About Age Reg

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Hallo and welcome! I am Moomi, an artist who experiences emotional regression and uses art to heal and escape from the harder parts of life. Please read through if you have any questions, and have a magical day!

About Age Regression

There are varying uses of the term "age regression" online, ranging from colloquial to medical. Most frequently, a colloquial approach is taken on Instagram and other social media platforms. Age regression, often abbreviated to "agere" is defined as:"A coping mechanism in which a person reverts to a younger state of mind."And while this is not incorrect, it is frequently inaccurate, as it fails to capture the wide range of experiences held by regressors. For example, some members of the online agere community may enjoy playing with plushies, and colouring in to destress and call this age regression. Whilst others have complex mental conditions which trigger regressive episodes that cause breakdowns, incontenance and disassociation. So what is the difference? How can we distinguish between these different experiences?

Behavioural, Emotional and Cognitive Regression

These are some of the ways in which we can describe regression.Behavioural regression describes when a person acts out behaviours typically associated with a younger age group. For example, thumb-sucking or playing pretend.Emotional regression describes when a person has an emotional response to internal or external stimuli which is typically associated with a younger age group. For example, tantrums, crying, meltdowns, or the inability to articulate one's feelings. This type of regression can be a symptom of PTSD, BPD, and other mental health conditions. It is a defense mechanism, rather than a coping mechanism.Cognitive regression refers to when a person's mental processing capacity has reverted to that of a younger age group, or previous stage in their development. For example, loss of memory or loss of ability to communicate. This type of regression may be caused by dementia or brain injury but is not limited to these conditions.

Coping Mechanism or Defence Mechanism?

A defence mechanism is most commonly characterised as being an "involuntary response to external or internal factors." Whereas a coping mechanism is a "conscious and purposeful process".So by these definitions, age regression can be described as either depending on the individual and thier experience. For example, behavioural regression, when unaccompanied by emotional or cognitive regression, is a coping mechanism. Some regressors choose to engage in behaviours typically associated with a younger age group, like sucking their thumb or on pacifier, or playing with toys in order to alleviate feelings of anxiety, depression, stress, or any other unpleasant emotion.Alternatively, some regressors experience emotional regression as a symptom of a mental health condition. When the brain cannot process a traumatic experience, it shuts down in order to protect itself, which could result in amnesia, disassociation, or regression for example. These are all defence mechanisms which the brain employs. During emotional regression, the brain processes stimuli at a limited level and responds at a capacity which would be associated with an age bracket younger than the person experiencing the episode.

Voluntary and Involuntary Regression

There is some misconception about these two terms. Many people conflate involuntary regression with negative or "impure" regression. And although involuntary regression is frequently triggered by negative triggers, it is important to understand what each descriptor means in order to be accurate about our experiences, and respectful of others.Involuntary means: "done without will or conscious control" [Oxford Languages]Involuntary regression is regression which you cannot control or choose to do. And voluntary regression is when you choose to regress. But involuntary ≠ bad, "impure", or negative and voluntary ≠ good, positive, or pure.A person may choose to negatively trigger their regression with something that upsets them because they are only able to allow themself to feel the full extent of their emotions when regressed because their adult brain has trained itself to bottle things up and not to feel. This would be an example of negatively triggered voluntary regression.Alternatively, someone may receive a present for their birthday that they never got as a child, which causes them to cry happy tears and regress. They did not choose this response, therefore it is an example of positively triggered involuntary regression.Furthermore, I would really like it if we could retire the term "impure" regression. As a CSA survivor, the word "impure" makes me feel as though I am tainted in some way. Purity labels reinforce the stigma around S/A and are overall inaccurate and insensitive. Instead, language like "negatively triggered regression" to describe a regressive episode that is a result of trauma and flashbacks is far more comfortable to me and many others.