Have you ever seen a grown-up guy acting like a child? This is because they practice age regression. It is sometimes used in psychology and hypnotherapy. Age regression is one of the defense mechanisms to reduce stress and depression. It involves a shift in psychological functioning where a person’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviors become aligned with a previous developmental stage. Age regression can occur consciously or unconsciously, and it’s often linked to stress, trauma, or a desire for comfort and safety. In this blog, we will see the complexities of age regression, its causes, symptoms, and how to deal with it.
What is Age Regression?
Regression is a characteristic of normal childhood and can be brought on by stress, frustration, or a traumatic event. According to Sigmund Freud, regression is an unconscious defense mechanism that causes the ego to temporarily or permanently revert to an earlier stage of development (instead of handling unacceptable impulses in a more adult manner). Children typically exhibit regressive behavior to communicate their distress, and the regressive behavior is typically corrected by attending to the underlying needs of the child. This is how age regression works.
Some psychologists, however, believe that age regression can be utilized to assist individuals in reaching a therapeutic objective, such as helping a patient remember traumatic or painful experiences so that the therapist can help the patient recover from such experiences.
Because of these different perspectives of psychiatrists related to age regression, types of age regression exist.
Types of Age Regression
Age regression can be split up into two types. One is voluntary age regression and the other is involuntary age regression.
Voluntary Age Regression
Voluntary age regression is an intentional choice to adopt behaviors, emotions, or thought patterns of a younger age. It is psychological age regression, typically initiated by a hypnotic therapist in a controlled setting but can also be carried out at home. Hypnotically induced regression allows our minds to travel back in time, accessing different memories, some of which may be cherished childhood memories or repressed memories.
Involuntary Age Regression
Involuntary age regression in mental health occurs when stress, trauma, or psychological triggers cause a person’s thoughts, emotions, or behaviors to align with a younger age. This can be triggered by any number of stress-inducing factors, and the person experiencing it will typically experience a lack of control over their feelings.
Age Regression Symptoms
The signs of age regression are unique to each individual and the situation that created them. Signs of age regression in adults include crying, whining, hushed conversation, wanting a comfort item, and lying in a fetal position. Symptoms for children include rocking, sucking on objects or a thumb, and lack of communication. Other signs are masturbation and incontinence, bedwetting, tantrums, verbal abuse, and violence (e.g., striking, biting, scratching). Many of these habits, such as rocking or requiring a comfort object, are strategies for young to soothe themselves when unhappy or how youngsters react when terrified or angry.
Causes and Triggers for Age Regression
Whether voluntary or involuntary, both types of depression can be caused by psychological and emotional factors. Some factors can cause age regression in people, including stress or trauma, referred to as involuntary age regression PTSD. Stressors and traumatic events can result in age regression’s scoping mechanism. People may experience age regression to feel a sense of security and comfort same as in childhood. Another reason, one might use it as a self-help tool to avoid everything going around them.
Age regression can also be a symptom of one of these mental health disorders. These disorders include obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Age Regression Treatment
Age regression copy mechanisms are many, but they sometimes also act as a coping technique. So, if it goes out of control, only then should one look for treatment. Sometimes, a woman’s age regression can be treated with psychotherapy. Other treatments for age regression include psychiatric medication management, parent education, and therapy.
In psychotherapy, psychiatrists help people in managing their traumatic events and manage their symptoms. In parent education, parents or the caregiver need to provide reassurance so that the child or the person feels safe and comfortable being himself.
Is Age Regression a Disorder?
No, age regression is not a disorder. Involuntary age regression can be a cause of other mental health disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, it is not a mental health condition.
Best Place For Medical Help
If you ever need expert advice for mental health conditions related to age regression or any other mental health situation, Inland Empire Behavioral Group is the place to contact. At Inland Empire Behavioral Group, we offer telehealth and evidence-based solutions for all mental health conditions. Get in touch with us now and receive the care you deserve.
Conclusion
Age regression, or acting younger than one’s age, can occur either voluntarily or involuntarily. Involuntary regression is a normal and transient tendency for youngsters as they grow and develop. Some scientists, neurologists, psychiatrists, and psychologists hold opposing views on psychological explanations of adult age regression. They propose some plausible causes, including a stress coping mechanism, behavior associated with specific physical or mental health disorders, and a state that is occasionally encouraged in particular psychotherapies.
