Photograph via snooOG

A place for people who grew up on the outside but still feel like a child mentally (age dysphoria.) To discuss, understand and help each other.

Welcome

This is a place for people who grew up on the outside but still feel like a child on the inside (age dysphoria.) People who suffer from living in an adult body and world.

You might be wrong here

Rules

Simple rules
More rules

See also

/r/nevergrewup

11,144 Subscribers

1

Sorry

Hello everyone,

I want to apologize if my post caused any discomfort or misunderstanding. This is my first time participating in this group, and I now realize there might have been a mistake on my part regarding the type of content expected here.

My intention with the post was simply to share something related to emotional comfort and age regression, with no sexual connotation whatsoever. I understand that some associations made in the comments might have created confusion, but I assure you that this was not my intent.

I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. I’ll be more mindful in the future to ensure I respect the boundaries and purpose of this space.

Thank you.

0 Comments
2025/01/02
09:04 UTC

4

COVID-19 Pandemic correlation and Age Regression?

Does anyone know if there is a link between the Covid 19 pandemic and feeling a younger age?? Mentally, I feel younger. I feel like I am my COVID age, still a teenager, and it hasn't changed throughout these years. I still think I am that age and don't accept my age today. Is there any academic papers written or statistics on this topic?

1 Comment
2025/01/02
04:23 UTC

5

not sure if i’m actually ngu

i’m 17 and feel 13, i’m jealous of 13 year olds and hate being called an adult, i get sad when people call me that, i wanna be 13 again

idk how to describe it

3 Comments
2025/01/02
03:48 UTC

6

How do you tell the difference between gender dysphoria and age dysphoria?

I am trying to get a hysterectomy and other treatment for gender stuff. Now I'm worried that's not really what it is. It's the right decision for me either way but I still want to know. I can't tell anyone I'm confused about this because they support me being agender but nobody i know would probably accept this as a real thing. I don't want it to be a real thing, at least for me, but I read about this place and now I don't know how to separate it.

My transition goal has always been to look like a 7 to 9 year old boy. I've thought about having a beard and stuff and thought maybe it would be cool, but it didn't feel like me all that much more than my current body does, it felt like I was doing a picrew of "me as a grown up" like you can make yourself as a cat or a worm on a string. I also didn't feel dysphoric at all in any way when I was younger, just mad when people gave me dumb girly things for Christmas and made me wear fancy dresses, but those were because they were uncomfortable and I want actual fun toys and science kits, not makeup.

We went to the doctor and they were saying how they aren't allowed to take out ovaries, so there would still be all the same hormones. We got referred to someone else but it was terrible. I can't fix it anyway. I have hips and stuff that ruin it both ways. They said I have to pick a kind of hrt to go on if the clinic will take my stupid ovaries. I knew that, I read about it, and how even if I didn't take it I would turn into the body of an even older woman and not go back. I thought I was handling gender stuff ok now but now i feel like I will never be happy about anything as long as I live in this body all over again.

2 Comments
2025/01/02
00:21 UTC

19

Just found this community

I came across this community a week ago, and initially i thought “this is interesting, this isnt me, but its interesting!” However, this has now been stuck in my head since then. And Im wondering if maybe this is me.

Ive always felt younger, always. Thats just a part of being me, and I enjoy it for the most part! I identify as an age regressor but Im thinking it might go deeper than that.

For example,

  • Despite identifying as male, Im uncomfortable with my leg hair at times because it makes me feel like a “man” rather than a boy

  • Ive always sought out romantic relationships with age-inappropriate (much older) people, I believe this is my subconscious trying to find someone to parent me

  • I highly, highly, enjoy childish activities. I feel most like myself and the happiest when I can be in this situations

  • My discomfort with my adult body stems primarily from the fact that it is evident Ive hit puberty, if I hadnt, I dont think I would have as many issues with myself

  • I have always had body dysmorphia, and the only way I can comfortably represent myself is in drawn artwork where I look childish; that is my most accurate sense of self

Where Im at right now, I think I might, in some ways, be stuck around the ages of 6-14. And I think I age regress around the ages of 0-5.

Any input would be nice! Im honestly nervous to start looking into this, but I know it’s important to understand myself better.

18 Comments
2025/01/01
19:13 UTC

6

I don't know if you know the story of Lili Elbe. She was a Danish trans woman and the first one whose story is known I think and her story seems somewhat romantic. I wondered if there are any true stories of beautiful and real Neverlanders in the old days like Elbe's.

0 Comments
2025/01/01
18:02 UTC

18

I'm very glad I found this subreddit 💙

Not giving away my exact age, but I'm in my mid-to-late 20s, and I've always felt much younger, even now.

I highly doubt this feeling will ever go away, so I've decided to try and embrace it instead.

My mental age is 16-18, but sometimes younger, 10-12.

It's very nice to meet you all! Here's to never growing up 💙

1 Comment
2025/01/01
08:42 UTC

25

I'm ashamed of my age.

I never got to have a proper childhood or teenagerhood. I don't want to "grow up". I don't want to get older. I want to be able to relive my youth without my age being a barrier. I'm lucky I do look young, being baby-faced and short, so I can only get away with doing "childish things" if no one knows how old I am. It's not fair. I don't want my youthful interests to be seen as "weird" or "creepy".

6 Comments
2025/01/01
08:34 UTC

3

Did you stay up alllllll the way to midnight for New Year's Eve?

3 Comments
2025/01/01
07:32 UTC

13

Haha. Thinking back on it now GoogoobabyGordie my bully, the mean teacher who talked me down, the nurses who did nothing but encourage me... Thinking back on it makes me want to kill myself.

3 Comments
2024/12/31
20:05 UTC

4

im so high rn happy new yearrr🐏🐏🐏🌧️🌧️

im 5 im 5 im 5 im 5 im 5 im 5

6 Comments
2024/12/31
19:07 UTC

3

Do you love Webcomics ? I have two favorites : Blindsprings and Shattered Starlight. The first is a fairytale princess with somes "magicals girls elements" and the second is a adult comic about magical girls. the costumes of the characters are so pretty in these two ;)

0 Comments
2024/12/31
17:22 UTC

23

I want him so much

6 Comments
2024/12/31
07:28 UTC

15

I'm 18 in 6 months I'll be 19 and i don't act like an adult I act like a kid/teenager is there something wrong with me?

6 Comments
2024/12/31
06:08 UTC

23

My Mouse king plush I got for Christmas!

He plays Tchaikovsky's "Dance of the sugar plum fairies" and "Russian dance" !

3 Comments
2024/12/31
05:53 UTC

2

Tents:

6 Comments
2024/12/31
04:38 UTC

3

I baby talk and I’m not age dreaming.I feel invalid

0 Comments
2024/12/31
04:34 UTC

10

a copy of my reply to a post about ideas to slow the aging process, I’d love to read your own ideas too ✨😍✨

If you are going to try collagen (I use beef gelatin powder), be sure to take vitamin C as well. Your body needs both for this to work. Consistency is key and most people don’t notice any difference until the six month mark. I am at the five month mark and my hair is shiny and fuller. I also wear a silky bonnet to bed to protect my long hair as I toss and turn through the night. A silky pillowcase helps reduce morning wrinkles. Organic castor oil applied with a q-tip along the outer lash line and eyebrows before bed really does work! My own lashes have never looked fuller except for when I was a child. My eyebrows are making progress too. I have been doing this nightly for about six weeks now.

Sunscreen is super important. Don’t forget the backs of your hands and your upper chest area. The skin is also very thin there. Investing in a simple wide-brimmed hat is a great option too. I have two that roll up to stash in my cars. SPF clothing is real and it really does work. You might find some in an outdoors store or in the summer with fun prints in the swimsuit area.

Smoking will ravage a face eventually (along with all of the other health issues). Stress can also take a toll on a person’s face (and health). I have taught myself different ways to diffuse my mind because some other jerk is not worth me getting wrinkles over. I avoid drama like the plague.

Stay hydrated. Lots of water. Try to eat a healthy diet. Keep moisturizing. Maintain good posture. A bounce in your step melts years off of how others perceive your age. Finally, it is my opinion that a face wearing a full-beat of makeup just looks inherently older.

I have tried retinoids, including prescription strength (tretinoin). My sensitive skin hates it. Some people swear by it while others state that it thins out the skin. There is a Reddit group dedicated to retinoids, r/tretinoin if you want to take a peek.

Aging (facial wrinkles) is mostly due to a decrease in collagen as we age. Retinoids supposedly boost (or at least maintain the current level of) collagen production. Also, as a female ages and their estrogen levels drop (menopause, natural or surgical), collagen is rapidly lost too. Hormone replacement therapy is the choice I am going to make when it is time for me.

Dental health care is also very important. I’m not talking about having perfectly straight teeth. Having teeth that are kept clean and as white as your natural enamel will allow can give a youthful visual clue. This is not possible for many people and I’m only writing this to encourage good oral hygiene and proper dentist visits as a person’s insurance, personal budget, and current mental health status allows them to.

These are the thoughts that popped into my head. If I think of anything else, I’ll add it later. I hope this helped a little.

1 Comment
2024/12/31
01:09 UTC

3

I am diabetic and I would like to find a cure for my illness one day thanks to a professor. Do you have any advice/recommendations?

3 Comments
2024/12/30
22:02 UTC

16

I’m upset and would like some advice

In September I am going to turn 21 and I will probably have to leave my pediatrician. I just found out she is having a baby and she will be gone from May to July. That makes our time together even shorter. I feel like she is the only person who gets me and understands me and she wants to check in with me frequently. I’ve told her things I’ve never told anyone else before. I have autism too and she really understands it, like I have never met anyone else who understands how autism impacts me the way she does. And I love the way she treats me too. She treats me like a little kid but without making me feel stupid.

My mom and I are going to try contacting the head of pediatrics to see if they can make an exception and see if I can stay with her a little longer (she wants that too), but I know that’s not guaranteed. I can’t even talk to her about seeing a different doctor without getting overwhelmed and shutting down. I am really upset thinking about this and can’t stop worrying and having panic attacks over it. I’m angry at her for having a baby and then I get angry at myself for feeling that way because I should be happy for her. If anyone has advice on how to feel better I would really appreciate it.

2 Comments
2024/12/30
20:59 UTC

44

i never drank any alcohol in my life before because my mom said im not allowed to

ive never had any nicotine or alcohol in my life before and its the only thing that really makes me feel good about myself because if i ever have any of it it means im an adult……..

14 Comments
2024/12/30
20:37 UTC

23

27yo stuck at 13 to 16yo.

[TW depression/suicidal thoughts, mention of sexuality]

I never really had a childhood and was at my peak of suicidality when I was 13. My self esteem was cripplingly low, I hated myself, I hated the world. And now I'm 27, I was able to transition and I feel better, and it feels like I'm grieving my teenage years more than my childhood.

I'm transmasc but it feels like the teenage girl I was is still inside me and I'd love for her to come out of this body and live and thrive like she deserved too. I'd give anything for us to have separate bodies and be like in the same middle or high school and hang out, and be happy, make friends, explore our sexualities in an healthy way. She a queer, cis teen, me a queer, cis teen. I wish we were twins.

I feel so sad it's not happening. It's tearing me apart more and more as I keep getting older. She deserved so much better. I deserved so much better. We deserced so much better.

7 Comments
2024/12/30
12:41 UTC

15

Has anyone here tried anything to prevent or reverse aging? (Skincare, procedures, surgery). Was it or has it been successful?

I know it is seemingly extreme, but my outside appearances is terribly distressing. There's a disconnected between how I am internally and my outside appearance. I spiraled after finally seeing my reflection in a store window.

In regards to my looks, being attractive is secondary to me. I would love to look 10 to align with how I truly feel, but I know that right now it isn't feasible.

Do any of you have any advice to ease this dysphoria I am experience? It hurts a lot. I am even considering surgery.

17 Comments
2024/12/30
02:41 UTC

21

🌠

just found this subreddit through the agere subreddit, great that this one exists ! <3 it fits my situation so much better because I AM a child, not just someone who gets into a childlike headspace or anything else like that sometimes

vent: im feeling a bit not so well rn, quite sensitive,, because the older i get the more i get reminded that im in this big disgusting adult body now and no one will ever care for me in any way again and it makes me sad i wasted all my younger years completely now my mama doesnt want me anymore this is not the life i want i believe death truly is the only way out for me since i wont get another chance i wish i could go back in time, 2005 doesnt even sound like it was that long ago but it is it will not get better

5 Comments
2024/12/29
20:32 UTC

7

Why do 18 19 and 20 year olds act like kids and not adults?

I mean like that how people criticize them but why do you see some 18 19 20 year olds acting like kids teenagers and not adults at all?

12 Comments
2024/12/29
19:31 UTC

9

Progressively feeling more little

Ever since I started to let go, I've began to act more like a kid- lately I just been forgetting a lotta math stuff though, I wonder if it's bc of me letting go of it or just.. me not using math at all in life except for basic stuff
I can still do rlly basic things, but I legit struggled to multiply a number by 10 the other day even tho that's so easy, I have no clue how to do the whole division thing anymore

Has anyone else experienced anything like this?

8 Comments
2024/12/29
10:46 UTC

32

I met a girl who loves toys, stuffed animals and cute things and is very childish. She said that if she could, she would stay a child forever but that it is unfortunately impossible and does not openly say that she "is" a Neverlander. Is she a Neverlander anyway?

7 Comments
2024/12/28
17:40 UTC

20

Turning 24

I'm turning 24 next month and the month is already almost here. I'm not ready. I'll never be ready. It feels like I'm turning 18 all over again. I don't want to be considered in my mid-20's. I don't want my early 20's to be over. I don't even want to be in my early 20's but it's all I have and now I'm losing that too. I won't even have a break after because I'll have to deal with reaching the halfway point to 30 the next year. I know I'm only 23 right now and that's a huge jump, but time moves so fast. Why can't I just stay the age I am. Everyone accepts me as 23 now so why can't they do that forever. It's the least I have.

I just want to be a bio-kid again. I'm so scared. I hate being in a body that doesn't align with how I feel. I want to crawl out of my body and rip it to shreds. Why can't time just stop. Why couldn't I just never had been made. I am not fit for life. I feel so alone because I can't open up about this with anyone in my real life and it's too dangerous to get close to other NGUs in fear of safety.

I feel like I'm trying to claw my way out of a cave that no one else can see. No one in real life sees what's going on and how impossible it is to get out of it. The clock won't stop ticking no matter how much I beg and plead. It all feels like some sick joke.

11 Comments
2024/12/28
06:33 UTC

30

I'm Choosing to Believe in Santa

I just saw The Polar Express for the first time on Christmas Eve. While these Christmas movies always have a message of believing in Santa, The Polar Express gives a bit more actionable advice with this idea in the very last line of the movie. The main character says while other adults in his life can no longer here the sleigh bell ring, he still can. The message is that magic isn't not real because of material reality. Magic becomes not real because we choose not to believe in it. We are societally conditioned not to believe in magic.

I know that magic, as in breaking the laws of physics, is not real. But think about all the things in our life that are magical! Playing with stuffed animals, a hike to a waterfall with a breath-taking view, or eating a bowl of your favorite pasta dish. And while we can't change physics, think about all the technologies like computers that would literally be magic to people of the past. The point is that magic is real, in our hearts. And I want to keep believing in it!

After watching the movie, I played with my Rambley plush and excitedly said I'm riding the polar express. I am ngu and small, and being a kid makes me really happy. I can believe in magic and be myself, even if some rational part of me knows that magic in the traditional sense isn't real. Who cares about that right now? Be yourself, be a kid if you want, and enjoy the holidays, meow!

13 Comments
2024/12/28
03:17 UTC

Back To Top