Did you notice any changes in your early to mid twenties?

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Before I knew I was autistic, I thought whatever was up with me, I would somehow magically outgrow as I got older. Well, instead, here I am, about to turn 37 and I feel like I'm 7 years old sometimes. My ability to cope with stress is almost nil, at the moment and I marvel at the things I could withstand when I was in my early 20s that I can't now.

I noticed a change a bit earlier than that. When I was around 13-15 during junior high I was actually "popular," knew everyone, and seemed very much an extrovert for the first time in my life. it has to have been the best part of my life thus far. Before and after that though things went drastically opposite.

Looking at this from an ADHD side:
I did notice a final at 25-- a maturity feel. My ADD blunders still happen-- e.g. saying sensitive things in public, as not noticing who is present. Recently, as addressing a family member's doctor as "brother" while shaking his hand-- (he's dark). He waived his fee because of one of us works for him (family). When I'm in a dynamic with new things happening, in a dfferent state, new people, tracking a lot of things, I'll guarantee I'll do something like this. Don't ask me why I addressed him like this, but this it what flows under new conditions.

Looking at the cement:
As an analogy everyone loses executive functioning levels with old age. I notice an "anger" in older folks 70--plus, with change--sometimes dramatic, as showing agitation.
It, the "cement," likely happens earlier in executive function disorders,e.g. ADHD. autism,etc.

I get emotional, as irritated under change now. Before I didn't or not nearly as much--.

Last edited by Mdyar on 15 Sep 2011, 12:51 am, edited 1 time in total.

The only difference I feel is a much deeper feeling & thoughts associated with depression. I am still too sensitive of people's subtle social behaviors and I absorb peoples happiness or sadness like a sponge and if someone walks away from me sad then I am sad and agitated too... It's something i picked up recently ironically... I don't think 20's is too late to change.. I believe my 21 yrs brain is still very plastic because I am absorbing behaviors and emotions like a highly empathic child would yet I have the cynicism and iq of my age yet people still see me as a child and laugh at me like I'm some cute little child... sigh

I was popular in junior high too. I used to arrange parties and group activities. I was an outcast in high school though. It seemed like I was now useless to everyone because I couldn't get them boyfriends, which is all that they wanted. In high school I felt very old and that everyone else was immature (I noticed a young girl on YouTube who felt the same). However when I was around 24 I started loosening up, so to speak, & wanted to go be silly & have fun, things I may have criticized about teens when I was one. Almost like I was being a teen at 24. Now I'm heading towards 30 and I'm just incredibly confused. I guess that's to be expected though as I've read that it takes time to come to terms with AS.

There is alot of darkness in the responses to this post, i feel like im n darkness for my 20s most of the time.

Something happened to me when I was in my mid-20s. My OCD symptoms I'd had as a kid came back real strong and I started having trouble sleeping. This eventually led to my addictions to sleep meds. My mom says I had a nervous breakdown. I don't know what it was but I haven't been the same since, and my brain definitely changed. OP has something here but I can't quite put my finger on what. Autism experts ought to do some research on it.

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Wow...I agree with you.

I was pretty obsessive as a kid ad then not at all during the teen years until about 23, also when I was diagnosed with GAD.

I don't feel a ton of anxiety on a regular basis, but I do have a lot of obsessive tendencies and now have the cleanest house on the planet O_O

Absolutely not.

In fact, even though I had an idea I might have mild Autism, and was told there was no such thing by a psychiatrist, slowly over the next few decades, I learned to develop techniques to deal with what I did know were clear differences between myself and almost everyone around me.

As a result, though records pretty much prove I have Asperger's, and always have, I no longer show enough symptoms to qualify for other than PDD-NOS.

The brain may stop developing physically in the early twenties, but it does NOT necessarily stop developing intellectually.

The worst thing you can possibly do is throw up your hands and give up. If you do, THAT is what can cause intelectual development to cease.

yes. just as equally binding as a carb attached around your waistline.
are changes complacent or decidely cruel as we age?

Well the situation changes when you go from school to work at that age. Work is not flexible and you have to work in a team all the time. I find that more difficult than anything. Although at 24 I do finally feel like an adult. I don't think there's any effect as far as developing - my social skills have only improved.

Better social skills, gradually worse coping skills/more emotional/psychiatric problems. As ASD gets better for me, the co-morbids get worse.

I can't say for sure, but I don't think I got any worse in my early 20's simply due to age.

Did your diet & exercise habits change much around then? I now know that a lot of foods cause me neurological problems, and that lack of exercise makes things even worse. I'm 30 now, but looking back at the worst AS/ADHD/OCD/Tourettes/Depression/Anxiety etc periods of my life, I can strongly correlate them to what my diet consisted of, what chemicals I came into skin contact with, & also lack of exercise. Today I'm getting better & better, as well as fitter, by learning what foods not to eat, products to avoid using on my skin or inhaling, and being ever more physically active. I got a bit off track in Jan/Feb as I was off sick for a few weeks, then recovering & dealing with family life stuff, but I'm getting stricter and stricter with my diet again, and getting back into the swing of things with keeping active. I slept in this morning, but it wasn't raining tonight.. sooo, I just got in from running 7km and I'm feeling better for it. Due to not knowing these things (aside from exercise lol but the dietary knowledge) until about 6 months ago, I had a pretty rough go of my 20's. 30's on are absolutely most definitely going to be dramatically better.

I'm in about the best shape of my life (was a bit better before my nearly 2 months off) & about to break all kinds of personal bests this Spring/Summer & onwards. Between diet, exercise, medication, meditation & practicing as many social coping mechanisms as possible in order to improve my lot in life.. things are getting better & better, slowly but surely. Just gotta keep at it - eyes on the prize and all that.. gotta have a reason that's bigger than you that motivates you to just keep working and never give up. I have my reasons, I'm sure you've all got yours. Use your OCD/Obsessive abilities in ways that serve you, making you healthier, wealthier & wiser. I find it's pretty positive to have an AS one-track-mind when I set out to do something as valuable as this all is, as it all reduces my various symptoms & improves numerous neurological functions while increasing my capabilities to function in the NT world.

I feel more content with who I am now which I guess come from going through teens and twenties.

i didn't deal well with my anxiety and trying to fit in well when I was in my teens, was better in my 30's yet still tried to conform at times.

Now in my 30's and I don't care too much. If I want to spend time on my own doing my things then I will, it makes me happy!

The (late teens) early to mid twenties is the most common time for mental illnesses to occur.
Since i was around other peers in nursery school i realized i was different from others, yet did not know why.
I embraced the difference, always did my own thing.
Only later on in life did i realize that i cannot fake NT nor have i ever been able to. If people talk to me or know me, they realize i am out their on my own planet. I am just lucky that most are accepting people.

I had quite a bit of brain development in my 40s.

My wife pointed out areas that needed development. It certainly helped that we were living in our own home and had a good income--so I didn't have the pressures of someone just coming out of school.

But, come to think about it, I also did quite a bit in my 20s and 30s as well--living alone for 12 years, learning to drive, saving enough to buy a house, learning to invest wisely....