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.
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