[james01]

Do you think we all return to how we were as children at some point in adulthood? Specifically, when depression hits the hardest for the first time (our first "bottom") and we truly see ourselves as being manic, avoidant, anxious or procrastinating.

Everyone has an inner child and it's important keep him/her happy, as described by Julia Cameron in "The Artist's Way." But I feel like after I was hit with the loss of my parents -- at 17 and again at 26 -- that I slowly began to regress into my childhood ways of being shy and withheld. I began blushing in my college classes, which I hadn't done since middle school. My personality also feels like it's dwindled. On a subconscious level, I think I'm looking for new mother/father figures in friends and mentors even though I'm in my late 20s.

Needless to say, I will soon be getting a physical from my doctor and I'm going to ask for a referral to grief/loss therapy.

Originally Posted by james01

Do you think we all return to how we were as children at some point in adulthood? ........

Does that mean I will have to start getting beat up again???

[Clara22]

Hi,
I am not sure about regression, I found this article that may be of your interest, good luck with your therapist! http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/...cal-regression

I think that's a good point to bring up. I've always believed that during periods of stress and bad times we may go back to a certain behavioral pattern.
But... I also believe that adulthood, as childhood, is a long process with not just peaks and valleys but also plateaus. It may be easier to say that we can develop beyond a point where we regress to old patterns of behavior. Hope that makes sense.