Psychotherapy Speak: What is Regression? A Definition
Regression is one of those words you may have heard other people use and not been entirely sure what they meant. It is a word used in psychotherapy and psychology to describe a behavior that a person might exhibit as a defense mechanism. In other words, it’s a behavior people use unconsciously (unknown to them) to protect themselves from a situation or a feeling that is overwhelming, scary, or difficult to handle. Regression defined is when a person reverts back to an earlier stage of development when they are under stress. So for example, a toddler who can walk may begin crawling again or sucking their thumb even though they have given up both of those behaviors, when a sibling is born. The birth of the sibling may cause them to feel stressed and they may unconsciously engage in these behaviors to get attention or feel taken care of by their parent.
Something to keep in mind is that most of us at one time or another have regressed. Just because you use one or more defense mechanisms doesn’t mean something is wrong with you. Understanding these concepts is a way to understand why and how you behave certain ways. Knowing and understanding why you engage in certain behaviors can be the first step towards changing them. Hopefully once you understand your behavior you can begin to make adjustments and improve your life in ways that are helpful to you.
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