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Is it normal to forget your own age?

I’m still in my 20s, but as of a few years ago I started forgetting what’s my exact age. I always have to stop and recalculate it each time someone asks me. I get asked fairly infrequently, but when I do it’s a bit weird/embarrassing that I have to say “wait, let me calculate”. (I know when I was born, of course.)

It seems as if there’s no good reason I’d remember it, since it changes all the time and it is rarely mentioned in practice. But others, including people much older than myself, know their own age immediately.

I’m also terrible at remembering people’s names, I don’t know if that could be related?

GlendatheGayWitch ,

In your younger years, you have a lot more to look forward to that’s tied to your age: first decade, teen years, driving, getting a job, voting, making your own decisions, second decade, and drinking age. After that, the only things that are still age locked are at 25 when you can rent a car and your insurance goes down, the other decades, and legal age requirements for reaching certain political offices. There just isn’t much else to look forward to at a specific age, so it’s not as important for your brain to remember.

Misremembering people’s names is not related to the age. A chunk of the population is really great at remembering names and another chunk remembers faces better. I’m more of a face person, I will most likely recognize you, but might not remember your name.

Pika ,
@Pika@sh.itjust.works avatar

I’ve been forgetting my age since I was like 13 of 14, age is quite pointless in the terms of things, I consistently need to think about it when I say my age lol, it makes my coworkers give a second glance

GluWu ,

After 21, the only age milestones are reminders of how much closer to inevitable death you are. It’s good to forget.

ininewcrow ,
@ininewcrow@lemmy.ca avatar

After 40 it no longer really matters. Old people or people your age don’t like talking about our age because it reminds us that we’re at the back end of life. And young people just automatically look at us like we’re old … because we are!

Whenever someone asks me now, I just tell them I don’t know. And if they insist, I give them a number anywhere from 45 to 49. And once I reach 50, I’ll just tell people I’m old and not to bother me about it.

half_built_pyramids ,

Do you forget other stuff? Would you prefer to offload the mental effort of remembering and just calculate it when it comes up? Maybe look into ADHD.

antonim OP ,

I am somewhat forgettable in general, I guess. Or just disorganised. But I don’t think remembering such a thing is any sort of mental effort, surely people memorise it spontaneously?

Lmaydev ,

This is a wild comment. It’s incredibly common and in no way implies neuro divergency.

half_built_pyramids ,

K

Mongostein ,

I don’t forget, but in my twenties I starts doing this thing where as soon as the calendar turned over I’d start adding the next year even though my birthday isn’t until March.

RedditWanderer ,

If the question is “am I the only one who …”. The answer is always no.

otp ,

You’re right, but they did ask if it’s normal.

Something that only happens to 1 in a million people is not normal, but one of those people asking would not be the only one.

DeltaTangoLima ,
@DeltaTangoLima@reddrefuge.com avatar

Not at all unusual. The older you get, the less relevant the number is.

partyparrot ,

In this thread, people publically linking their age to their account.

FelipeFelop ,
@FelipeFelop@discuss.online avatar

Not unusual at all. Everyone I know does this. Nothing wrong with you it’s just that age (and birthdays) becomes less important. Also once past a certain age you actively want to forget that you’re old, so you need to consciously think about it.

But don’t worry, once you get into your 80s it becomes a badge of honour and the older you get the more you’ll think about it.

antonim OP ,

once you get into your 80s

Thank you for being so optimistic :)

schnurrito ,

Normal once you enter adulthood. In your childhood and teen years there are lots of things that change about your life on your birthday (drinking age, age of majority, being allowed to drive a car, etc), no longer a thing in adulthood unless you want to run for president or something like that.

Ziglin ,

The especially incompetent (like me) managed in their teens too…

papabobolious ,

I was 27 for three years

aeki ,

It’s probably normal to forget. I am probably the odd one in that I’m always very aware of my age and I’m almost 40. I’m also acutely aware of the ages of people around me, and (very mildly) uncomfortable if I don’t know someone’s age.

Lmaydev ,

That is pretty odd tbh.

aeki ,

I agree, but I think I understand why I do it.

TL:DR Maladaptive behavior that is however ultimately harmless since I don’t bother people.

I was a “gifted child”; was always like 2 school years ahead, started uni at 15 and every single person I met would praise me for being the youngest. I was immature so it got to my head. I also have always looked much younger than I am, which also invites comments. Finally, I also have AuDHD and I’m constantly anxious about not acting my age and being too immature. So I try to look at other people’s ages to guide me in how I’m supposed to behave.

All of this is maladaptive and I’ve gotten a lot better with time, and I’m still working on it, but I’m not particularly bothered about the actual fact of having an interest in people’s ages. I make sure I don’t ask them about it or bother them about it, but many just offer this information on their own.

Lmaydev ,

That explains it then. I was going to ask if something happened when you were younger to trigger it.

Mr_Dr_Oink ,

Normal.

I spend th3 first half of being 35, being 36.

Repelle ,

I was never 35. Thought I was 36 until my 36th birthday when I realized I had been wrong for the previous year.

TheChargedCreeper864 ,

Now I’m curious, what age were you before you thought you turned 36?

Repelle ,

I thought I turned 36 on my 35th birthday, so i imagine towards the end of being 34 I must have forgotten my age

MonsiuerPatEBrown ,

at some point it becomes easier to remember birth year/month and do the math than remember an age

Evil_incarnate ,

I just ask google how old I am. Maths is hard.

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