Where you belong (probably)

[u/Rory_Moon]

Ever since the post on here a while ago about people not actually regressing has sparked debate I have wonder how many people are in this community knowing 100% what it is and why it is here. I think that there may be a better place for some of the people here and I would like to dive into some options that are similar. I do believe that everyone should be welcome here but I worry that some people may be here accidentally thinking that it is a kink or that the community is exclusively 18+. I worry that if there are people here who would be better off in another sub then they may spread false information, bully others who are not doing anything wrong, or sexualize this sub or a minor. I of course am not the end all be all on this topic but I do have some experience with it. I have been in the age regression community for about 5 years on various platforms and am also in many kink spaces and do my best to stay informed on what is acceptable there as well. With all that out of the way lets hop into where I believe people should be according to what description they fit best. I hope I can help others find some community with this post.

First I will address this community and its purpose. This community is made for people who experience age regression and the people close to those who do. This community is for all ages even if some people do not agree with that. This community is completely SFW in everyway. Age regression is a coping mechanism as well as sometimes a symptom of various mental disorders or illnesses. Age regression is often caused by childhood trauma (although it does not have to result from that). Since it is a coping mechanism it does not come with an age limit min or max on it and it would be unfair to state that minors cannot participate. As well it would not be right to sexualize it in anyway. Age regression can often be involuntary and triggered by things that could relate back to a persons childhood whether the trigger is negative or positive will result in the state in which they regress to. If the state is caused by a negative trigger it is often times referred to as "impure regression". Many people voluntarily age regress as a way to cope or relax. I do believe personally that this is still triggered but that the regressor is aware of triggers that can cause them to slip into this state of mind. When a person is regressed they are mentally that age. There is not pretending or roleplaying. If you are pretending or roleplaying you are more than likley a better fit in another community. People regressed can often lose their ability to do adult things including certain motor skills or intellectual functions. The extant to which this happens can vary person to person so don't worry if you don't notice this happening to you when you regress. Due to this slip in abilities people may look for CGs, or caregivers. Caregivers can be any person you feel safe enough with to regress in front of and will always have your best interest in mind. You do not require a CG to regress and should never feel pressured to have one. A CG can be a sibling, parent, friend, or romantic partner. It does NOT have to be a romantic partner. Finding a CG online can be a very dangerous practice especially since you must feel safe enough with them as a prerequisite. Many people especially minors have been put into very dangerous scenarios by regressing in front of the wrong people. Do not under any circumstances put yourself in danger to find a CG no matter how badly you think you may need one. This along with posting their pictures online is one of the many reasons people worry about minors being in the community. Finding a CG online at a young age can lead to creeps and pedophiles as well as relationships that may mimic kink dynamics which are NEVER safe for minors. In short if you mentally regress to a childlike state as opposed to pretend or roleplay or have someone close to you who does you are in the right place. Good job! Please keep this place safe and support others in this community.

If that first description did not fit you likely would have a better time in another sub based on the following descriptions:

If you do not age regress but you do enjoy children's toys, media, and being in a childlike state of amusement/ relaxation/wonderment then you may belong to r/agedreamer! Age dreamers are people who do not regress mentally but enjoy things that are generally meant for children nonetheless. It helps with the same things: coping with stress and mental illness or trauma. To my knowledge this is a wonderful group of people who do things very similar to the way we do just without mentally regressing. If pretending to be a kid or younger sounds more like you check them out, you might find you like what you see.

Adding on to age regression and age dreaming some people do the same thing in an animal sense. These are referred to as pet regression or petre and pet dreaming. I am not as knowledgeable on these subjects but they do exist and you can find them here r/petregression. If you do this sexually or within a dynamic you are participating in petplay found here r/petplay ( you cannot participate in this as a minor or if you are regressed it is strictly NSFW and 18+).

If you don't regress or pretend to be a kid but feel like you've always been a child at heart you may want to check out r/nevergrewup! This is for people who, like the subreddit says, never grew up. You may fit in better here if you enjoy a kids movie every once in a while and can always go for dino nuggets but you don't regress and don't quite fit the description for age dreamer. Check them out to see other people like you who have a child like sense of wonderment even after all these years. Generally I believe they are for adults but I am sure older teens would be welcome there as well.

Lastly I would like to mention communities such as r/cgl r/littlespace r/ddlg and abdl communities. These are strictly 18+ NSFW communties. If you are a minor and are interested in this description or these communities in general research is all you are able to do until you hit 18. Once you do the community will surely welcome you with open arms. Although these communities may be 18+ and NSFW (meaning a minor can NEVER participate in them) that does not mean they are inherently sexual. This a common misunderstanding and often causes a lot of infighting between the communities. If you are interested but don't like the idea of mixing sex into it then keep reading or check out the communities. These communities are very similar to age regression in the terminology they use ("little", "littlespace", "CG", etc.) as well as in the overarching ideas (being in a younger mindset makes me feel safe and helps me cope). They stop being similar and should never be mixed because these communities *can* be sexualized. Remember age regression should never be sexualized. Even in the community where they do not participate sexually it can still never be mixed with minors or age regressors because it involves a dynamic. A dynamic is a relationship in which there is an exchange in power. This power exchange requires consent because of the nature of giving or taking someone else's power. As a result a minor or age regressor can never participate because someone physically or mentally underage is unable to give their consent. Even though the two communities should not ever mix there is a lot of history between the two and age regression as a community stemmed off of abdl related communities. Even if it isn't for you we should not judge people who participate in these communities because they have similar goals as age regressors and never intentionally harm others. The communities shouldn't mix but often times people who participate in CGL also happen to age regress (often due to them have similar goals or roots). People who participate in many of these subreddits are fine as long as they do not cross the terminology or endanger anyone who is unable to consent. Keep the two separate and it is not a problem. If you are interested in this description check out the communities and remember that just because some people participate sexually it is not a requirement. There is no shame in being a part of these communities and they are generally very nice and welcoming people.

In short this community is a wonderful safe haven for many people and I would like it if we could keep it that way. By giving people other places to go I hope to reduce any tension within the community and help others find where there truly belong. If I missed any communities please suggest them to others in the comments. Many people seem to get mixed up and end up here and I think it is best to redirect them as opposed to changing or arguing within the community. I truly hope that nothing I have said here is taken offensively and if it has I would love to learn from any mistakes I have made. Let's all be kind to each other and remember what we are doing here, trying to create a safe space to just be kids again.

[u/That_nb_nerd]

THIS!!!! 100% THIS!!!

[u/Rory_Moon → u/That_nb_nerd]

I've just felt like it's needed to be said for a while now

[u/BiancaDiAngerlo]

I love this, most post about abdl are hating it. I get it, this is a sub of mainly traumatized teens it's going to happen, buts it's refreshing.