Woman has theory we have a ‘lockdown age’ which is different to how old we actually are

A woman has come up with a theory for why so many people are still feeling quite weird after the pandemic lockdowns.

In just over three months time it'll be four years since the UK first went into lockdown to limit the spread of Covid 19 and protect those most vulnerable to the lethal virus.

While time seemed to move like treacle in the days of the lockdown (at least for me, your experience may have differed) it's crazy to look back on it and think that 2020 is coming up to four years ago.

For quite a while, many of us were told to stay in our homes, were furloughed from our jobs and had to get used to wearing masks at the supermarket and being let in a few people at a time.

Strange days, certainly, but one of the impacts some people are feeling is that they simply don't feel their age because of the lockdown.

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All through our life we're growing and changing into different people, you would probably be quite embarrassed by some of your past selves and they would likely wonder how they managed to turn into you.

However, for many people the pandemic threw a wrench into all of that as their lives were put on hold for a chunk of time and they don't feel like they've aged as much as they actually have.

It's getting close to four years since that first lockdown was announced, but does it really feel like it's been that long to you?

For those who don't one half of TikToking duo @macy.and.mia has suggested a theory of 'lockdown age'.

"Ever since lockdown happened everyone should be younger than they actually are," the TikToker explained,

"I do not feel 22. I still feel about 16, 17. When it was lockdown I was 18 and I feel like I haven't aged from there.

"It just didn't feel like that time in our lives was real and then when everything's gone back to normal, I still feel like I'm too immature for my age."

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We all go through those 'holy s**t I'm an adult now' moments as we get out of our teens and realise that basically everyone in the world has no idea what they're doing and is just faking this being a grown up thing until they make it.

However, plenty agreed with the TikToker that they feel the exact same way due to 'lockdown age'.

One said they 'do feel like I lost a year' while another wrote that they 'refuse to acknowledge' how old they actually are after coming out of lockdown.

For these people in their head, they're still roughly the same age they were when they went into lockdown.

Then again, according to a 2022 study, the brains of teenagers who lived through the lockdowns showed signs of premature aging, with researchers noticing physical changes associated with 'reduced cognitive functioning'.

Researchers admitted that further research was required to understand the long-term impacts.

Living through the pandemic has certainly taken a toll on the mental health of many.

Topics: Mental Health, TikTok, Health, Coronavirus

Joe Harker

Joe graduated from the University of Salford with a degree in Journalism and worked for Reach before joining the LADbible Group. When not writing he enjoys the nerdier things in life like painting wargaming miniatures and chatting with other nerds on the internet. He's also spent a few years coaching fencing. Contact him via [email protected]

@MrJoeHarker