Photo: "Normal People"

There are people who, when you meet them, you never realize how old they really are. They talk differently, they act differently, they seem like they've lived life twice as long as their peers. The truth is that some people are forced to grow up faster than they should, not by choice, but because life hasn't left them many options.

But how do you know when someone has grown up prematurely? Here are some signs that speak for themselves:

1. They always act like adults.

If you always see them as serious, cold, or even a little tough for their age, there's a reason. They're used to carrying burdens. They don't know how to relax, because for them, rest is a luxury, not a necessity. They're 20-year-olds who act like parents with 4 kids and 3 loans.

2. They take on the role of caregiver without being asked.

When they are around children, they instinctively become "parents." Even if they have never been children themselves. They are the ones who feel responsible for everything and everyone, even when no one asks them to. Not because they want to, but because they have been taught that love is earned by taking care of others.

3. They have difficulty setting boundaries.

They are afraid to say "no" because they are used to being "good kids", not being annoying, doing everything to be accepted. They are people who often find themselves in relationships where they give too much and get too little. And this tires them endlessly.

4. They know things they shouldn't know.

A 14-year-old child who talks about taxes, mortgages, or their parents' problems has seen a lot. And not because they wanted to. In many cases, they have grown up in environments where there were no emotional boundaries and have been exposed to truths that are not for the faint of heart.

5. They are always anxious.

They look like they're ready to explode or escape from something. The trauma they've been through has made them very alert. They're always ready to face the worst. Because they've experienced the worst early on.

6. They are perfectionists 

They are the ones who always strive to be the best. Not out of pride, but out of fear of failure. Their parents have raised them with the idea that their worth depends on their achievements. So they work, study, sacrifice, even when they are at their limits.

7. They don't like change.

For people who grew up controlling everything they could, innovation is stressful. They don't want to experiment. They're not spontaneous. They're tired of chaos and can't tolerate uncertainty.

8. They are stronger than they look.

If someone has grown up prematurely, they have developed a kind of strength that is not learned over the years and comes from survival. They are the ones who fall and get up, again and again. Even though they are often fragile inside, they have learned to hold themselves together.

9. They have no patience for immature behavior.

People who have been forced to grow up quickly have no patience for "drama", games, naivety. They are realistic, sometimes cynical. They often judge others who have had it easier because deep down, they are hurt that they themselves have never known the luxury of being a "child".

10. They don't understand children who act like children.

When you see someone who doesn't understand why children play with toys, why teenagers rebel, or why people laugh in vain, you have before you a person who has never had the opportunity to be a child. For them, childhood is not natural, it is an abstract concept.

^{Source: Your Tango}