Just curious... This is not only what you feel but what other people tell you. Do you look younger or older...or the age that you are? Men answer too :)

I feel like my ability to deal with the outside world (i.e. going 500 miles away to college) is lacking, in that area I feel much younger. It seems that it is hard to let go of the past and move on with my life ... I like being young.

People always tell me intellectually and spirtually I am much older than my age. My priest has helped me through a good deal of my depression. He told me that he has only met a few people that knows themselves so well and can talk so eloquently and never anyone at my age. He still wants me to speak at mass but I need to get up the courage.

I feel like my understanding of myself is much greater then that of other 19-20 year olds and it is because I self analyze. I also hate being put down and I make sure to try and never do it to others, it created hell for me and I don't want others to experience that.

Physically I look about my age, coming up on 20. People always tell me I look a few years older than I am but not much.

Why do you ask?

P.S. My immune system sucks and I seem to get sick when I am depressed which happens alot ... I will probably age faster then others unless my meds keep working and I stay un-depressed.

Actually, your meds, depending on which ones you use, may age your appearance faster than you normally would.

I'm already in my late 30's, and by staying out of the sun (well, and maybe not smiling a lot, I'd been very depressed off and on for far too long) I managed to avoid crows feet until I got diagnosed and started taking adderal and then ritalin in 2004, about 6 months later, WHAM! there they were.

Could be it was destined to happen about that time anyway, but I'm wondering what other ADDer's experience with this is?

I noticed a similar phenomenon in an ex-friend (long story) who aged QUICKLY when he started doing some kind of stim.

I'm 26 and people say I look about 18 to 20, some even think I'm younger.

I remember not being accepted in a bar on my 25th birthday. I showed ID and a birth certificate and they still didn't believe me (The drinking age is 19 in Canada).

People often get suprised when I tell them my age. They'll ask me for ID or my brithdate sometimes to prove it.

Besides looking very young I am short. I'm 5'5". This makes finding a date a challenge. I find 12-16 year old girls have crushes on me and the older ones won't look at me.

I know when I find a girl she'll be a great girl. She'll be focused on me as a person and not the superfitial aspects of me.

Lotsa Love

I would be interested to know how old people act rather than look.

I would be interested to know how old people act rather than look. Well, I personally switch from being a 10 year old and an old man.

young in spirit, old in soul...

The physical age thing is interesting to me because I am noticing an anomaly in the ADD population. Medication may cause some physical aging but physically ADDers seem to be younger in appearance than the majority of the population. There are probably several combinations of genes that lead to what I call IRCM (Internally referenced contextual mind) of which ADD is a subset (not as much a subset but what happens when IRCM is not in the right "social context" during development and adulthood... IRCM is so flexible that it can "cure" itself).

Some combinations of "IRCM: genes might lead to a younger appearance.

There is also "seems" to be some commonality in the eyes of ADDers, It is really hard to put my finger on because it is so subtle but... our eyes are either slightly closer together in regards to the proportions of the face...they are slightly deeper set (with a "bags" that are even noticable in children or ADDers with normal sleep patterns). The bridge of the nose seems a bit thinner as well.

I've always been very tall, so I am usually mistaken for being older than I really am.

When I was sixteen I was about 6'2" and usually passed for being 19-20.

Even now as I'm approaching my 20th birthday I look older because of my 6'5" stature. What makes the biggest difference in how old I look is whether or not my beard is grown in. I recently shaved it all off for a formal event and now people mistake me for being just a couple years older. However, when it was grown in I could easily pass for 26+.

I've always been very tall, so I am usually mistaken for being older than I really am.

When I was sixteen I was about 6'2" and usually passed for being 19-20.

Even now as I'm approaching my 20th birthday I look older because of my 6'5" stature. What makes the biggest difference in how old I look is whether or not my beard is grown in. I recently shaved it all off for a formal event and now people mistake me for being just a couple years older. However, when it was grown in I could easily pass for 26+.
Same here with a beard I look much older... about my age, without it I look younger. Probably height is a factor... I think that the younger looking thing comes in at older ages. It also seems much more pronounced in women.

I am 30 and people constantly tell me I look 20. I do wonder if this contributes to a lack of success with the ladies as well.

When i tell people my age , they usually tell me, oh my i thought you were so much younger. But i think they are only trying to make me feel good :rolleyes:

It depends on what i am wearing that day I guess. Sometimes I will go out and get carded immediatly, other times I will not get carded, maybe it depends on who I am with. I have been told I look much older and act much older. Yet, other people say the opposite. I guess it all depends on who u talk to!

It depends on what i am wearing that day I guess. Sometimes I will go out and get carded immediatly, other times I will not get carded, maybe it depends on who I am with. I have been told I look much older and act much older. Yet, other people say the opposite. I guess it all depends on who u talk to!My friend Erin is the same age as you and she has noticed as she gets older, she seems younger and when she was younger people thought she was older.

The same thing happened with me when I was in my 20's... it may really start to show when you are in your 30's or 40's... Do either of your parents look unusually young?

I've got childlike enthusiasm - I'd love to build a treehouse, but the only good trees here are in Central Park and I'd wind up arrested. However, I'm 37, and I think that as much as I smile (which is a lot), I equally have furrowed brows. Since I'm always in thought and my mind is churning, mostly about negative things, it makes me look older.

I've got childlike enthusiasm - I'd love to build a treehouse, but the only good trees here are in Central Park and I'd wind up arrested. However, I'm 37, and I think that as much as I smile (which is a lot), I equally have furrowed brows. Since I'm always in thought and my mind is churning, mostly about negative things, it makes me look older.
Building treehouses is the best!

I look about 5 years younger, feel (physically) about 10-15 years younger and act, well I guess depends on the day.
It seems the older and wiser I get, the more I can let go of the stuff that really made me take myself so seriously in the past. I have a ways to go but I do believe I will eventually come full circle…

I am 30 and people constantly tell me I look 20. I do wonder if this contributes to a lack of success with the ladies as well.
I'm 38, and people always perceive me as being around 25. Dating has become really difficult for me. I tried to go out with someone that was 40, a couple of years ago...and the cashier asked if my mother minded my buying beer.

Then there are the nice women at work, who want to set me up...and sometimes it's embarrassing when they discover I'm actually their age vs. the early twenty something they want to set me up with.

It used to bother me alot, but I've gotten better about being "self-aware" vs. "self-consious" about it. :)

I'm 38, and people always perceive me as being around 25. Dating has become really difficult for me. I tried to go out with someone that was 40, a couple of years ago...and the cashier asked if my mother minded my buying beer.

Then there are the nice women at work, who want to set me up...and sometimes it's embarrassing when they discover I'm actually their age vs. the early twenty something they want to set me up with.

It used to bother me alot, but I've gotten better about being "self-aware" vs. "self-consious" about it. :)
Heck I act young too, so I am much more popular with younger women. It doesn't bother me :) Of course if I date ADD women my age...we look well age matched, lol. (actually, they tend to look younger than me). Personally, as long as the person is an adult and we connect...it does not matter much to me.

I am 46 and have always looked younger. I can remember when I was 17 and Mom and I were looking for prom dresses. I was trying on a spagetti straped on black with blue flowers on it. I can remember the lady saying " OH, she'll out grow that babyfat when she turns 17." My momm just looked at her and said " She is 17."


When I tell people I am 46 they dont believe me so I offer to show them my an ID card and then I get "you look good for your age." I guess it runs in the genes on my moms side.

I am 46 and usually people think I'm about ten years younger- I guess that makes up for the ADHD somewhat! ;)

People tell me all the time that I look like I'm about 25!:D However, I will be 39 this year. When I was 12, people thought I was 17! Weird! :eyebrow:

Of course my hubby loves that I look younger than I am. People think he robbed the cradle! I'm only 9 years younger than him.;)

When i tell people my age , they usually tell me, oh my i thought you were so much younger. But i think they are only trying to make me feel good :rolleyes:

I can't imagine why anyone would imply this about you, because you just look the same age from the day you joined the forums. Actually, you do appear somewhat younger, now that you got rid of that facial hair (many people won't remember this because they were not signed up at that point (so please don't think that I am out to lunch) :confused:

Dig, I'd say you don't look a day over, say 7or 8?

as for me, um, not a day older then I look. and that is very, very young :eyebrow:


And chain, you look especially young, but you do need to clarify which one you are in your avatar... :p

I can't imagine why anyone would imply this about you, because you just look the same age from the day you joined the forums. Actually, you do appear somewhat younger, now that you got rid of that facial hair (many people won't remember this because they were not signed up at that point (so please don't think that I am out to lunch) :confused:

Dig, I'd say you don't look a day over, say 7or 8?

as for me, um, not a day older then I look. and that is very, very young :eyebrow:


And chain, you look especially young, but you do need to clarify which one you are in your avatar... :p You are funny :) I like you!

You are funny :) I like you!

thank you ;) chain

Today has been an especially rough one, and so I am avoiding the inevitable :faint: by viewing things from a silly perspective.

I have my moments :rolleyes:

I think it has nothing to do with AD/HD it is just where you live. For eg. my dad was born and grew up in Germany where as my mother was born and grew up in Australia, now my dad looks like he is in his late 30's but is is really 50 something where as my mum looks older then her age in Europe for eg but here she looks normal.

It is because of sun exposer, in Australia nearly everyday (unless your on holiday) is a sunny happy cloudless day, and in Queensland (where I live) we have the highst amount of skin cancer in the world. So I reckon scince I have a nice tan I will be nice and wrinkly in my old age. So will others from aussie land who spend alot of time in the sun.

P.S We have the worst drought in a 150 years gong n right now, nice and sunny here, but no water.

age is another one of those things where it'd be hard to factor in all the variables!!! genetics, sun exposure, light v. dark complexion, etc.... all these variables contribute to aging ... i don't know much about statistical analysis, but, i'd be reluctant to think any correlation can be made from such a small sample....

then add in who are you asking "how old does this person look to you?" i can't tell late teens from 20-yr-olds. they all look alike!!! maybe it's the fasion, but even in jeans and a t-shirt i wouldn't be able to tell. there are people who call *me* ma'am! i'm only 34!!! though i did get carded the other day when i was buying cigs ... you have to be 18 and they say they'll card if you look younger than 25. the guy who carded me was younger than me, i think :confused: ...

most of the time i don't think about my age much. most of the time i have to do the math when someone asks how old i am .... "hmmm, i was born in '71 and it's '05 so, i'd be..... 34!" i'm not good at math and don't remember numbers, so, all that is done out loud 'cause i don't do math in my head very well either. so, the reaction i get isn't "you look ____ for 34" i hear, "you don't remember how old you are???"

i've heard the question posed before and have wondered about it myself. but, other than broad generalizations, and lots of qualifiers, i don't think that at this point we can say "ADDers don't look their age." -- i can't anyway ... ;)

interesting,

w.

I'm 33 (34 in July) & ppl ctell me I still look like I'm in my late teens early 20's.

I'm 33 (34 in July) & ppl ctell me I still look like I'm in my late teens early 20's.
Maybe their just been nice, you never know with friends and people.

No, I do look young I just don't look that young. If I can figure out how to post a pic in my post I would. Can someone tell me how???

Go to my prfile page & see.....I would still like to post pix in my posts....still need directions....maybe I'll change my avatar...

I feel like I can act pretty immature for my age, sometimes I throw temper tantrums in my head. Other times I act my age, esp. when I'm dealing with teachers, doctors, or other parents.

As far as looks, I think I could pass for about 5 - 10 years younger than I am. I hate getting older! I see some wrinkles and gray hair, and it makes me so sad. Where did the time go? Once you have kids the time flies by.

No, I do look young I just don't look that young. If I can figure out how to post a pic in my post I would. Can someone tell me how???
It's impossible to tell from that little tiny picture, but you're very pretty, I can tell that. I can also tell I'm older than you, but that doesn't surprise me.

thank you . I told you i'm 33 But look younger.

Opps, sorry, you can tell I'm REALLY attentive to details! LOL I would have said mid-20's, but again, it was hard to tell from the teeeeeeny pic!

I am 32 and i look like i am only 21. People don't take me seriously and treat me like a child. (i have been told i do not act my age)

I don't know whether to think I was insulted or complimented last week by a woman,she said I look like i'm 14,i'm 21.:( :D

I really don't get this....
I was almost charged adult bus fare when I was 10/11 by an over zealous female driver thinking I was at least 16 (concessionary prices are for under 16s in UK)
I got into bars for over 21s when I was 17,yet people think I look younger now.

Something amazing at work there :)

Im always told I look younger than my age .... 38. Im not on meds so I really dont know if that effects anything.

There has been occasions where my 13yr old daughter & I have been together & strangers think were sisters ..... hehehehehehe .... I really think their just being polite ....... although Missy does look a lot older than her 13yrs ......

I'm 31 yrs old. (male) Most people who meet me for the first time think I am in my mid 20s.

I'm almost 21 and people underestimate my age by anything up to five years, but before I was sixteen the reverse was true. The person at the register had a go at me for not telling her, that I don't need an adult's train ticket when I was twelve, so she must have estimated me to be at least 15. Strangely enough, I started getting IDed on the door more frequently the closer I got to being 18.

As for facial features: Got the ones mentioned in this thread from my mother's side, but the traits I have that appear to resemble ADD are from my dad. Of course it is possible that there are multiple different genetic causes.

I have aged considerably since the first time i posted on this thread (05/05) :o especially since i am approaching a certain b-day---not telling :p either.

Well my kids noticed a (shock :eyebrow: )certain aged look in my eyes just today; a look that they hadn't noticed lately---bummer

I guess it's just the stress of the move and all. When the move is complete, hopefully I will go back to my very, very young appearance. um well lol

But first I'll need some extra sleep and some tlc from my new special partner :cool: Love can make me feel so young at heart... it is an ageless gift for which I am most thankful. ;)

I definately look much younger... baby face from mom :o I'm 22 and I get anywhere from 15-20 as an estimate. I'd say I look 17, and I always get carded. When I lived in Cleveland and would go to the library and sit on the machines, they would ask me if I have an internet pass (for people under 18) :mad:

Strangely, you'd think I'd have a problem with the ladies, but I have never. I think alot of it is the way you present yourself, combined with different tastes. :confused: :D

Used to bother me, but now I love it. I get better and better looking every year :eek: . I look at my 38 year old brother who still gets carded for beer and I just laugh !

haven't been carded lately :confused: but I have this detailed fantasy about that very thing, and lately this idea has been creeping into my dream state... :faint:

People tell me I look 5 years or more younger then I am. I've quite often surprised people when I tell them my age. I do feel in some ways older inside then some people my age because I've had so much happen in my life but I'll always have a young spirit. I am always looking for adventure and every now and then I have to stop and get off of the merry-go-round and run away to somewhere with lots of trees and flowers and blue skies :). I never want my hair to turn white and I want to be able to walk at least a couple of miles until my body absolutely won't let me anymore, maybe age 75-80 :), if I make it that far. I also think I look younger because I have very dark hair down to my waist. Some people think that is different but it's just me. Women want me to hack it off. Men adore it. Who do you think I listen to? :) I do have a few of those tiny little wrinkles around my eyes, but hardly noticeable. I swear by Oil of Olay. My father always looked 10 years younger then he really was. He had us fooled for years and then my mother finally spilled the beans. I think I tend to take after him. He was very active his whole life. He never stopped moving. At 77 he was hardly home. That drove my Mother crazy sometimes. I think I am like him in that way because I tend to be that way too and genetics have been good to me so far. I am always running around doing something. Anyway, this post is already way too long. Thanks for taking the time to read it. Dee

Younger!! My attitude gets carded all the time !!
Definitely younger ! :) :)
Nova

I'm topld I look a lot younger than I am. I don't think I do. But, people have always told me I look very young.


Me :D

at 51 I get people thinking I'm anywhere from 39 to 45, over the years allot of customers thought I was to young to run and opperate a company. Must be the full head of brown hair with no gray as of yet. LOL

I just turned 34, but ever since I moved to Atlanta, I've been 29 :) I pass easily for less than that, unless someone I know is around! Also, I had long, curly, red hair, and on Mother's day, I cut it all off, died it bleach blond, and keep it straight. Everyone I work with says I now look like early 20's. Yea!

I just cut mine too !! It's layered, and just up to my nape, lengthwise, so I can wing and spike it out, all over the place, just like 'me'
I just love how it looks now !! :)
But it's still red...since that's 'me' also !
Nova

I look a lot younger than my age. I get guessed on average 10 years younger, and sometimes even more. Part of it is I have a very active lifestyle, but part of it I believe is genetic.

I look about 5 years younger that's what other people say but i feel about 30 years older!

younger