Age Regression in Dissociative Identity Disorder
Age regression occurs in dissociative identity disorder (DID) particularly, but also in other mental illnesses such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder. While many people with DID have young or child alters, called littles, age regression is something different. So what is age regression, and how do you cope with it?
What Is Age Regression and Who Experiences It?
Age regression, in its simplest definition, is when a person regresses, or goes backward, in age. Age regression can occur spontaneously, or as is more often the case, because of a trigger. While not inherently harmful, regressing can be dangerous if the person is not in a safe place.
Age regression is common in people who have experienced trauma, especially abuse in childhood. There is no limit to how much a person can regress. People may or may not be aware they are regressing.
Age Regression in Dissociative Identity Disorder
Because people with DID have a history of childhood trauma, they are more susceptible to age regression. When people with DID age regress, it's not always a full dissociation or switch to another alter. They may feel like themselves, but yet not feel the right age. They may talk in a more childlike voice and have childlike mannerisms. Sometimes they are aware of these changes, but they don't feel like they have control of them. Other times, they are fully dissociated and not aware that they have regressed. They may look in a mirror and not see themselves.
It is also possible to age regress while experiencing a flashback. These instances are especially difficult because it can lead to reliving the trauma, which can increase suffering and keep the person stuck in a dissociative state.
Tips For Managing Age Regression in DID
While it's not possible to prevent age regression entirely, there are ways to manage and cope when it does happen.
Safety scripts are useful for those who experience age regression and flashbacks frequently. What the safety script says is up to the person and his or her needs, but including "My name is . . ." "I am [however many] years old." and "I am safe." are good statements to include. Keep the safety script in an easily accessible place, like a wallet, bag, or desk drawer, so you can read it when you feel yourself regressing.
Another way of coping with age regression is age progression. Try to determine what age you feel like you are. It's okay if you don't know the exact age -- take an educated guess. Then, work your way up slowly. If you feel like you are 10 years old, acknowledge that age and then slowly increase it at a pace that is comfortable for you, until you get to your actual age. Remind yourself that you are safe.
The best defense is to notice the warning signs. How do you feel before you experience age regression? What are the changes in your body? How does your mind feel? When you start to notice the signs, you can begin working on a plan to keep you as safe as possible when it does happen.
Lastly, don't be afraid to utilize your support systems. Let them know the signs of your experience with age regression. Tell them how they can help you get back to the present moment.
When you have DID, you won't always feel your age. But there is a way to get back to being yourself.
APA Reference
Matulewicz, C.
(2017, November 30). Age Regression in Dissociative Identity Disorder, HealthyPlace. Retrieved
on 2024, May 4 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/dissociativeliving/2017/11/age-regression-in-dissociative-identity-disorder
Author: Crystalie Matulewicz
I am a 17 year old guy and one of my best buddies has a 15 year old sister who is a bedwetter and wears cloth diapers and rubberpants to bed also.When i am over at their house towards bedtime,the sister makes no effort to cover up her diapers and rubberpants! She walks around with just a smock top and the diapers on and she sometime has a pacifier in her mouth!Her rubberpants are pastel colors and she does look like a baby with them on!
To Dawn-What was the hardest i think back then was girls going thru puberty and bedwetting because of it! I started puberty just past 12 and the bedwetting started shortly after.I had to wear the cloth pin on diapers and rubberpants to bed every night! Mom alwas put them on me about a half hour before bed time.As i got older,into 13 and 14 it was even harder having to wear them and feeling like a baby! I had two friends who were also bedwetters in puberty and wore the cloth diapers and rubberpants like i did,so when the three of us would have a sleepover,the mom would put our diaper and rubberpants on us together.
Hannah, As a babysitter I kind of felt bad for about a half hour before bedtime for the older ones coming into their room and seeing the diapers and rubber pants laid out on their bed knowing that they would be wearing them in a few minutes. they would take their panties off lie down on their bed quickly I would pin the diapers on and the older ones could hop off the bed and pull on their own rubber pants making sure the diapers were completely covered and than put on nighty or a jersey and they were ready for bed knowing that in the morning their diapers would be wet but the bedding would be dry. In the warm weather they would walk around the house with jersey on and everyone could see them wearing their rubber pants.
To Dawn-Those kids that you babysat for were kind of lucky in that you pinned their diapers on them,then they put their rubberpants on themselves! My mom and a couple of my bedwetting friends moms always put our diapers and rubberpants on us! It was lay down,diaper slid under,babypowder applied,diaper pinned on,rubberpants pulled up our legs and over our diaper!Me and my two friends felt like babies at bedtime!
Hannah, The older ones moms felt that being a bedwetter was enough and when diapers were pinned they could put their own rubber pants on just like putting on daytime panties. gave a feeling of some control over what they wore for bedwetting. The oldest one would hop down off the bed and go to her dresser and open a drawer that had three stacks of rubber pants next to her daytime undies. They were just plain whit another stack of pastels like blue, pink and yellow and the third stack was print ones like circus clowns or animals or flowers. Most often she would choose the printed ones and step into them and pull them up over her diapers. The other wetter's only had just plain white rubber pants.
When i was 17,i did some babysitting for a widower dad with two daughters,ages 14 and 12.The one day their dad told me that they were both going to be flowergirls in their cousins wedding and asked me if i would go along and dress them in their flowergirl outfits and that he would pay me well.That saturday we got to the church 3 hours before the ceremony and i was told the girls outfits were in the church nursery.The three of us went to the nursery and their outfits were all laid out.On a table,there were two sets of cloth diapers with diaper pins and rubberpants and white camisoles.The note with them said that they have to wear the diapers and rubberpants under their dresses.So both of them got undressed and i pinned the diapers on both of them,then put the rubberpants on over them.Their camisoles went on next then their lace socks and shoes,then their poofy white dresses and veils.Both girls looked really cute and little girlish in their outfits!
When i was 16,i babysat for a family with two daughters who were a year apart at 12 and 13.Both girls were in puberty at the time and bedwetting because of it.They also wore the cloth diapers and rubberpants to bed every night.About an hour before bedtime,they would take their cloths off and lay side by side on the bed and i would pin their diaper on them,then put the rubberpants on them.Their mom preferred it be done that way.After their diapers and rubberpants were on,they would put either their pj's or nightgowns on and we would either watch tv or play games untill bedtime.Since they were only 12 and 13,they both had pastel colored rubberpants and also babyprints which they both wore the most. Because they were a year apart,they both were never baptized as babies,so when they were 13 and 14 their parents had them baptized at mass on a sunday morning. I helped their mom dress them in the traditional white,poofy,above the knees,sleeveless baptism dresses with matching bonnets,lace anklets and white mary jane shoes.We put their cloth diapers and the babyprint rubberpants on them that they wanted to wear with a camisole as their top under their dresses. They both looked very adorable and cute! Towards the end of their party,their mom and i took their cloth diapers off of them and they both wore their babyprint rubberpants under their dresses untill bedtime.
I was one of those girls also! I started puberty before age 12 and started the bedwetting soon after. Mom got the Curity flat cloth diapers in the 26x27 inch size for me along with diaper pins,extra large super size rubberpants,babypowder,diaper rash ointment and baby lotion.Every night before bedtime she would put the diapers and rubberpants on me.It got to be a nightly routine and i did feel like a baby with them on most of the time.There were other girls like me and wearing the cloth diapers and rubberpants as well and we were considered in our '2nd babyhood'!The worst part of it was our moms had us wear our diapers and rubberpants or just the rubberpants under our Easter and christmas dresses and also for weddings etc.At sleepovers and slumber parties we were all put into our diapers and rubberpants early on.We had our rubberpants in pink,yellow and blue and some with babyprints on them and some of the girls would wear their babyprint rubberpants at the sleepovers and slumber parties.My bedwetting went on all thru ages 12,13 and most of 14 and ended just before i turned 15.
I am 15 and got into some serious trouble a week and a half ago.Yesterday,May 22nd,i made my First Holy Communion in the class with the 2nd graders and had to wear a puffy,top of the knees communion dress and veil with lace anklets and white shoes. As my punishment for getting into the trouble,my parents made me wear a size 8 pampers crusier diaper with babyprint plastic pants over it under my dress all day long! I was so embarresed and at my party,mom showed my friends the pampers and plastic pants under my dress!! I am still getting over the embarrassment!
I am a guy 16.Last saturday my uncle got married and the flowergirl in the wedding was around 13 or 14 and she looked cute!It was at the reception that i found out she was wearing a cloth diaper and plastic pants under her dress..I saw a couple of girls come up to her and lift her dress up and thats when i plainly saw the diaper and plastic pants.At the wedding dance,i asked her to dance several times and i told her about what i saw at the reception when her dress was lifted by the two girls.She told me that she wanted to wear the diapers and plastic pants under her dress to make her feel cute and little girlish.
I have found that it is far more common for girls and women to regress back to babyhood than it is for guys.Girls and women have a stronger need to be babied and taken care of. Most of the posts here from girls who wear diapers and rubberpants prove the point whether they are bedwetters,for special occasions or they just like wearing them.
Me and my twin sister are now in our late 20s and we were both bedwetters going thru puberty.We both started puberty and our bedwetting before age 12 and mom put both of us into cloth pin on diapers and rubberpants every night.Mom got our cloth diapers and diaper pins and rubberpants from a couple of websites and we also had the 24x27 inch cloth baby diapers as well.Our rubberpants were adult size and in pastels and babyprints that we thought were cute.Every night before bedtime sis and i took a quick shower,then went into our bedroom and laid side by side naked on our bed.Mom would then slide the folded diapers under us,apply diaper rash ointment,then the babypowder,then she would pin the diapers on us and adjust them.Then she would pull our rubberpants up our legs and over our diapers and made sure they covered them.Then it was into our nightgowns,brush our teeth,etc and hop into bed.During the winter months,we wore footed,one piece pj's that zipped up the front and our diapers and rubberpants bulged out under them.Mom also had sis and i wear our diapers and rubberpants for Easter under our easter dresses and also at christmas under our cute holiday dresses.Our bedwetting went on all thru 12,13 and 14 and finially ended just past 15.It was hard on both of us especially at 14 and into 15 having to wear the diapers and rubberpants and knowing our friends knew we wore them!
I am 14 and in puberty and bedwetting because of it.I too have to wear cloth diapers and plastic pants to bed every night and have been wearing them since before age 12! My parents make me wear them on Easter sunday under my Easter dress and also under my christmas dresses with white tights over them.I was told over this past weekend that i have to wear them again to my dads work christmas party and to church on christmas eve and also on christmas day!