Why Can't I grow up

All my life I've always been behind in maturity. Even though technically I am an adult I still think and act like a kid or maybe a teen. My Mom tries to teach me things that my mind doesn't seem to grasp. I can't cook except tv dinners. I lack responcibility. I can't talk on the phone because I have a phone phobia. Even when I try to talk on the phone I don't understand automated messages. I don't understand recipies no matter how easy they are. I don't know how to do normal tasks like driving, using a payphone, going places all alone ect.. Yet I was really good in school. So people just thought I don't try and just lazy, but I really do try. And recently I've been getting worse. I used to be ok with being away from my Mom but lately it's like I have seperation anxiety or something. I don't know. All I know is I want to grow up and get my life back. Also I'm worried that when Mom dies I won't know what to do because she is all I have. So my question is am I having trouble growing up because of my anxiety or because I'm bipolar or is it because of social phobias or what and also what can I do to get to the point where I can take care of myself? Also how can someone who was really good in school could not have any life or social skills?

[Jason Greenberg, Ph.D.]

I think you hit the nail on the head -- even though you want to grow up, you are also anxious about leaving home, particularly mom, and I think that is why you seem to have trouble with things such as recipes and going places alone.  One place to start is to ask yourself, "what am I afraid of happening if I were to: use a phone/cook for myself/go somewhere alone?

[innerchild09]

Thank you for posting. I would have wrote sooner but I've really been thinking about what you said. I think the thing that scares me is that I will fail or that I am not able to grow up for some reason. I know my phone problem is anxiety related. My Mom thinks that my problem could be that I can't learn from her because she is impatient. She wants to see about checking into a program that might be able to teach me some life skills. So I'll try to post back if anything new to report. Thanks agian for your responce.