When I was about 12 and searching the local paper to learn local rent costs. I was looking with the plan that I would move out at 16 and take my sister with me so we could escape the abuse we were suffering from our mom.
Probably it was the first time as a young adult that I found myself out of money and realized no one was going to give me any more. It's kind of a jarring experience the first time you realize you have $50 left in your account, you don't get paid again for another week, and mom and dad can't help you.
I'm honestly glad it happen to me sooner than later, because it taught me a lot about how to be resourceful, how to budget more carefully, and that as a grown adult I should really be able to handle these things on my own.
In university when I observed others having an easier time due to talent, connections, or wealth.
It always was for me, the moment I realized was maybe the first move we had where we got rid of 90% of stuff we owned so it could all fit in the car.
Made an escalating series of mistakes during a single year in my early 30s, leading to a mental breakdown. That was 5 years ago, I still have trouble letting go of what could have been
At various points in my life, my understanding of that grew and grew. I'm sure there will be a point soon where I fear my future twice as much as I do now.
For me it was the opposite. It was when I dropped out of school failing a four year bachelor and started work in a factory. It really got bad after a couple years, when I just couldn't take the braindead work and the horrible company culture anymore. Got my trucking license, but after a couple years of that, I got the same loathing for the job and the culture. Now I'm back in a bachelor, hoping for a better workfield. But we'll see how long that will last.
When I started school, it was like I had a target printed in my forehead. Kids were relentless, even when I changed schools. And I was/am fat and ugly, which means people saw the treatment as justified so there was no pity.
When I realized that a lot of people will be difficult, and add trauma to your life, for no gain to themselves. I was like 9 years old. I'm 48 now, and still, fuck those people.
My mother scream crying in front of all of us during dinner when she received another rejection from her latest job interview. We were having baked potatoes. Which was a special treat to us as kids, but years later she told me it was what we ate when she couldn't afford to put a full meal on the table.
this experience started my understanding that the people in charge are no different than you or I and will do anything to protect themselves and their power at all costs sometimes and doing so will usually work for them.
Probably when my dad died and my mom (understandably) fell apart.
I will say though - it has gotten better. Much better. I would not call my life difficult now. Only took half a century!