Regression as a defense mechanism: types, examples from life

Regression is a method of defense when the psyche resorts to returning to a childhood state in order to reduce anxiety or resolve a conflict. Accordingly, the child’s behavior model turns out to be immature, less effective, and makes adaptation difficult. At the same time, in those around her, she often evokes the state of a parent, an unconscious desire to take care of a weaker or flawed person. However, the regression mechanism is activated not only in interpersonal interaction; a person can also activate it alone with himself, in internal psychological reality, because the child’s model of behavior seems safer and more calming to him.

Regression - what is it in simple words

Regression in psychology is one of the methods of psychological defense described by Sigmund Freud. He conditionally divided them into 2 large groups:

1. High-level mechanisms transform dissatisfaction and negative experiences into active actions. A good example is creativity.
2. Lower level mechanisms are characterized by distortion of reality. They do not help solve the problem, but, on the contrary, aggravate it, transferring it from consciousness to subconsciousness. It only seems to a person that he is leading a full life. In fact, he is on a direct path to the development of neuroses and other mental problems.

Regression refers to the lower psychological defenses. And that is not all. It is rightfully considered the most primitive technique.

Interestingly, there are several definitions of regression:

1. In psychology, regression is a mental defense mechanism in which an individual adapts to a conflict or alarming situation by resorting to early, but less mature patterns of behavior. He considers them as safe and effective as possible under the circumstances.
2. According to the Glossary of Psychological Terms, regression is a state that involves a return to primitive forms of thinking and behavior characteristic of people at an earlier stage of development.
3. The dictionary of analytical psychology says that regression is the return movement of libido to earlier modes of adaptation. Accompanied by infantile fantasies and desires.
4. R. Comer (Professor of the Department of Psychology at Princeton University with more than 25 years of experience) called regression a protective mechanism of the inner “I”, in which a person returns to primitive ways of interacting with the outside world.

Various areas of psychotherapy give their definition of regression and regressive behavior:

1. In psychoanalysis, regression is a simple defense mechanism related to the stage of reunification, when, if it is impossible to satisfy a particular need, a person turns to those periods of the past in which he experienced pleasure and received complete satisfaction in other ways. The degree of severity of regression in this case depends on the oscillation between adaptation to the new method of satisfaction and the strength of the habit to the old methods.
2. In Gestalt therapy, this term refers to a return to earlier levels of development or a manner of self-expression. Regression, according to psychologists, helps reduce anxiety by abandoning reality in favor of a behavior pattern that helped cope with negative emotions in the past.
3. In behaviorism, regression is a return to an earlier, more primitive and simpler way of responding. Thus, a person justifies himself from the point of view of the reasoning of a small child, refuses logical thinking, and stands his ground even in cases where the interlocutor is absolutely right. In such individuals, mental development has greatly slowed down or stopped altogether, as a result of which their childhood habits often return to them.

As you can see, there are many definitions of the word “regression”. But they all boil down to one thing: this is a protective function, which is characterized by a return to primitive forms of behavior and thinking.

Psychological defense mechanisms

For the first time, S. Freud spoke about psychological defenses. He came to the conclusion that forbidden desires, instincts, unpleasant memories and fears, driven by a person to the level of the unconscious, continue to affect him from there.

They are a source of vague anxiety, phobias, painful experiences and internal conflicts, and sometimes mental illness. To rid the brain of this destructive effect, defense mechanisms are activated in the mind. They manifest themselves as peculiarities of behavior and thinking, often strange, inappropriate to the situation, or compulsively repeated. For example, a person shifts the blame for his action onto another so as not to feel guilty, or seeks a rational justification for his unseemly act. Or uses childish forms of behavior, as in regression.

While protecting the psyche from excessively negative experiences, defense mechanisms at the same time distort reality, create an illusion, and prevent you from seeing the problem and finding ways to solve it.

Z. Freud described the first 8 types of defense, the list of which has now increased significantly. But they are all divided into 2 types or levels:

1. High-level psychological defense mechanisms transform the energy of unsatisfied desires and negative experiences into some other type of activity, for example, into creativity or the struggle for power.
2. Defenses of a lower, primitive level simply distort reality, lead a person away from solving problems, and drive conflicts deep into the unconscious. The illusion of normal existence is temporary, and the action of these mechanisms can lead to serious mental problems and behavioral abnormalities.

Regression is the lowest type of psychological defense. Moreover, it is considered the most primitive form.

Types of Regression

Every person has regression. But it manifests itself in different ways. It all depends on its type:

1. Short-term. Occurs most often. It is a common reaction, weakness caused by emotional or physical stress. Helps you relax and cope with the consequences of stress and failure. This regression occurs without complications.
2. Partial. Has a longer duration. Causes changes in human behavior, and in particularly difficult situations, the development of mental disorders. For example, imagine a person who has a serious illness. He uses it to manipulate family and friends, while getting what he needs. This behavior will eventually turn him into a hypochondriac. He will look for and, most interestingly, find signs of more and more new diseases in himself, only in order to continue to receive attention from others. And this is already a mental disorder.
3. Full. This type of regression is in most cases associated with senile dementia or dementia. You've probably also heard the words that an elderly person has fallen into childhood? But it is worth noting that complete regression also occurs among young people if they have experienced severe psychological trauma. It is difficult for their consciousness to come to terms with what happened, so it “closes itself” from all this horror, returning to childhood. This type of regression in psychology is considered a serious mental illness, the treatment of which will require the help of a psychiatrist.

In essence, regression is a fuse that protects the psyche from excessive overstrain. It works at the subconscious level, so a person is not able to control its development. If someone is becoming childish, don't immediately make fun of them. The alarm needs to be sounded only in cases where complete regression occurs.

Examples of regression in biology

Regression in biology is characterized by the following features:

1. reduction in the number of individuals of any type of flora or fauna;
2. reduction of their habitat.

Progress and regression are the two driving forces of evolution.

Differences between natural progress and regression:

The result of regression may be the complete extinction of the species.

This process occurs either very slowly, under the influence of natural factors (remember the extinct dinosaurs), or very rapidly, for example, due to ill-conceived human economic activity.

Nowadays, many representatives of the animal world are in a state of biological regression: Ussuri tigers, cheetahs, polar bears.

Morphological regression is a type of biological regression. This is a change in a biological organism towards simplification. For example, some cave insects do not have visual organs; they disappeared due to their uselessness in specific conditions.

How does the regression mechanism work?

Behavior is always a response to stimuli from the environment. They are some problems, people, events, etc. We all give different reactions. For example, you can show wisdom, think rationally, and act like an adult. And, let’s say your friend acts childishly, infantilely.

In the process of development, each person learns to react to the world around him more intelligently and logically. But it also happens that there is a rollback to long-forgotten, childhood reactions. This is regression.

Manifestations

As stated above, regression is the simplest, most primitive psychological defense mechanism. Most often it occurs in situations where reasonable adult behavior does not bring the desired results. A good example is a person who is sick. He behaves like a child: he is capricious in order to beg for more attention. When he realizes that such actions help him achieve what he wants, they become a habit. And now in every difficult situation, even not related to illness, he behaves the same way.

Another example of regression is situations when you feel tired, “squeezed like a lemon.” What do you want most at such moments? Yummy, crawl under the blanket and talk to someone. Great script, don't you agree? It gives you the opportunity to feel safe, just like in childhood, and at least for a while to relieve yourself of responsibility. But, no matter how pleasant it may be, it is impossible to return to childhood. It's all an illusion. And the protection of the psyche is also, unfortunately, illusory.

There are other manifestations of regression:

1. If a person wants to get something from the people around him, he copies the behavior of a spoiled child, becomes capricious, hysterical, or promises to behave well in exchange for getting what he needs. Notice how the voice changes at such moments. He becomes childish, with notes of tearfulness.
2. Regression manifests itself in a passion for various religious movements, in a love of mysticism and superstition. A person seeks the cause of his suffering, dissatisfaction and failures not in his behavior, but in punishment from God or curses. Children behave in the same way when they try to shift the blame for misdeeds onto others, perhaps younger comrades or brothers and sisters who cannot give an answer.
3. Another manifestation of regression is addictive or dependent behavior. Most likely, you also know gamers who spend all their free time playing computer games. For them, this is an attempt to escape from real life. It's like a child hiding under a blanket from the night monsters he has invented.
4. Regression also means excessive drinking, smoking, and drug addiction. What does all this have to do with children’s behavior, you ask? These ways to relieve nervous tension are akin to how children bite their nails, pick their nose, etc.

Sigmund Freud spoke about another manifestation of regression. It is associated with problems in sexual life. We are talking about sadomasochism, bisexuality and similar conditions.

Psychological theories and schools

Regression in psychology is a section that is recognized by many scientists in modern science. Many concepts and directions have been developed, and psychological schools have been created. One of the first was Sigmund Freud. To explain the role of the unconscious in human life, he proposed a psychoanalytic approach. The teachings of S. Freud were developed and supplemented by numerous followers.

• School of objective psychology. Adherents of this direction propose to direct efforts to study the behavior, reactions, and reflexes of the individual. The forerunners of objective psychology are B. Pascal and V. M. Bekhterev.
• School of humanistic psychology. It began to develop in the 50s of the last century. The main representatives are American psychologists K. R. Rogers and A. Maslow. The focus was on the problem of personality and its development. Representatives of this school, in addition to psychoanalysis, paid great attention to consciousness and self-awareness, helped a person realize himself as a full-fledged person, and focused on the positive aspects of a person.
• Functional psychology. Representatives of this school, the Frenchman T.A. Ribot, Russian psychologist N.N. Lange considered psychology as the science of the functions of consciousness. Their works contain research on problems of perception, attention, and thinking. They emphasized the need to create experimental psychology.

• Depth Psychology . The concept was introduced by the Swiss psychiatrist E. Bleuler, who collaborated with S. Freud. A direction in which great importance is attached to the unconscious feeling located in the depths of the psyche, hidden behind the surface of consciousness.

In modern Russian psychology, much attention is paid to the problems of the physical function of the brain, which reflects objective reality. Scientists are trying to find out the nature and driving forces of the mental properties of a person, to resolve the problem of the “internal and external” world of a person.

Who is most prone to regression?

Most often, children whose psyche is still in the formative stage and is characterized by instability face regression. If they want more attention or have no desire to do something, they cry and are capricious. And sometimes they behave as if they were very small, for example, forgetting to ask to go to the potty or refusing to eat and dress themselves. Such situations arise especially often in families where a second child is born. The elder thus shows his jealousy and demands the return of lost attention from his parents.

Regression in adults is a sign of weakness and infantilism. The following categories of people are at risk:

• weak-willed, with an unstable emotional state of personality;
• insecure individuals with low self-esteem;
• those who are easily influenced by others or the media;
• people who find it difficult to live in society and build relationships with those around them;
• individuals prone to increased anxiety, panic, neuroses and hysteria.

Interestingly, sometimes regression also occurs in those who are self-confident. This occurs in cases where other psychological defense mechanisms have proven to be ineffective or ineffective at all. Sometimes difficulties take away all your emotional and physical strength, while what you want remains somewhere in the distance. At such moments, in order to protect oneself from further disappointment and depression, a person seems to fall into childhood. He cries, complains to everyone, “eats” stress, and with all his appearance shows resentment and suffering.

It is worth noting that for strong-willed people, regression is just a temporary phenomenon; it is a weakness that is needed in order to relieve emotional stress. Afterwards he becomes himself again.

As you can see, regression in psychology has its pros and cons.

Regression is...

To put it very briefly and very briefly, “progress” is “going forward”, and “regression” is “going back”.

The Latin word "regressus" means " movement backwards ". This is the essence of the concept, but in different areas the application of this term has its own characteristics.

Next, we will look at what the concept of “regression” means in relation to various processes.

Examples of regression in human psychology

In psychology, there are plenty of examples of regression from life. It doesn’t matter what a person chooses: childish behavior, a penchant for mysticism, video games, watching TV series, whims, or the use of alcohol and illegal substances. The situation looks something like this:

1. The first time, regressive behavior actually plays a protective role. The individual experiences negative emotions, which he tries to cope with using one of the methods described above. As a result, he enjoys it.
2. The second time a person resorts to regression is no longer because of negativity, but only because he remembers the positive sensations received, for example, from computer games or drinking alcohol.

It turns out that the chosen regression method no longer performs a protective function. And there is no need to use it. But a person resorts to it again and again, remembering the pleasure he received.

Regression in the development of society

The evolution of humanity is a complex development process , which is characterized by both forward movement (progress) and backward movement (regression).

Regression is, like progress, development. Only the vector of this development is directed in the opposite direction to progress.

Example: the period from the 20th century to the present day is a rapid progress of science and technology. Humanity has risen to a new stage of evolutionary development. But the positive results of this process did not affect all of humanity.

There are dozens of regions and even entire countries in the world where people do not have access to basic medical services, where people die from various infections because they do not have antibiotics. In these countries there is a process of regression.

Let's assume that these countries will not be able to receive any outside assistance. As a result, over time (perhaps after several hundred years), the population of these countries deteriorates in mental (lack of education), physical (hunger) and moral development.

Conclusion: regression in the history of social development is a movement from a complex development system to a simpler (primitive) one, i.e. degradation (how is that?) of all components of the social system.

The most significant signs of regression in society :

1. cessation of economic growth → economic decline → crisis → economic collapse;
2. decline in the standard of living of the population → growing difference in the welfare of rich and poor segments of the population → impoverishment of the bulk of the population;
3. (decrease in birth rate + increase in mortality + increase in morbidity) → decrease in population;
4. (decrease in the level of education + decrease in the relevance of moral and spiritual values) → moral degradation of the population;
5. resolving pressing social issues through violent measures;
6. decreasing role of the country in international relations.

The most interesting thing is that humanity has already “experienced” the topic of regression. In the distant 15th – 18th centuries BC. there was a developed Mycenaean civilization ( Greece ). And around the 12th century BC. this civilization (how is that?) ceased to exist.

According to scientists, the decline and death of civilization occurred due to development regression , which led to population migration to other regions, loss of writing, disappearance of production technologies, and cessation of trade relations with other countries.

Diagnostics

The tests are carried out by specialists who have undergone special training or by psychotherapists working in medical clinics. The testing procedure takes about 1–2 hours, and decoding from 8 to 10 hours.

To date, there is not a single computer program that can reliably interpret test results. All test results must be explained by specialists. Tests can be found on the Internet, but results calculated independently will be greatly distorted.

You should not blame anyone for displaying “childish” behavior. We must remember that regression is a natural reaction of the body to excessive stress. The mechanism of its action is at the subconscious level and a person cannot always control his behavior. When short-term regression begins, it is worth seeking help from a psychologist at an early stage.