I kinda hate the term " growing up".Its like these prepackaged life deals of what everything is supposed to be like.This is normal, this is not.Tis is grown up, this isnt.

I relate to what you are writing and perhaps some people just need more time to figure out what works for THEM, not the world, not other people, just them.It may not be at the pace of what others would prefer or expect of you, but it is YOUR way, and they should not confuse their best with your best.

You will figure out things eventually and find your way.It may take time but you are doing your best, at this moment, and that is all that matters.



Joe90
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11 Mar 2011, 4:28 pm

I know some NTs who are immature for their age. Last year I got bullied by my 19 year old friends, who were NTs. They were giggling down the phone like little 12 year old schoolgirls, and I said to them, ''oh grow up and get a life,'' and put the phone down.
My uncle still likes to climb trees for fun, and he's, like, nearly 50. And he's NT.
And my NT cousin used to take her teddy bear out in a doll's pram out in the street when she was about 13 or 14.


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Zen
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11 Mar 2011, 4:30 pm

FunnyFairytale wrote:
I kinda hate the term " growing up".Its like these prepackaged life deals of what everything is supposed to be like.This is normal, this is not.Tis is grown up, this isnt.

I relate to what you are writing and perhaps some people just need more time to figure out what works for THEM, not the world, not other people, just them.It may not be at the pace of what others would prefer or expect of you, but it is YOUR way, and they should not confuse their best with your best.

You will figure out things eventually and find your way.It may take time but you are doing your best, at this moment, and that is all that matters.


I totally agree with this. Life is not a checklist. :D



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11 Mar 2011, 4:35 pm

ToughDiamond wrote:
An adult is a degenerated child, IMHO.


What if the child is an unemployable emotional basket case?



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12 Mar 2011, 12:50 pm

Snivy wrote:
Do you think it's a possibility for some Aspie adults to fall behind when it comes to growing up?


YES!!

Also I can relate to all this as I am 26 years old...am still a university undergraduate (I dropped out and came back to uni of course), have changed my major five times (although now I'm quite happy with my major right now), never learned to drive, and still live at home with my mommy 8O I also think I talk and act like a child because people are absolutely shocked when I tell them my age!



OJani
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12 Mar 2011, 5:18 pm

While I can relate to the above, I could manage to get a degree and more in time. I don't know how it happened, or rather, I can not see how it is not possible to someone. I definitely showed signs of ADHD at school. The problem with me is that I can not use my supposed knowledge in practice well enough. I chose finance as major, while my mind is totally physics/maths. At least I could earn money with this, I always thought. But finances is not me, I always knew. I just tried to get along with it. Some philosophical aspects and math models do intrigue me, though.

So, basicly it turned out that I spared my special interests to myself, while doing something different as a commitment, and treated the obstacles as "must overcome". It aslo had something to do with self-esteem.

I do feel well before my age, too, say, 18 years.


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AshRoswell
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12 Mar 2011, 7:57 pm

At 24 years old I am still an angsty teenager most days.

Correction: I'm 25 now. Doh! >.<



simon_says
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12 Mar 2011, 8:28 pm

Of course. Being delayed appears to be part of it.

I can name at least two times in my life where someone straight up said to me, "didnt you learn this/ figure this out at age x"? And I'm thinking, "obviously not s***head, but thanks for making me feel worse".



manlyadam
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12 Mar 2011, 8:34 pm

My excuse is that as people in modern society "grow up" they are just becoming more conformist and moulded into a generic shape dictated by the society and culture they grew up in, we are less conformist and more free thinking so we can't be moulded as well but this can leave an undeveloped wobbly mess of whatever the ingredient is in this moulding metaphor



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12 Mar 2011, 8:36 pm

simon_says wrote:
Of course. Being delayed appears to be part of it.

I can name at least two times in my life where someone straight up said to me, "didnt you learn this/ figure this out at age x"? And I'm thinking, "obviously not s***head, but thanks for making me feel worse".


My mother tried to convince me the other day that she taught my sister and I all the life skills we should ever need... which is why we both did so poorly on our own, I guess. :roll: Or, I guess, she's not willing to acknowledge the impact that ADHD (my sister and I) and autism (myself) can have on that.



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12 Mar 2011, 8:41 pm

I think in terms of my schooling, my goals, hopefully career(well see about that 1), and taking care of myself Im where other people my age are. In terms of social/emotional maturity, Im behind, my maturity levels equivalent to some1 in their teens. Most my friends are 1-2 yrs younger then me and half of them treat me like Im 3 years younger then them. The 1s that dont are either not too mature themselves or are very nonjudgemental.