Recently, a special court in Mumbai?granted bail to a 23-year-old?accused of sexually assaulting a minor who was 14 years old and romantically involved with the man.? But why did the court do so??
During the hearing, the accused mentioned to the court how he had 'Peter Pan Syndrome.' When the public prosecutor asked for a medical examination, there was no sign of abnormality nor could the accused prove his condition.?
But What Is Peter Pan Syndrome???
For everyone who has ever read the book on Peter Pan would know how this fictional character who never grows up roamed around carefree in life. The life of this character has been adapted by numerous films, television series and comics.?
But imagine being like this fictional character. Harvesting symptoms of being totally carefree and not thinking about your responsibilities even when you're an adult.?Adults living a carefree life, and those who find responsibilities challenging in adulthood who also “never grow up” suffer from Peter Pan Syndrome.?
According to Ritika Aggarwal, Consultant Psychologist, Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre, "It is used to describe any adult male or female, who are not socially mature. While it can affect anyone without regard of gender, race, culture, but it is more common among males."
This syndrome is not recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and it bears no mention in the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD 11) which is the global standard for diagnostic health information. However, many experts believe that it is a mental health condition that can affect one’s quality of life.?
The term was first coined in 1983, in a book authored by Dr Dan Kiley titled ‘Peter Pan Syndrome: Men Who Have Never Grown Up’.?
What Are The Symptoms Of Peter Pan Syndrome?
Since?Peter Pan Syndrome hasn’t officially been diagnosed as a health disorder, there aren’t clearly-defined symptoms or characteristics or even reasons which cause it.??
However, Aggarwal had stated some characteristics and symptoms that people with the syndrome may exhibit.?
A person will act childish. They would avoid responsibilities. They will not be able to deal with stressful situations. They blame others for their situations. They find excuses to get out of a situation. They expect other people to look after them.?
However, she also mentioned that these symptoms could be due to underlying psychological conditions as well.?
How To Treat This Syndrome??
Since it is not classified as a mental disorder, there is no treatment as such. However, therapy can be an option that may help. "How to best help them will be based on a more symptomatic approach rather than a generalized symptom-based approach."