What Is It and How to Stop It

Regression is a psychological defense mechanism in which an individual regresses to an earlier developmental stage to cope with stressful or anxiety-provoking relationships or situations. Regression can be seen at any stage of development in both adults and children when someone behaves in a way that is immature or inappropriate for their age.

For example, an older adult who is hospitalized after being diagnosed with a medical problem may manage their condition by getting into the fetal position and holding a stuffed animal. On the other hand, a toddler whose parents just brought home a baby sibling may deal with the insecurities of not being an only child yet by reverting to behaviors like wetting the bed or sucking their thumb.

Learn the history of the concept and how regression manifests itself in children and adults. We also discuss how you can overcome regression if you use this defense mechanism in your life.

History of regression

Regression and other defense mechanisms were proposed by Sigmund Freud in the 19th century as part of his psychological theory. His ideas about defense mechanisms, including regression, were later expanded upon by his daughter Anna Freud.

Defense mechanisms are unconscious strategies used to protect the ego from stress, fear or trauma. According to Anna Freud, regression is an immature defense mechanism because the person who regresses cannot cope in a more constructive, age-appropriate way.

Determination and regression

In Freud’s conception, the defense mechanism of regression is closely linked to its stages of psychosocial development. Freud’s theory describes a number of stages that children go through from infancy through adolescence but particularly focuses on development between birth and six years of age.

Stages during this time include the oral, anal, and phallic stages, and everyone goes through them. As a result, a person may be stuck in a certain stage regardless of how much they grow out of it, which Freud called “fixing”.

Such reforms may manifest themselves in behaviors that indicate a certain phase. For example, if a person is fixed in the oral stage, they may suck on the pen when they work or smoke, eat or drink excessively. Likewise, determination at the anal stage may manifest itself in a preoccupation with keeping things clean.

For example, someone going through a tough breakup that doesn’t usually resolve at the verbal stage may suddenly find comfort in eating. In these cases, regression is based on deterministic power. If the person’s first-stage determination is relatively weak, a major push will be needed to guide them to registration. On the other hand, if the person’s determination is strong, even a minor stressor can result in regression.

Regression in children

Young children develop new skills and abilities quickly, however, regression is also a normal part of their development. In particular, it’s normal and even helpful for a child to register a little after mastering something new or adjusting to a new situation, such as attending daycare or preschool for the first time.

Regression is often a product of being overwhelmed by the new developmental milestone they have reached and the fact that it takes them out of their previously established comfort zone.

For example, a child who has recently learned to feed himself suddenly seems unable to do so and reverts to relying on his caregivers to feed him. Or on the first day a child is dropped off at preschool, they may cry and cling to their parent’s leg even though they haven’t exhibited such behavior in months.

Parents and caregivers can help their children through periods of regression by being reassuring and supportive. Regression is a way for children to express their feelings about their development, so caregivers should not ignore their behavior. However, they should set boundaries by suggesting alternative ways of coping.

For example, if every time a child is dropped off at school, a caregiver reminds him of the last fun he went to and assures him that they will be there to pick him up when the school day ends.

Although menstruation is normal and usually short throughout childhood, if it lasts longer than a few weeks, it may be cause for concern. If a single instance of regression continues beyond two to three weeks, it may be worth checking with the child’s doctor to make sure there is nothing else going on that is holding back their developmental progress.

Regression in adults

Like children, adults sometimes act out, often as a temporary response to a traumatic or anxiety-provoking situation. For example, a person stuck in traffic may experience road rage, the kind of jitters they never experience in their daily lives but helps them cope with the stress of driving.

Similarly, a college freshman about to take his first test may video chat with his best friend all night long like he did in high school to calm his nerves. In these instances, the individual is stressing at a stage in their development when they feel safer and more secure, or when a caregiver can protect them from their insecurities.

Studies show that regression is usually less common in adolescence. A longitudinal study with European Americans showed that between adolescence and age 65, the use of regression defense mechanisms decreased. After 65, however, regression increased, which the researchers attributed to the challenges of maintaining adaptive coping strategies in older adulthood.

Similarly, a cross-sectional study comparing predominantly white adults with a mean age of approximately 20 years and older, predominantly white adults aged approximately 71 years, found that younger adults used more regression than older adults. The researchers hypothesized that this difference may be the result of immature regressive behaviors being more acceptable to younger adults while being seen as offensive and pathological in older adults.

How to overcome regression

Although regression is often a temporary response to stress that does not lead to major problems, in many cases the individual may not be aware that their behavior is regressive, even though the instability of their actions may be quite obvious to an outside observer.

Often telling an adult that their behavior is inappropriate, childish, or age-inappropriate will enable them to recognize what they are doing and determine how to respond to what is causing them distress in a more productive way.

Relapses can also be a sign of larger physical or psychological problems such as catatonia, delirium, psychotic disorders, major depressive disorder, borderline personality disorder, dissociative disorders, dementia, or substance abuse disorders.

If there is concern that a person’s regression is a sign of a larger problem, a medical doctor or mental health professional should be consulted. They will diagnose the problem and work with the patient or their loved ones to come up with a plan to manage it. Regression is a symptom of these problems, so the goal would be to treat the underlying disorder, naturally reducing the individual’s exposure or even completely overcoming the regression.