Though not recognized as an actual disease or psychological disorder by the World Health Organization, Peter Pan Syndrome (also known as the Peter Pan complex) describes a person that fails to grow up mentally. Sufferers are typically male and demonstrate immature behaviors on a regular basis. They tend to lack the emotional maturity to handle adult situations and as a result, act out in inappropriate ways.
Causes
Real people suffer from this syndrome largely due to a sheltered or traumatic upbringing. These individuals act much younger than they are, participate in foolish or adolescent behavior and even dress too young for their age, long past their 30s and into the rest of adulthood. Parents who are overprotective could create children that grow up to have this syndrome because they never develop the tools needed to deal with life as an adult.
Symptoms
Though Peter Pan Syndrome affects men and women, it's more prevalent in men. It is characterized by a lack of personal responsibility in all areas, an inability to keep promises or commitments, narcissism and vanity and extreme self-esteem issues. Sufferers may appear cocky like a stuck up teenager, but inside, they are usually injured emotionally and doubt themselves often.
Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson was probably one of the most famous sufferers of Peter Pan Syndrome. He even admitted that he wanted to be like Peter Pan because he stayed young forever. Jackson grew up in the spotlight and was denied a normal childhood. In an effort to make up for this, he lived on a ranch called Neverland and acted like a kid most of the time. However, his continuous desire to be around kids (because he supposedly felt like one himself) led to speculation and allegations regarding child abuse.
Britney Spears
Another person thought to have Peter Pan Syndrome is Britney Spears. She also grew up in the public eye and didn't experience a normal childhood. Once she reached adulthood, she'd known a life only of no responsibility. Then, she had children and seemingly the world fell down around her. The infamous head shaving incident was just one in a long line of issues for the singer. With attentive care, however, as of 2011, she seems to be doing much better in terms of coping with life's challenges.
Danny Bonaduce
Danny Bonaduce was a child star on the popular TV show, The Partridge Family in the 1960's. He was the outspoken, lovable child on the show, but once he grew up, his antics were no longer so cute. Everything from drug and alcohol abuse to domestic disturbances has plagued his life since then. He has failed to take responsibility for his actions much of the time and even though he exudes a cocky attitude, he likely suffers from severely low self-confidence.
Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan was also a child star—a common theme among famous Peter Pan Syndrome sufferers. She's just emerged into adulthood recently but it's generally difficult to tell considering the great number of stunts she's pulled. She's been in and out of rehab for drug and alcohol abuse. She's been arrested for DUI, gone to jail and even was accused of stealing jewelry. There's seemingly no end in sight for her hard partying and continual run-ins with the law.
All of these celebrities exhibit or exhibited clear signs of Peter Pan Syndrome. For the most part, it seems to be rooted in an abnormal upbringing that did not prepare them for the standard demands and responsibilities of life. Only they know that for sure, but one thing is for certain: this condition is not attractive and results in irresponsible, unappealing behavior fit only for children.
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