so i guess the main question is is it possible to age regress without being aware of it and in order to be regressed do you have to act exactly as you did at [x] age or can you just act as a member of [x] age/age-group typically would and also what the hell is it exactly i am... so confused.
As far as I know, "mental age" is a cultural construct that over-simplifies actual impairments and is more useful to infantilize disabled people than it is to describe/diagnose disabilities. I know skill loss is supposedly a thing with some developmental disorders, but googling "age regression" just turns up ageplay stuff. :/ In what context did you hear this term?
i heard it used as in "during times of extreme stress (ptsd flashbacks, panic attacks, etc) you may start acting like the age you were when you experienced the trauma, including hallucinating being in the location or hallucinating the event happening again" but i've also heard it in the context of you just act a certain age when you're anxious because of the same reasons
I... guess this applies to me? though the age range was "since I can remember to 19" so it's more reverting to habits/behaviors I had for mitigating the stress than acting like whatever age.
On particularly stressful tests, I've been known to write down my class as one I was in anywhere from the year before to about 5 years ago.
I've only seen it in the context of ageplay stuff, but I know I kinda... drop into a very childish mindset when I'm stressed and find it harder to do Adult Things because my brain is like, "We are a small child now sorry bye." Which is stressful if I'm alone when that happens nwn;;
this happens to me in moments of extreme panic, prolonged stress, or repetitive experiences that start edging on traumatic the longer they keep happening.
