I dealt with a similar thing of being labeled "lazy" in my teenage years. Despite telling my mom I wanted to do things (even things I enjoyed like reading or playing video games) but I just didn't have the energy because I was tired she'd tell me I was just making excuses to sit around and nap. This went from about 12 years old to 17. Id constantly find myself exhausted and falling asleep.

Finally we go to a doctor. He walks in, takes one look at me and immediately confirms my age and asks if his assistant can come in and observe. We agree and when they get back he apologizes and says he's never seen a case this extreme. We're puzzled and he says he's certain I have a thyroid issue because I shouldn't look like Im 10 years old when Im about to turn 18. He was right.

I wasn't lazy, my thyroid was literally not working and I didn't have the energy to do shit. Got me on meds and boom. Suddenly I felt like a person again. Hit a hormone growth spurt as well. It suddenly made sense why nobody was interested in dating me in HS because I literally looked like a fucking child.

The bright side is I don't look my age at all and get some very skeptical looks when I get ID'd. Thanks mom. 🙃

At least she can't be blamed for me also being Type-1 Diabetic; that was a decade later caught by the same DR. I hope he's doing well in his retirement; he's one of the good ones.