Peter Pan Syndrome: People Who Never Grow Up

It is not surprising that a man like JM Barrie , whose rule of thumb was “when you are two years old, it marks the beginning of the end”, puts the words “oh, why can you not be like that forever ?!” in the mouth of one of his characters (Mrs. Darling).

Interestingly, there may well be people who “stay that way forever,” and they suffer from something known as Peter Pan Syndrome.

However, it is complicated. In fact, people who decide not to mature, or at least try not to, end up getting sick. This actually has a name: Peter Pan Syndrome. But it is not as pleasant as it may seem at first glance. Let’s check it out.

What is Peter Pan Syndrome?

An adult behaving like a child is fun for a little while.  However, one can get tired of it. It’s not just that we have to put up with their jokes. A person with Peter Pan syndrome does not want to grow up and mature, and they never get past the egocentric, narcissistic, immature phase of childhood.

But there is more. These people are trying to avoid responsibility. They also fear commitment like the plague. They misunderstand freedom and think that everything that involves responsibility or obligation goes against it.

This type of person is starting to spread in today’s world. Advertising praises eternal youth and hedonism, job opportunities are scarce, and people are financially dependent on their parents for longer. Thus more Peter Pan syndrome. Interestingly, more men than women suffer from it.

How can I identify someone with Peter Pan Syndrome?

Let’s take a look at aspects that may indicate a potential Peter Pan.

Fear of commitment

As mentioned above, this type of person has a terrible fear of commitment. However, this does not necessarily mean that they do not want a relationship. It is entirely possible for them to be in a relationship, but there will come a time when they do not want it to go any further.

This fear of commitment means that they will avoid marriage, buying a house together, or getting involved in other things that will strengthen the relationship, but take away their “freedom”.

They are manipulators

At first , this type of person seems very charming. But beneath the outward-facing facade of fun and intelligence, there is a manipulative person with a great fear of change.

It is not uncommon to hear a person with Peter Pan syndrome say things like “I’m just not a workaholic,” and in this way they are trying to justify their inability to keep a job or be promoted.

They are caring… towards themselves

This is something else that these Peter Pan people tend to do. It’s true, they are caring people, but usually only towards themselves. Let’s say they give someone a gift. It will be something they themselves like and can benefit from.

The gift will probably not be something that the recipient himself cares about. This is often a ploy so the gift will end up in the giver’s hands again so they can enjoy it.

They are weak…

Another characteristic of these people is that  they are usually very weak. They are attached to their possessions for a little while, and when they find something better, they throw the first one and get hooked on the new one.

For example, one day they may show up with a sports car that they dreamed of when they were children. But the next day, they could simply replace it with a motorcycle that “accidentally” was also a childhood dream  they had.

Do you know anyone with Peter Pan syndrome? The truth is that they are not hard to find. In that case, a little professional psychological help would not  be a bad idea.