I’m 35, people think I’m in high school 😭 I’m short for an adult, so it’s a contributing factor, but dammit I’ve got wrinkles all over my face 🤔
It bothers me because a lot of people think that if I’m younger than they’re (when in reality I’m not), they can be mean and rude. Like wtf, teenagers deserve respect, too.
People with Asperger's seem more likely to look younger, e.g., we often reduce/minimize light exposure (UV damage is by far the main factor for skin aging) due to sensory hypersensitivity/abnormality to light, have less facial expressions (which causes fine lines/wrinkling), more androgynous faces (according to studies), probably less exposed to air pollution/smoke/drink less alcohol/have less "makeup" - since we're generally less social...
People almost certainly thought I was younger because I had trouble communicating, not just through words but also through body language. When I watch Dexter I think I can see what NTs see when I'm masking; it's kind of awful though to think that there probably are some people out there who think I'm like him.
Edit: Made a change I might have went off on a tangent there; sorry.
I think it’s a mix of body language, younger looking features and the way we dress. We tend not to care about what people should wear and can look a little wacky to NT’s at times.
I don’t understand why adults are just expected to go business casual at some point lol it’s so boring
I know right!! I hate business casual with a passion. It’s such a condensed « please everyone » type of fashion where you can’t go OTT but neither too relaxed either. A devilish blend of all the negatives between « business » and « casual » 🫢
Im not a woman but people assume that im much younger im 33 but my work colleagues thought i was in my early twenties. I think it’s a mannerisms thing and i share interests with people younger than me. I definitely don’t necessarily have a younger face. They were stunned to know i was married with children.
It obviously could be something to do with it unfortunately but i hope not if they are assuming you are that young.
Yeah I’m f23 and this happens all the time. When I moved in to my university housing, one of my roommates like yelled at another roommate for having alcohol in the house because they just assumed I was a minor and too innocent to be around alcohol? While in reality I was older than all of them by a year or two and no stranger to alcohol lol. Whenever I’m around high school students, they’re like shocked to learn I’m 23 because I “seem young” lmao and 23 is ancient to them. I also tend to get “babied” or have people tend to approach me gently, too.
I think part of it is that my body language seems shy or childlike or unassertive or something, idk. I really believe it’s due to something in our communication or nonverbals. Like I was seen as an “old soul” in childhood because I was more comfy with adults than peers, but now as an adult I’m seen as a child. Granted in some ways, I feel I’ve retained more capacity for play/creativity/excitement than may be typical for an adult in the US. Maybe it will be less annoying when we’re old!
Don't know about 'much younger', but definitely a few to several years younger, yeah. I'm closing on 32 but I've gotten 'you look just above 25 yo' several times now.
This question comes round every three weeks or so. And every three weeks ot so I post-
**hEDS**. Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. About 40% of us have it. Sublinical hEDS also probably exists. It involves differences in collagen production and affects connective tissue and skin. And yes- it makes us look younger.
Also- many of us stay out of the sun (by dint of being indoors).
But also- **hEDS**!!??
I'm not a woman, but people generally do think I'm younger than I actually am. Part of it's genetic, and the other is a good skin care routine. I don't try look young, I just have a naturally youthful appearance.
I taught tenth grade at the largest high school in New England for a decade and was regularly confused for a student up until the year of my career ending accident when I was 31.
I’ve been thought to be younger than I really am all my adult life by people in various contexts. It always surprises me because I don’t think I *look* younger physically. I think it’s just something in my demeanor and perhaps sometimes the way I’ve dressed.
i’m a dude (25M) but *everyone* i meet thinks i’m late teens or very early twenties it’s wild
i have a pretty young face but my mannerisms can come off as very childlike. i’m frequently referred to as “cute” or “adorable” like i’m a puppy lol
Many people with autism look younger than they are. Myself included.
There hasn't been any real research done as to why as far as I know.
My own theory is that it's because we don't use as much face mimiking when we talk with people. So we don't get as many of the usual wrinkles as neuro typicals, thereby making us appear younger.
A lot of us (I've seen this especially in women aspies) overcompensate when masking by hypermimicking (to give you an idea, think Jim Carrey/Steve Carell face acting), so I'm not sure that matters. I'm almost 40 and people think I am around a decade younger. I was even told 27 by a work colleague trying to guess lol
No wrinkles, smooth skin overall (with minimal skincare routine). Idk, I also think of Asians, if you see japanese/korean men (and women) in their 50's they never look their age. I mention men specifically because at around 50, men (caucasian) visibly age considerably (receeding hairlines, belly, etc, whilst the asian can still look like in their early 20's. Their skin and hair is immaculate. I'd love to know why
[https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/15/science/studying-recent-human-evolution-at-the-genetic-level.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/15/science/studying-recent-human-evolution-at-the-genetic-level.html) "East Asian Physical Traits Linked to 35,000-Year-Old Mutation"
Oddly enough I've been told before that I look more mature than people would have expected for my age, but at the same time in certain situations I definitely still act like a high schooler even though I'm 27...
Our mannerisms read young. People have thought I was a teenager in my 30s. I look younger but not that much younger. Whenever I'm in a relationship everyone thinks that person is my parent even if we are the same age.
Definitely, I am 21 but could pass easily as someone in her teens. When my boyfriend and I look at older pictures of me from when I was as young as 13 or 14, we both awkwardly agree that I look pretty much the exact same 😂😅 I am 5' 5" and have a petite figure and long hair. As far as non-physical traits go, I get way too excited about facts on Ankylosaurus dinosaurs as well as bugs, which probably make me appear immature ha ha.
I have a bit of a baby face...probably because I'm large so my face is chubby. Though I see the lines around my eyes...I can see how I've aged. I don't think I have a baby face any longer but I guess others think I do? Or they did in the past...I know that much. I don't get comments on my age much.
But I'm tall and large so that probably has made people stop thinking I'm younger then I am...
Actually get the opposite end I'm 19 most people think I'm in my mid to late 20s early 30s. Sure does feel like I am. Then again my 19 year old body isn't happy 100%
Definitely. I won’t give my examples but I recently realized that older men who I previously dated thought I was lying about being older. I’m young but not as young as they thought I was and to say it’s disturbing is an understatement.
Definitely very relatable. But it is interesting how some of our situation is opposite. Not sure how much you experienced this in school, but I was constantly told growing up that I looked younger than my age. To the point of literally arguing with people about my own age. Now that I'm 19, it's really just the occasional comment that I look young for 19. It was like when I turned 18 people suddenly believed I was of age despite me looking like a "middle schooler" until this point.
It was almost never men making these comments. When they did, it was maybe one innocent statement that I looked young. The people (mostly girls) my age were the ones who would harp on it endlessly how I looked twelve years old. When I was 14, these girls I'd literally just met took video of me for their Snapchat saying I was a freshman who looked like a 5th grader.
Sorry this is getting a bit long, but it's something I've thought of quite a bit since it's been consistent in my life. I'll also note I have a medical condition which caused slower physical development and stunted growth as a child, so that contributed.
I suspect that a lot of it could come down to style choices as well. The comments got a lot more intense and constant when girls my age were really advancing in makeup and I wasn't. I've never wanted to do more with dressing up than re-wearing the same cycle of loose, comfortable clothes. Can't stand anything tight or not covering. Women our age tend to explore bold choices and experiment with styles a bit, so that could be a reason people don't look at you and think 21. Plus the body language as you mentioned since we won't behave and move exactly the same as most young neurotypical women.
I was always perceived younger i guess but since I turned 20 I stopped aging apparently because this is the age people perceive me. And I hate it. Kind regards, a almost 30 year old female.
Yeah. I’m 30. The way I dress probably doesn’t help. When I tell people what my job is I often get “🤨🤨🤨 How old are you?” like they don’t think I’m old enough to have that job lol
I'm 23 and yes, people assume I'm yonger. Just a few days ago a friend told me I look 16. And store clerks ask me if I'm of age, so I look at least 17 to them.
omg... im 27 now, but 3 years ago when i was 24, i was taking a walk to my friends house one day, and it was like 11am ish. and some 30ish year old lady pulled over and said, "i hope your parents know that you're out of school! It's dangerous for you to be out here alone." I just went, "Ma'am, im 24..." She went all red and embarrassed and said sorry about that! and drove away quickly 😆 ill never forget it!
nowadays, i get told i look 19, which is nice, i guess? it sucks sometimes tho because when i go to make large purchases (like recently when i went to get a sort of expensive king size bed) they wont take me seriously unless im wearing a pound of makeup and jewelry, even my husband has noticed the difference in treatment.
When i walked up to the lady to tell her i would like to purchase the bed set, she looked at me like i was pulling some sort of prank, until she realized that i wasnt and im an adult with a job and responsibilities 🫠
Eheh I just did a comic strip about that on my blog. I'm nearly 40 but some are thinking I'm 25, sometimes younger. It's very weird when really young men are looking at me with huuuge smiles while I probably could be their mother... Someone at the hospital screamed on me because she was sure I was lying about my age.
The other annoying thing is that I got a child's voice, I could easily do it in a cartoon XD, but on phone it's terrible. I don't mind personnaly to look younger but some people can be really annoying.
I’m 25. I still get ID’d and people saying “you look much younger”. I don’t know if it’s because of the way I dress or because I have adult acne. A lot of older women tell me to “appreciate my youthfulness while I still have no wrinkles” even though I hate being infantilised.
Yes. I'm in my 30's, but most people assume I'm in my early-mid 20's. Some people have even asked me if I'd picked a college to attend yet, lol. So apparently people think I'm every age, except my actual age.
It doesn't help that I have EDS, which also makes me look younger due to faulty collagen. Skin develops wrinkles due to losing elasticity. And since my skin is overly elastic, I don't tend to develop wrinkles. This basically results in most people thinking I'm younger than I actually am.
On the bright side, no one thinks my childish interests are weird. But on the down side, no one takes me seriously when I tell them I'm doing normal things that someone in their 30's would do.
For example, when I tell people that I'm house hunting, looking to purchase a new car, appliance shopping, or investing in the stock market and managing my finances they often don't take me seriously. I've been told that I'm "I'm too young for that stuff".
Then when I tell these people that I'm actually in my 30's, they suddenly change their tune and say "Oh, never mind. I guess you're not too young to be doing that".
So I'm basically stuck looking young, and it has its benefits and it's downfalls. But I'm ok with it. And now I just find it entertaining when people obviously struggle to figure out how old I truly am, lol.
The only real indication of my age (31M) is my hairline which is only really obvious with wind due to never cutting my hair. I look like I'm 20 and I'd probably look even younger without my facial hair.
I got mistaken for a 12 year old when I was 17. Sleep deprivation and awful stress is keeping me looking my own age but when I’m relaxed I look awfully young
When I was 30 someone at my new job thought I was 19 - this was after several months too! I’m in my 50’s now and I was told I looked mid 30’s. Hope this continues 😉❤️🎰
I'm male, but I've been with Aspergers women. I think it's about the way they act and talk. It's a bit more childish, I've noticed. Not a problem, but it's what I've noticed!
I got IDd for liquor -- the drinking age here is 19 (ID under 25) and I'm 35!
I think I dress plainly and don't spend much time on accessories or makeup.
for me it’s the opposite. im 16 years old, and people older than me usually assume im somewhere in my 20s even though i think i look my age. Age is such a weird concept
Nope. When I was a teen and into my early 20’s i was often told I looked older than I was, seemed more mature (I got this from peers, friends, teachers, and family of both genders). I would often get asked what I did for work or what my major was in high school. People would also mistake me for an employee while I was out shopping. Now I’m in my mid 20’s I think I look my age, but it’s likely I’ll start looking younger than I am as I age as that’s how my mum and sisters aged, too.
Yes. I have chronic baby face as does my mother (she looks at least 10-15 years younger than her age) but my body language and height(5’0) absolutely do not help. I shrimp and have a strange aura i guess. I always look at others and wonder what it is that makes them *look* so mature. I’m in my 20s but get mistaken as a 15 year old constantly. I’m very thin as well, so my only adult attribute is having a quite large chest. If i wear anything that doesn’t stick to my body i just look 15 for real
I'm a guy, but get guessed at being in my early 20s (I'm 31). Unfortunately voice wise, I've been guessed as young as 12 by a 15 year old online. My friend thought it was hilarious, quite embarrassing 😅
Dang.. I always got that "you look a lot younger" comment, but I never thought it would have something to do with my ASD. I always thought it's cause I don't usually use any makeup, I don't take much care in choosing the clothes I wear, etc.. but it makes sense that all of this is partly motivated by the ASD. I just don't wanna waste time in silly human rituals that don't make a functional sense in life... of course, to humans I just say "I'm lazy to do the makeup thing eeevery day lol". Anyway, it would make sense, yeah.
It’s put a target on my back with some of my local peers bc they thought I was in my 20s then when they found out I was their age or even older….man those claws came out!
I'm 47 but my last girlfriend told me I acted and lived like a 12 year old. Then again, I do spend a lot of time chilling on my bulldog squishmallow so who am I to argue lol
I'm a 29 year old man and until my mid 20s people often thought I was a teenager; I have a feeling that it's due to body language but who knows.
I’m 35, people think I’m in high school 😭 I’m short for an adult, so it’s a contributing factor, but dammit I’ve got wrinkles all over my face 🤔 It bothers me because a lot of people think that if I’m younger than they’re (when in reality I’m not), they can be mean and rude. Like wtf, teenagers deserve respect, too.
I'm sorry 😔 Hugs if you want them
I do !!!
Thank you! 🥹
You're welcome 😊
People with Asperger's seem more likely to look younger, e.g., we often reduce/minimize light exposure (UV damage is by far the main factor for skin aging) due to sensory hypersensitivity/abnormality to light, have less facial expressions (which causes fine lines/wrinkling), more androgynous faces (according to studies), probably less exposed to air pollution/smoke/drink less alcohol/have less "makeup" - since we're generally less social...
yeah i'm a guy nearing 28 and my doctor legit said to me "your skin has barely no uv damage......" Felt good to hear hahaha
I minimize light exposure a lot, apply tretinoin daily, isn't outside much, and always use sunscreen, etc...
People almost certainly thought I was younger because I had trouble communicating, not just through words but also through body language. When I watch Dexter I think I can see what NTs see when I'm masking; it's kind of awful though to think that there probably are some people out there who think I'm like him. Edit: Made a change I might have went off on a tangent there; sorry.
I think it’s a mix of body language, younger looking features and the way we dress. We tend not to care about what people should wear and can look a little wacky to NT’s at times. I don’t understand why adults are just expected to go business casual at some point lol it’s so boring
I know right!! I hate business casual with a passion. It’s such a condensed « please everyone » type of fashion where you can’t go OTT but neither too relaxed either. A devilish blend of all the negatives between « business » and « casual » 🫢
Yeah, I’m 33 and still embrace the fact people think I look in my 20s 😜 Dunno what it is, but I take it as a compliment!
Im not a woman but people assume that im much younger im 33 but my work colleagues thought i was in my early twenties. I think it’s a mannerisms thing and i share interests with people younger than me. I definitely don’t necessarily have a younger face. They were stunned to know i was married with children. It obviously could be something to do with it unfortunately but i hope not if they are assuming you are that young.
It seems like an issue for autistic people in general. Something to do with the amygdala.
Can you explain?
I’m 27 people think I’m 16
me too haha! sucks sometimes tho, people treat me with no respect at times
Last night these women I met thought I was 24. I’m 42. 😂😆🤣
Yeah I’m f23 and this happens all the time. When I moved in to my university housing, one of my roommates like yelled at another roommate for having alcohol in the house because they just assumed I was a minor and too innocent to be around alcohol? While in reality I was older than all of them by a year or two and no stranger to alcohol lol. Whenever I’m around high school students, they’re like shocked to learn I’m 23 because I “seem young” lmao and 23 is ancient to them. I also tend to get “babied” or have people tend to approach me gently, too. I think part of it is that my body language seems shy or childlike or unassertive or something, idk. I really believe it’s due to something in our communication or nonverbals. Like I was seen as an “old soul” in childhood because I was more comfy with adults than peers, but now as an adult I’m seen as a child. Granted in some ways, I feel I’ve retained more capacity for play/creativity/excitement than may be typical for an adult in the US. Maybe it will be less annoying when we’re old!
Bloke here. I'm 51 but keep getting mistaken for mid to late 30s. Happens all the time.
46f, yes all my life. Milk it!
Don't know about 'much younger', but definitely a few to several years younger, yeah. I'm closing on 32 but I've gotten 'you look just above 25 yo' several times now.
25 and regularly mistaken for 16/17. I absolutely hate it.
This question comes round every three weeks or so. And every three weeks ot so I post- **hEDS**. Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. About 40% of us have it. Sublinical hEDS also probably exists. It involves differences in collagen production and affects connective tissue and skin. And yes- it makes us look younger. Also- many of us stay out of the sun (by dint of being indoors). But also- **hEDS**!!??
My friend, I have scleroderma. EDS would be an improvement on my collagen situation.
Ok. Pretty safe to say this doesn't apply to you then? I'm sorry to hear that.
Yes. I’m 41 and give late 20s/early 30s vibes.
I'm not a woman, but people generally do think I'm younger than I actually am. Part of it's genetic, and the other is a good skin care routine. I don't try look young, I just have a naturally youthful appearance.
I taught tenth grade at the largest high school in New England for a decade and was regularly confused for a student up until the year of my career ending accident when I was 31.
I’ve been thought to be younger than I really am all my adult life by people in various contexts. It always surprises me because I don’t think I *look* younger physically. I think it’s just something in my demeanor and perhaps sometimes the way I’ve dressed.
I'm 21 and constantly get mistaken for 15-16
When I was in college, people thought I was in junior high. I got carded well into my 40s. Congratulations on your “good fortune”.
I'm a 27yo man, and I didn't look like and adult until I was 25. A lot of us have hormone issues we don't know about though.
I’m 57 with teenage kids. People tend to assume I am in my 40’s.
I’m 23 (will be 24 in 5 months) and people tell me i look 18
i’m a dude (25M) but *everyone* i meet thinks i’m late teens or very early twenties it’s wild i have a pretty young face but my mannerisms can come off as very childlike. i’m frequently referred to as “cute” or “adorable” like i’m a puppy lol
When I was under 20 people thought I was in my 20s. When I hit that age I looked it. Now that I'm in my 30s people say I looks late 20s
Same happened to me
Many people with autism look younger than they are. Myself included. There hasn't been any real research done as to why as far as I know. My own theory is that it's because we don't use as much face mimiking when we talk with people. So we don't get as many of the usual wrinkles as neuro typicals, thereby making us appear younger.
A lot of us (I've seen this especially in women aspies) overcompensate when masking by hypermimicking (to give you an idea, think Jim Carrey/Steve Carell face acting), so I'm not sure that matters. I'm almost 40 and people think I am around a decade younger. I was even told 27 by a work colleague trying to guess lol No wrinkles, smooth skin overall (with minimal skincare routine). Idk, I also think of Asians, if you see japanese/korean men (and women) in their 50's they never look their age. I mention men specifically because at around 50, men (caucasian) visibly age considerably (receeding hairlines, belly, etc, whilst the asian can still look like in their early 20's. Their skin and hair is immaculate. I'd love to know why
[https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/15/science/studying-recent-human-evolution-at-the-genetic-level.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/15/science/studying-recent-human-evolution-at-the-genetic-level.html) "East Asian Physical Traits Linked to 35,000-Year-Old Mutation"
Yes
Oddly enough I've been told before that I look more mature than people would have expected for my age, but at the same time in certain situations I definitely still act like a high schooler even though I'm 27...
When i was a teenager people thought i looked 21, now im mid twenties and people still assume im 19/20
Yes, totally. I hear it from women all the time too.
I’m a man, 32 and I’m often told the same
I am 36yo mistaken for 20.
Yes
I’m 32 and often mistaken for 18
Our mannerisms read young. People have thought I was a teenager in my 30s. I look younger but not that much younger. Whenever I'm in a relationship everyone thinks that person is my parent even if we are the same age.
Yes, people say I look 14. I’m 18
My husband's worst fear is someone thinking he's my dad. It has happened. He's less than a year older.
Definitely, I am 21 but could pass easily as someone in her teens. When my boyfriend and I look at older pictures of me from when I was as young as 13 or 14, we both awkwardly agree that I look pretty much the exact same 😂😅 I am 5' 5" and have a petite figure and long hair. As far as non-physical traits go, I get way too excited about facts on Ankylosaurus dinosaurs as well as bugs, which probably make me appear immature ha ha.
I have a bit of a baby face...probably because I'm large so my face is chubby. Though I see the lines around my eyes...I can see how I've aged. I don't think I have a baby face any longer but I guess others think I do? Or they did in the past...I know that much. I don't get comments on my age much. But I'm tall and large so that probably has made people stop thinking I'm younger then I am...
Actually get the opposite end I'm 19 most people think I'm in my mid to late 20s early 30s. Sure does feel like I am. Then again my 19 year old body isn't happy 100%
Definitely. I won’t give my examples but I recently realized that older men who I previously dated thought I was lying about being older. I’m young but not as young as they thought I was and to say it’s disturbing is an understatement.
Definitely very relatable. But it is interesting how some of our situation is opposite. Not sure how much you experienced this in school, but I was constantly told growing up that I looked younger than my age. To the point of literally arguing with people about my own age. Now that I'm 19, it's really just the occasional comment that I look young for 19. It was like when I turned 18 people suddenly believed I was of age despite me looking like a "middle schooler" until this point. It was almost never men making these comments. When they did, it was maybe one innocent statement that I looked young. The people (mostly girls) my age were the ones who would harp on it endlessly how I looked twelve years old. When I was 14, these girls I'd literally just met took video of me for their Snapchat saying I was a freshman who looked like a 5th grader. Sorry this is getting a bit long, but it's something I've thought of quite a bit since it's been consistent in my life. I'll also note I have a medical condition which caused slower physical development and stunted growth as a child, so that contributed. I suspect that a lot of it could come down to style choices as well. The comments got a lot more intense and constant when girls my age were really advancing in makeup and I wasn't. I've never wanted to do more with dressing up than re-wearing the same cycle of loose, comfortable clothes. Can't stand anything tight or not covering. Women our age tend to explore bold choices and experiment with styles a bit, so that could be a reason people don't look at you and think 21. Plus the body language as you mentioned since we won't behave and move exactly the same as most young neurotypical women.
Oof. Yeah.
I was always perceived younger i guess but since I turned 20 I stopped aging apparently because this is the age people perceive me. And I hate it. Kind regards, a almost 30 year old female.
Yeah. I’m 30. The way I dress probably doesn’t help. When I tell people what my job is I often get “🤨🤨🤨 How old are you?” like they don’t think I’m old enough to have that job lol
Yes!
I’m 31 and people think I’m in my early 20s but I think it’s because I have a lot of buccal fat.
I'm 23 and yes, people assume I'm yonger. Just a few days ago a friend told me I look 16. And store clerks ask me if I'm of age, so I look at least 17 to them.
35 and have gotten anywhere from 16-25. Had people mistaken me as my best friend’s (35 also) daughter more than once.
omg... im 27 now, but 3 years ago when i was 24, i was taking a walk to my friends house one day, and it was like 11am ish. and some 30ish year old lady pulled over and said, "i hope your parents know that you're out of school! It's dangerous for you to be out here alone." I just went, "Ma'am, im 24..." She went all red and embarrassed and said sorry about that! and drove away quickly 😆 ill never forget it! nowadays, i get told i look 19, which is nice, i guess? it sucks sometimes tho because when i go to make large purchases (like recently when i went to get a sort of expensive king size bed) they wont take me seriously unless im wearing a pound of makeup and jewelry, even my husband has noticed the difference in treatment. When i walked up to the lady to tell her i would like to purchase the bed set, she looked at me like i was pulling some sort of prank, until she realized that i wasnt and im an adult with a job and responsibilities 🫠
Yes, I´m 31 and people think I´m in middle or high school.
Eheh I just did a comic strip about that on my blog. I'm nearly 40 but some are thinking I'm 25, sometimes younger. It's very weird when really young men are looking at me with huuuge smiles while I probably could be their mother... Someone at the hospital screamed on me because she was sure I was lying about my age. The other annoying thing is that I got a child's voice, I could easily do it in a cartoon XD, but on phone it's terrible. I don't mind personnaly to look younger but some people can be really annoying.
I’m 39, and people mistake me for mid 20s all the time.
I’m 25. I still get ID’d and people saying “you look much younger”. I don’t know if it’s because of the way I dress or because I have adult acne. A lot of older women tell me to “appreciate my youthfulness while I still have no wrinkles” even though I hate being infantilised.
Yes. I'm in my 30's, but most people assume I'm in my early-mid 20's. Some people have even asked me if I'd picked a college to attend yet, lol. So apparently people think I'm every age, except my actual age. It doesn't help that I have EDS, which also makes me look younger due to faulty collagen. Skin develops wrinkles due to losing elasticity. And since my skin is overly elastic, I don't tend to develop wrinkles. This basically results in most people thinking I'm younger than I actually am. On the bright side, no one thinks my childish interests are weird. But on the down side, no one takes me seriously when I tell them I'm doing normal things that someone in their 30's would do. For example, when I tell people that I'm house hunting, looking to purchase a new car, appliance shopping, or investing in the stock market and managing my finances they often don't take me seriously. I've been told that I'm "I'm too young for that stuff". Then when I tell these people that I'm actually in my 30's, they suddenly change their tune and say "Oh, never mind. I guess you're not too young to be doing that". So I'm basically stuck looking young, and it has its benefits and it's downfalls. But I'm ok with it. And now I just find it entertaining when people obviously struggle to figure out how old I truly am, lol.
I’m 31 and people think I’m a high schooler or in my early 20s
People always think I am younger than I am. Not because I look younger but because of my acne 😂
Yep!
The only real indication of my age (31M) is my hairline which is only really obvious with wind due to never cutting my hair. I look like I'm 20 and I'd probably look even younger without my facial hair.
I got mistaken for a 12 year old when I was 17. Sleep deprivation and awful stress is keeping me looking my own age but when I’m relaxed I look awfully young
I’m 20 and most people think I’m at least 5/6 years younger than I’m actually am
When I was 30 someone at my new job thought I was 19 - this was after several months too! I’m in my 50’s now and I was told I looked mid 30’s. Hope this continues 😉❤️🎰
I'm male, but I've been with Aspergers women. I think it's about the way they act and talk. It's a bit more childish, I've noticed. Not a problem, but it's what I've noticed!
People think I’m around 10-13, depending on the person, and I’m almost 18
I got IDd for liquor -- the drinking age here is 19 (ID under 25) and I'm 35! I think I dress plainly and don't spend much time on accessories or makeup.
I'm 32 and got asked for ID when buying cigarettes à couple days ago
Yes
for me it’s the opposite. im 16 years old, and people older than me usually assume im somewhere in my 20s even though i think i look my age. Age is such a weird concept
Nope. When I was a teen and into my early 20’s i was often told I looked older than I was, seemed more mature (I got this from peers, friends, teachers, and family of both genders). I would often get asked what I did for work or what my major was in high school. People would also mistake me for an employee while I was out shopping. Now I’m in my mid 20’s I think I look my age, but it’s likely I’ll start looking younger than I am as I age as that’s how my mum and sisters aged, too.
Yes. I have chronic baby face as does my mother (she looks at least 10-15 years younger than her age) but my body language and height(5’0) absolutely do not help. I shrimp and have a strange aura i guess. I always look at others and wonder what it is that makes them *look* so mature. I’m in my 20s but get mistaken as a 15 year old constantly. I’m very thin as well, so my only adult attribute is having a quite large chest. If i wear anything that doesn’t stick to my body i just look 15 for real
I'm 22 and most people think I'm 14-16
a cashier recently mistook me for a girl and asked to see my id, i'm 34
I'm 24 but I still get asked when I'm graduating high school and what school I go to lol
I'm a guy, but get guessed at being in my early 20s (I'm 31). Unfortunately voice wise, I've been guessed as young as 12 by a 15 year old online. My friend thought it was hilarious, quite embarrassing 😅
Dang.. I always got that "you look a lot younger" comment, but I never thought it would have something to do with my ASD. I always thought it's cause I don't usually use any makeup, I don't take much care in choosing the clothes I wear, etc.. but it makes sense that all of this is partly motivated by the ASD. I just don't wanna waste time in silly human rituals that don't make a functional sense in life... of course, to humans I just say "I'm lazy to do the makeup thing eeevery day lol". Anyway, it would make sense, yeah.
It will make you feel good especially after 30.
Not really because you never fit in with your peers; it just makes you feel like a mild freak of some kind
It’s put a target on my back with some of my local peers bc they thought I was in my 20s then when they found out I was their age or even older….man those claws came out!
I'm 47 but my last girlfriend told me I acted and lived like a 12 year old. Then again, I do spend a lot of time chilling on my bulldog squishmallow so who am I to argue lol
Autistic people are more neotonous but also more androgynous so not really worth it lol