Age Regression
| Synonyms: | |
| See also: | De-Aging, Ageplay, crayonfic, Littles are Known AU, Classification AU |
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Age regression is a psychological phenomenon of reverting to the mental, emotional and/or behavioral state of a younger individual, usually a child. It is often a coping mechanism for stress and trauma, and is sometimes involuntary, and in rare occasions a permanent state of mind. It is a symptom of various mental disabilities.
Regressors sometimes have caregivers that look after them while they regress. if a little does not have the mental/emotional capacity of someone over the age of consent, regardless of their body, they cannot consent. Age regression is very different to age play. It is not a kink; referring to it as such or crosstagging age play terms often harms those involved.
If you are looking for a character being aged down physically see De-Aging; if you are looking for age roleplay that is usually (but not always) sexual in nature see Ageplay.
Terms used in Age regression
- Agere, a shortened version of "age regression"
- Agedre, short for age dreamer, someone behaving like a child in a non-kink way but is not in the headspace of one.
- Age Shifter, someone who's little age shifts or changes, they may always be regressed but find their age changes day to day.
- Age Thoughts, someone in a headspace but is not acting like they are, expressing it, or doing activities
- Babysitter, a caregiver who does temporary care
- Baby, in the context of age regression is someone who regresses/is regressed to the headspace of a baby, sometimes used to refer to any age 0-3
- Baby space, the headspace one is in when regressing as a baby.
- Big, someone who is not a little or middle, or is not currently in a younger headspace
- Big age, the age a regressor is chronologically.
- Big space, the state of not being regressed or in an adult headspace.
- Caregiver or "CG", a person who takes care of one or more age regressors. outside of regression, they may be the partner, friend, family, etc of the regressor. often a caregiver is given an affectionate title such as dada/daddy/papa, mama/mummy/momma, baba, auntie, uncle, big bro/sis/sib and more. the term is also used by members of plural systems/collectives who care for littles in their system, or those within their system. Caregiving can also be a coping mechanism.
- CGL/CGLRE standing for care giver little or care giver little regression. CGL was adopted by age players as a gender neutral alternative to ddlg/ddlb/mdlb/mdlg, so CGLRE is used more frequently to avoid that.
- Flip - one who regresses as well as acts as a caregiver/babysitter.
- Involuntary/Voluntary regression, regression done by choice is voluntary, and regression done without choice is involuntary. Regressors are often capable of both
- Impure/pure regression, sometimes used in place of involuntary/voluntary regression, but distinct. "pure" regression is defined by a positive headspace, usually voluntary and comforting in nature. "impure" regression is defined by a negative headspace, almost always involuntary, often done when exposed to stress and/or triggers. "impure" may also be used in the context of hypersexual regressors who are still hypersexual when regressed. this is still seperate from ageplay as hypersexuality is a symptom of many disorders, not a kink or orientation. "Impure" regression may alternatively be called Vent Regression.
- Little, a regressor who regresses to a child. Little/Big is also used to distinguish if someone is regressed eg; "are you little?" or "how small are you?" it is also used by those in age play, and by members of plural systems/collectives who are children or present as such.
- Little age, the age or age range someone is when little
- Little Gear, Items that help a little slip or stay little and for comfort and necessity, such as pacifiers, bottles, toys, diapers and pull-ups.
- Little space, the headspace one is in when little. Used in Ageplay communities as well. Alternative terms include age regressed, regressing, kid space, and being 'small'.
- Little Speak, a type of speaking used by a little to help them feel younger or because they lose articulation and/or vocabulary when little. It can involve stuttering, lisps, shortened words, babbles, higher pitch and a lower or higher volume.
- Middle, a regressor who regresses to pre-teen or teen ages. May include headspace ages 10-19 but many make this range smaller on either end.
- Middle space, the headspace one is in when regressing as a middle.
- Nonverbal regressor, someone who loses the ability to speak when regressed
- Partially nonverbal regressor: someone that sometimes loses the ability to speak while regressed, or that has some speaking difficulty when regressed but is not incapable of it. Also called a semi-verbal regressor.
- Partial Regression/Half Regression, when one only partially regresses. often a midway point to regressing fully, and/or when someone doesn't feel safe regressing fully as half regression is easier to get out of.
- Permaregressor, someone permanently little, middle, toddler, baby or pet usually due to trauma
- Pet regression, when one is regressed to the perceived mindset of a domesticated pet (like a dog or a cat). One may still feel human doing this, as pet is more of a social class than a species-exclusive term. Also, Petdre (pet dreamer) and Pet Thoughts.
- Slip, Slipping. To slip into little space, or to slip, or the state of slipping into little space.
Alternate Vocabulary
Different words for items and living beings may be used, some are more general childish nicknames but some originate in the agere community.
- Baba, can be a name for a bottle or for a caregiver
- Blankie, the favorite blanket
- Paci, short for pacifier
- Sibby, someone who is a fun kind of caregiver like an older sibling, and/or someone who is also a little or middle.
- Stuffie, Stuffed animal or other stuffed toy
Age Regression in canon media
- Eren Jaeger from Attack on Titan regresses to a little in times of extreme stress, and in regular times is known for his emotional immaturity
- Nurse Bendy from Moral Orel regresses to a little as a coping mechanism, and seems to be permanently in a teenage state of mind outside of that.
- Toki Wartooth from Metalocalypse
- Casca from Berserk regresses after a traumatic event
- Toya Todoroki from Boku no Hero Academia, who regresses when facing his family
- Shigaraki Tomura from Boku no Hero Academia, who often describes things with video game metaphors and has a very childish outlook on life.
- Akira Tendo and his friend Kenichirou Ryuuzaki from Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead follow their childhood dreams together, regardless of logic.
- Gumyum Berry from PB and GB
- Dragonscale from Objectified comic
Age Regression in fandom
This article or section needs expansion. |
The age regression and de-aging tags are synced on Ao3, making it hard to find agere content. "Non-Sexual Age Play" is sometimes used, but non-sexual does NOT mean non-kink, the relationship in age play whether sexual or not is still power exchange rather than a nurturing/caregiving one and one receiving care, and it makes many littles and caregivers uncomfortable due to the sexual origins, alongside the fact it is usually a form of roleplay rather than age regression. Problems arise with depictions of abuse called "domestic discipline" directed at littles in a non-critical way, often with no warning, which can be very triggering for them.
Many additional tags point towards age regression
- Age Regression/De-Aging
- alternate universe - littles are known
- Age Regression Little Character, some of which are indexed within the filters such as Age Regression Little Midoriya Izuku
Example Fanworks
General to Teen Audiences
Mature Audiences Only & Explicit
these contain content not safe for littles, as age regression is often a coping mechanism for things that are not safe for littles.
They've both developed their own ways of coping.
One tries to numb the pain any way he can. The other tries to escape from it.