Age regression, voluntary or involuntary, occurs when someone reverts back to a younger age both mentally and behaviorally. Commonly, many associate age regression with entering a childlike state of mind, but age regression doesn’t necessarily mean regressing to childhood.

Whether you age regress a couple decades or only a couple years, it is still age regression. Many children will experience temporary forms of regression, and it is usually normal. However, in adults, age regression is often employed as a coping mechanism in response to stress and trauma.