That kind of opportunistic attitude is very profitable in your 20s. When your peers are all clueless and try to be someone they are not. Most of us do like to be idealized to some degree, but not to the degree of being denied as a fully human. Most of us have desires to be loved and cared for, which is obviously impossible when our normal fear and weakness are shamed not to exist. They don't see them seek help so much in their 20s. Especially many of them take good care of their appearances and use it for personal gain, and it works. Soon, the healthy ones will see the pattern and leave, whether it's romantic partners or friends. Leaving the disordered ones pairing with other disordered. After middle age, they don't seek help to make a change for themselves. They seek help because whatever they did that used to be working, is no longer working, leaving them isolated and unprofitable. And they need help to build the defenses back up.