TIme to mature - Emotionally

What is emotional maturity and why is it so important for well-being?

1. They can function while having deep emotional attachments - smoothly incorporating both in daily life.
2. They pursue what they want without exploiting or hurting others.
3. They have differentiated from their original family relationships to create a life of their own.
4. They have a well developed sense of self/identity and treasure close relationships.
5. Honest and comfortable about their own feelings
6. Well developed empathy, impulse control and emotional intelligence. 
7. Interested in other peoples inner lives.
8. When problems arise they deal with others directly to smooth out the issues.
9. Cope with stress in a realistic, forward looking way.
10. Enjoy being objective and know themselves well enough to admit and work on weaknesses. 

1. Rigid and single minded - They are rigid or impulsive and cope with reality by narrowing down to something manageable. Once they form an opinion their minds are closed, there is one right answer. Very black and white in thinking.
2. Low stress tolerance - Instead of assessing the situation and anticipating the future they use coping mechanisms  that deny, distort, or replace reality (Vaillant, 2000). This can take the form of alcohol and drugs.  They have trouble owning mistakes and look to blame others. Regulating emotions is difficult , and it's hard for them to calm down. They expect others to soothe them by doing what they want.
3. Do what feels best - As we mature we learn that what feels good isn't always the best thing to do. This childhood instinct in emotionally immature people doesn't change (Bowen 1978)
4. They are subjective, not objective - what is true doesn't really matter nearly as much as what feels true. Facts, logic, and history don't hold sway with emotionally immature people. 
5. Have little respect for differences - they get annoyed by other people's differing thoughts and opinions. They think everyone should see things their way. They are more comfortable in role-defined relationships where everyone holds the same beliefs.
6. Egocentric - They are self preoccupied and self involved.  Unlike children they are self- preoccupied in an obsessed way, not with the innocence and joy of a child. They keep defences up so others can't get close enough to destabilise their shaky sense of self worth.
7. Self-Referential, Not self reflective - Their focus on themselves isn't about gaining insight of self understanding, it's about being the center of attention. A healthy extrovert craves interaction, not just an audience, they are interested and receptive when others participate. An extrovert who is emotionally immature will shut everyone else down to talk and hold center stage.
8. Inconsistent and contradictory - They don't have a well-integrated sense of who they are, and are more like a mosaic of various borrowed parts that don't fit together. This can be due to not being able to express and integrate emotional experiences as they grow. Their personalities are weakly structured and flip between different emotions and behaviours. 
9. Fear feelings - most genuine emotion makes them feel exposed and nervous. For most of their life energy has been used to create screens protecting them from emotional vulnerability with others. 
10. Focus on Physical instead of emotional - Emotionally immature parents will focus on the physical needs of the child over the emotional needs. Unfortunately this perpetuates the cycle. 
11. They can be kill joy's
12. Don't experience mixed emotions - having mixed emotions helps deal with the complexities of life. Emotionally immature people tend to be black and white with no gray.