Hey everyone,

I saw this Venn diagram floating around and it really hit me because I’m still trying to figure out what “kind” of Little I am. I know there’s a lot of debate (and sometimes gatekeeping) between age regression and AB/DL spaces, so I wanted to share my experience and see if anyone relates, or has thoughts on the matter.

For me, regression isn’t gradual, and I basically plummet off a cliff. It hits hard and fast. My partner (who studied psychology) thinks my developmental plateau during these episodes lands around 18–24 months. That means that’s the functional age range where my cognition, emotions, communication, and self-regulation feel most consistent.

I’m in a committed, international LDR right now, so I haven’t had many chances to explore what actually triggers my regression in practice. I haven’t seen my partner in person in a long time, but we’re trying to arrange a meetup for the New Year.

When it did happen:

• I stuttered pretty badly and speaking became really difficult.

• My gross motor skills tanked, I got wobbly (more than usual due to palsy) and had more trouble walking, so my partner would put me in a diaper more for practical help than for any involuntary accidents.

• I stayed mentally aware, but everything felt “smaller” and fuzzier, almost like I was drunk. Big adult thoughts faded away until the regression ended. I couldn’t pull myself “back up” if I wanted to; the episode needed to run its course naturally.

The episodes usually lasted a few hours. My longest was 6–8 hours and happened on an ovulation day, so hormones might play a role.

We’re not entirely sure what’s driving it. It often gets triggered by sex, so it could be a trauma response/dissociative thing, or some cross-wired arousal reaction (my psychologist leans toward the latter since I also have autism and brain damage). I don’t have a history I fully understand yet.

Looking at the diagram, I feel like I sit somewhere in the overlap between the **therapeutic/regressive side** (non-sexual headspace, trauma-informed) and the **kink side** (because it can be triggered sexually). But I don’t think that I would go so far as to call it a fetish. I also use diapers practically, which touches the **kinesthetic circle** too.

I don’t have PTSD, but I did have a sexual encounter with a male family member (my cousin, who was sexually active at 14) when I was a minor, in which he asked me to masturbate. My psychologist says that this peer-pressure experience could have also caused regression to cope with the experience, and it may have bled over into my current relationship.

I guess I’m asking:  
• Does this sound familiar to anyone?  
• How do you describe your own regression style?  
• Is it normal for it to feel like it blends different parts of the community?

I’m not looking to label myself in a rigid box, I just want to understand myself better and stop feeling so confused about where I “belong.” Any kind, non-gatekeeping insights are really appreciated ❤️

Thanks for reading!

Sudden, intense regression: where do I fit in this AB/DL Venn diagram?