Developing emotions in late teens?

As a child I was badly abused and bullied, and I had no emotion at all. Three years ago, my youngest brother was born, and something inside me just clicked as he was the first person to ever show me love. I got slight emotion there, and since starting uni last year I've developed a LOT of emotion, and become a very thoughtful person, due to my friends.
I'm also unbelievably happy, carefree, and positive.

Did you have a trauma in your childhood that might have stopped your ability to feel as I did, and has anything triggered your emotions to develop now?

it was a toss between here and the HR forum, however i think id get a much more knowledgable response from here

anyways most of my life ive had very little emotions, by which i mean i was just cold. however since about christmas this year ive been getting very emotional. even just thinking about the smallest thing can as of a couple of weeks ago, make me cry! this is 100% not like me at all.

i think im getting a crash course in emotions which has built up over 19 years.

just some info on this would be great, like is it normal, is there any reason for it, and am i heading for a pitfall mostely.

actually yes, my dad was quite violent, and we all feared him. then he left, mum started seeing an alcoholic which resulted in me moving out when i found out from a friend that she had married him secretely. since then ive lived with my grand parents, and just lately theres been a rather embarassing thing going on involving the law etc. which im not going to go into. o ye ive always hung around with people older than me and during year 5 to 9 i was in a way bullied a bit. but they are now some of my closest friends if im honest. from years 8 till 10 just after my dad moved away, like where id only see him 4 times a year, i was very depressed and never went to school. i think i had less than 40% attendance and so had a welfare officer check up on me and stuff.

but tbh none of it ever bothered me, i mean it didnt mean a thing. which i guess was kinda strange.

thank god im on the only one whose going through this wierd emotional development

I can't give a knowledgeable respone lol but are you under any kind of stress? May even be without realising it. I think its just your age leaving school and college affects everyone differently. After 16/18 years of the same routine everyday (going to school, college etc) and being taken care of to suddenly having lots of freedom, being able to do what you want but having to find a career its hard. Some people find it a lot harder than others and its going to have an affect on you. Also you are maturing as well it could be hormones etc.

When I was 19 I suddely started having intense emotions like panic attacks and was over caring with animals, like Id rescue a drowning fly from the dog bowl no lie! I still do. I assumed that I was maturing but mature people don't do that lol. I think its just temporary and once I get into a secure routine I'l probably be ok. It might be the same with you.

Sorry I know I sound dumb but its just what I think.

All of this might've been in the subconscious then; and it's possible that it's these events which stopped your emotions. They might not have appeared to bother you, because your coping mechanism was to stop all feeling, and it appears to have worked until now, where you're probably recovering from it all. Definitely nothing to worry about though!

if anything i think im having less stress atm. im very strong minded and can think for myself, im not dependant on anyone or anything. i was brought up with a 'let them do what they want' kind of laid back attitude. but i really couldnt say whether what youve said is true or false. i have no way of konwing.