Age Dysphoria Awareness

This blog no longer posts about age dysphoria, please read my pinned post for more information.

[agedysphoriaawareness]

This will likely be my final post on this blog. I want to explain clearly why I stopped posting and why I'm keeping this blog up as an "archive." TW for non detailed mentions of abuse.

I started this blog as a teenager. What I've realized since then is that I went through repeated CSA, which was the cause of my feelings. In the past I was unwilling to admit what happened to me or face those memories, and I think I was sort of "stuck." I'm now 21 and I don't experience age dysphoria anymore. Quite frankly I have nothing to post about here. I don't want to suggest that everyone or even most people experiencing age dysphoria have been through CSA. I think the human mind is more complicated than that.

The main reason I started this blog was because I went looking for people who shared my feelings and distress about age on the internet as a teenager and saw people being accused of being pedophiles or predators in disguise for feeling "stuck" at a younger age. Especially given what I went through this was extremely upsetting to me and I wanted to create a space where it was safe to talk about experiences of age dysphoria in an honest and non-judgemental way.

I want to keep this blog open for the same reason I started it. I have a feeling people are here for many reasons, and have many different experiences. But it's important to me that people know they're not alone with what they're feeling and they shouldn't be ashamed of it, regardless of the exact situation. People often don't know exactly what's going on with them and shouldn't have to justify feeling the way they do. The only reason to be ashamed is if you have predatory intentions, period.

I do recommend that people who are experiencing similar feelings to the ones I was having (feeling stuck in childhood, distressed by my body and social role, dreading each new birthday, feeling like a kid stuck in an older person's body) seek professional help if possible, because at the very least I think it's likely that some kind of dissociation is involved.

I'll reiterate for the last time that I don't believe identifying as trans age is healthy. Of course that's just my opinion, and I want this blog/archive to be welcoming and open anyways to people regardless of how they choose to cope with their feelings.

[agedysphoriaawareness]

I often feel like I'm younger than I'm supposed to be .. physically,I'm an adult,like a young adult,but I feel way more like a child,as I feel more like I'm 7-12. And I think I'm stuck like this for longer periods of time before I go back to "adult mode",and I've been afraid of going back to younger things out of fear of judgement. Do you think this is a sign of age regression,or do I have just another way of seeing the world?

I think age is a complicated concept, as it's more of a social construct then we realize in everyday life. The reason I say that is that there are really 2 options here: Either something is happening in your brain that is making you feel like a child when you're not one, or you're coming up against a social barrier where, despite being and feeling like an adult, you enjoy doing things or acting in ways that would be considered more appropriate for a kid, so you're struggling to reconcile your identity in that way (especially relevant if you're Autistic).

I guess the main thing I would ask is, how do these feelings of "age mismatch" present? Is it that you feel childish because of your desires and interests, and therefore feel more like a kid than an adult? Or is it that your body, the way you're treated in society, the entire concept of being an adult feels viscerally wrong, and you feel like you're stuck in the wrong body and life? The former sounds like something to do with the way you see the world, and if you do happen to be Autistic it's likely related to that. The latter sounds more like "involuntary age regression" or some kind of dissociative experience. The only other option I could think of is that you have control over this experience and are using intentional age regression as a coping mechanism, but your words don't seem to suggest that.

In any case, good luck!

[agedysphoriaawareness]

Hello, lovely people.

It's been 3 years since I created this blog and I wanted to provide an update. I made this blog when I was 17. Since then I've been diagnosed with Autism and PTSD. My therapist also gave me an assessment that suggested I have DID, but I haven't received an official dx and I don't know that I have it.

In any case, it's become clear to me that what I was experiencing (age dysphoria) was very much caused by trauma. As it turns out, whether you have DID/OSDD or not, if you're having experiences like feeling like your body is larger than it should be, feeling like you just teleported from childhood into your life as an adult or teenager (even if you have memories proving otherwise), feeling more connected to your childhood memories than your recent ones (to the point that recent memories don't feel like yours and you feel a specific age), or involuntarily regressing into a childish mental and emotional state and maybe getting stuck there for long periods of time, and it's distressing and feels like way, way more than nostalgia, that's probably a dissociative experience. It's a trauma symptom. For me, having that validated by a professional was very helpful.

When I was a confused teenager and I looked up "age dysphoria" online, trying to put words to my experience, I got results telling me that my feelings made me a pedophile and a predator, and that I was looking for excuses to harm children by claiming I feel like one. I was horrified and spent years ashamed of those feelings until I created this blog because I knew myself better than that. Turns out it was complex trauma all along.

I'm going to leave this blog open for people who may look up "age dysphoria" like I did, since I'm sure there are still posts on Tumblr talking about how feeling dysphoric about your age makes you a predator or an attention seeker or whatnot. But if y'all are experiencing anything similar to what I did, I recommend getting professional help if you can.

[agedysphoriaawareness]

Yes it make me feel a little bit better

If playing with toys is a coping mechanism that makes you feel better then yes, I think it's fine to use it.

I think there's a possibility with age dysphoria that sometimes engaging with children's activities can make it worse over time. You can feel more and more like a child stuck in an adults body with no resolution, and fail to find hobbies and engagements that could make you more contented as an adult. But I think it's all about self awareness. Being aware of what works and doesn't work for you. What we all need to do is fine ways to engage in this world in a safe and healthy way. And there's really nothing wrong with an adult playing with toys.

[agedysphoriaawareness]

I'm transage. Does transage can have childrens or babies toys ?

Hello.

This is not a transage blog. This is a blog about the experience of age dysphoria. Feeling like you are a different age than your biological age does not mean you actually are a different age than your biological age. I experience age dysphoria but am aware that I am developmentally an adult. I am aware that I have followers who identify as transage but that's not what this blog is about.

I believe that anyone should be able to buy children's / baby's toys if they want. Really anyone can do whatever they want as long as it's not harmful. I would just ask, is having children's toys benefitting your mental health and quality of life?

[soberscientistlife]

Read as many times as needed

[gwydion-aacblog]

picture . people don't need to be sober and drug-free to deserve food, shelter, and kindness . end picture .

[agedysphoriaawareness]

I have made posts on this blog in the past referencing a reddit community called r/nevergrewup, and they have this blog linked on their susubreddit. I would just like to clarify that I am not affiliated with r/nevergrewup and cannot promise to condone everything that subreddit supports. I've seen quite a lot of pro-trans-age posts on that subreddit recently, many of which state that being trans age is essentially similar to bring transgender. I think this is a damaging view of a complex mental issue that will only bring more stigma.

If you identify as trans age, I don't want you to feel unwelcome on this blog. I think age dysphoria is a confusing and distressing experience and it's understandable that some people try to deal with it by trying to live completely as a child. However this blog does not encourage age transition and is working towards a medical understanding/awareness of age dysphoria, the reason being that the very high prevalence of severe early life trauma in age dysphoric people leads me to believe this is not fundamentally a matter of identity or something present at birth.

[agedysphoriaawareness]

For those with age dysphoria: When did your experiences begin?

Before age 11

Age 11-15

Older than 15

Voting ended onMay 25, 2023

To all unfamiliar with the term "age dysphoria," please go to my page and read the pinned post before making any assumptions.

[agedysphoriaawareness]

I don't think it's wrong to call it age dysphoria since the said word isn't a trans only thing.

"Rejection sensitive dysphoria", a neurodivergent trait carries the word too. Dysphoria has a meaning behind it that can be used in any circumstances. Of course, us, as transgender people use it a lot, but it makes no sense to turn it as an exclusive term?

Idk how to explain, hope u got it. :')

I totally understand what you're saying, and that's why I still have the word "dysphoria" in my name. It's just that I've noticed a lot of the conflict / anger we face talking about our experiences comes from trans people who incorrectly think we are trying to place our experiences alongside theirs or enter the lgbt+ community. It would be nice if we could avoid that confusion, since age dysphoria is totally unrelated to gender dysphoria. But it is what it is, this is currently the most recognized term.

[agedysphoriaawareness]

Y'all I go through everyone who follows this blog to vet them (just to check for creepy ppl / bots) and I will likely block if u follow me and have a blank profile and no posts. Just warning, I will think u are a bot, it's not personal

[agedysphoriaawareness]

For those with age dysphoria: Are you autistic and do you have significant early childhood trauma?

Yes (autistic) and yes (trauma)

Yes (autistic) and no (trauma)

No (autistic) and yes (trauma)

No (autistic) and no (trauma)

Voting ended onMar 4, 2023

Thank you to those who answered / shared, I'm just trying to get some info on the general demographic of this small Tumblr community.

For those who are not familiar with age dysphoria: Please go to my blog and read the pinned post before making any assumptions or comments, thank you.

[agedysphoriaawareness]

I know I have a wide variety of ppl who follow this blog, so I'd just like to clarify again that this blog does not consider age dysphoria to be adjacent to the LGBT+ community in any way, nor am I promoting awareness of this issue to normalize age transition. I am not a mental health professional and age dysphoria is not a recognized condition, so I can't speak to what the best solution to it is. What I do know is that the majority of people who report age dysphoria have a significant developmental trauma history (many times on top of autism). That indicates that this is not something normal we are born with, it is something that happens in the brain in response to abnormal circumstances.

As I said, I can't speak to what the best solution for this issue is - whether it's best to indulge the desire to be young again, or to focus on resolving trauma to feel comfortable in one's adult body, or something else, I don't know. The idea of this blog is just to bring a community of people together who share common experiences (regardless of how you're coping right now), and to reach those who are afraid or ashamed after running into misinformation or no information about their experiences online.

[agedysphoriaawareness]

Common Misconceptions About Age Dysphoria

"Age dysphoria" was made up by child predators as an excuse to have relationships with minors

I've decided to put this one first because it is probably the most pervasive and damaging misconception. It is true that some child predators have used the excuse of being "trans age" to be in relationships with minors, but these people do NOT truly have age dysphoria. They are actors who have spread stigma, confusion, and fear. Age dysphoria has nothing to do with pedophilia, nor does it excuse an adult having a relationship with a minor.

Age dysphoria isn't real, it's just having a life crisis / missing the simplicity of childhood

Age dysphoria is a deeply distressing experience in which a feeling of disconnect between actual age and perceived age is pervasive and intense. For me personally, experiences of age dysphoria started before puberty, and had nothing to do with the thought of adult responsibility. Many people with age dysphoria have autism or significant childhood trauma (or both). It is very different from a temporary life crisis or the feeling that most people get when their childhood ends.

People who say they have age dysphoria just want to get attention

Most people with age dysphoria don't talk about it because they're afraid of being judged, ridiculed, isolated, or accused of having predatory intentions, so if it were a ploy for attention, it would be a very ineffective one. If age dysphoria seems far out to you, I completely understand, but I urge you to consider that many things that are understood in today's society were accused of the same 50 years ago.

NOTE: Age Dysphoria is not a diagnosable condition and I am not a mental health professional. I am simply a person who has experienced age dysphoria. If you would like to learn more, I recommend going to r/nevergrewup on reddit.

If you've made it this far, I'm asking you to consider reblogging to spread awareness (but of course nobody has to). If you have experienced age dysphoria, submissions are open on my blog. Feel free to submit a post sharing your story or anything else relevant you want to say. If you have any questions for me, asks are open too.

[agedysphoriaawareness]

Play

One thing I find it hard to get my head around is how it is the notion of play, just doing things for the fun of it seems hard for people to accept in adults.

I make no pretence myself of saying "I'm off to play" meaning I will go into a secluded area and play an imaginary game of being a secret agent hiding and then running.

I might spend a good twenty minutes to a half hour playing on a swing but when any "grown up" mentions it is as if they have to wrap such activities in adult terms such as  playing with friends becomes "team bonding" with colleagues.

It's like you're no longer supposed to play even though you feel like it on the inside.

Does anyone else find this puzzling?

[agedysphoriaawareness]

I am autistic and transgender and I personally feel like the term 'age dysphoria' is very accurate due to what had already been mentioned: it's a persistent pattern of strong distress and a feeling of alienation from your actual age. This makes it very similar to gender dysphoria. It's not necessarily anxiety, even though it can cause anxiety. For me it feels like a strong feeling of discomfort, both realizing my body is this certain age, as well as dealing with the social role and expectations that others hold related to my age. The term 'age regression' means "going back in age", often caused by childhood trauma or as a form of therapy. But I just never 'never grew up', in my mind I'm still a teenager.

[agedysphoriaawareness]

you mentioned looking for a term other than "age dysphoria" to avoid people equating it with gender dysphoria (which is probably a good call, i feel). would "age incongruity" perhaps work?

This is a really good suggestion. I think if this term were popularized it would be better than "dysphoria" for sure.

[radiolightning]

In case anyone is having a bad night:

Here is the fudgiest brownie in a mug recipe I’ve found

Here are some fun sites

Here is a master post of Adventure Time episodes and comics

Here is a master post of movies including Disney and Studio Ghibli

Here is a master post of other master posts to TV shows and movies

*tucks you in with fuzzy blanket* *pats your head*

You’ll be okay, friend <3

[meanwolfs-remade-deactivated201]

i will reblog this everytime it shows up because any of my followers could have a bad night right now

[becausewhatiam-iswhatimnot]

All these links, besides the first, are broken. So here’s some more.

Here’s an emergency compliment

Here you can play 2048

Here’s a playlist of Bob ross

Here’s a website to watch movie’s and shows for free

Here’s a website to watch documentaries for free

Here you can to nothing for two minutes

Here you can break something. It’s good for anger

Here’s a button to press to make everything okay

Here’s a site to cut something up (TRIGGER WARNING)

Here’s a site that makes you a website depending on a song you choose

Here’s a gay comic. It’s adorable

Here you can spend Bill Gate’s money

Here you can draw your own island

Here you can learn about patterns website’s use

Here you can get your life stats

Here you can listen to the Tucker Zone (Headphones needed)

Here you can see how fast you’re moving

Here you can see the progress of time

Here you can see the future of the universe 

[becausewhatiam-iswhatimnot]

Want some more? 

Here’s the butterfly project

Here’s a snickerdoodle mug cake

Here’s a link to some free audiobooks

Here’s something to read when you feel like a burden

Here’s a secret

Here’s my playlist of some sea shanties 

Here’s another secret

Here’s a link to some cool websites 

Here’s a blog that gives you recipes for when you’re low on spoons

Here’s some Brony Headcanon’s

[becausewhatiam-iswhatimnot]

Some more? I’ve got plenty

Here’s 100,000 stars

Here you can control the weather (TW FLASHING IMAGES)

Here you can weave silk

Here you can make a castle of your own

Here you can make a kaleidoscope drawing

Here you can explore recursion

Here you can play a jelly block game

[becausewhatiam-iswhatimnot]

I’m back with some more! 

Here you can draw with pasta

Here you can draw logo’s from memory

Here you can play this is sand, here you draw cool sand designs

Here you can play The Organ Trail

Here’s a customizable white noise website

Here you can simulate gravity

Here you can create your own guardian of the galaxy

Here you can make your own galaxy

Here’s a website you can get some support at.

[becausewhatiam-iswhatimnot]

to find later

[addiewho]

Here you can split circles into smaller and smaller pieces (I found this really satisfying)

Here you can have images of people point to where your pointer is

Here you can paint someone’s nails

Here you can grow a garden across your screen (Audio included)

Here you can try out all kinds of mind illusions (Trigger Warning: Flashing Lights)

Here you can see how many miles you have scrolled

Here you can watch a website load forever, although you might be getting enough of this on Tumblr mobile

Here’s a rickroll

Here you can remind yourself that you’re awesome.

Here you can throw trash into a dustbin only for it to bounce right back out (Audio included)

Here you can make sand dunes using sand (Audio included)

And here you can generate more cool websites like these

[boy-in-the-stars]

pinning thissss

[fiddlepickdouglas]

And yet more!!!

Here you can listen to a gentle rainstorm

Here you can make snowflakes

Here is a Line Rider feature film with relaxing music

Here is the entire script to the Princess Bride (many don’t need it but it’s fun to read anyway)

Here is an abbreviated script for the entirety of Book 1 of A:TLA that I made out of anger at the film that definitely doesn’t exist

Here is a playlist of the top 10 most relaxing songs ranked according to science

Here’s a site where you can make a dude beatbox with fun animations

[nyxsomnia7]

I’m fully aware I will need this at some point.