Beginner's guide to Ageplay and the common misconceptions
Firstly, what is age regression? Age regression is a therapist affirmed experience where someone mentally goes into something calmed 'little space'. The age regression community often denounce sexual age regression or act disgusted by it, therefore we have been pushed into separate boxes. In fact, many misinformed people call it disgusting or even illegal despite it involving consenting adults. I am here to debunk many misconceptions.
a wonderful resource for information for this can be found here https://web.archive.org/web/20231001222041/https://nelaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/NELA-Introducing-AgePlay-8.5-x-11-trifold.pdf
What is little space?
Firstly, a headspace can mean multiple things. In the context of systems, it means an inner world where alters communucate and exist.
https://pluralpedia.org/w/Headspace
However, a headspace also refers to a state of being.
When someone refers to a headspace, they are speaking of a state of mind they have entered.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/headspace
Often, people will refer to the space of which they enter for age regression "little space".
https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/little_space
Notice how Wikipedia uses both definitions. That's because both actions are in part using the same method.
Another example, to prove this, is subspace and domspace. Where a person submits or dominates so strongly that they completely lose control in a completely healthy manner.
https://feeld.co/magazine/how-to/what-is-subspace https://sofiagray.com/blog/an-intro-to-domspace-what-every-dominant-should-know/
There are many other examples of this heightened consciousness. This will be plenty of resources for you though.
So, all of these things are the same. They're the act of entering a mental headspace of either another creature, or an emotion.
These are often caused by roleplaying ecstasy. When you are enjoying something enough, your brain hyperfocuses on it and completely goes into that headspace. It's the same feeling you get when you're playing a rhythm game or some other focus based game and completely engulf yourself in it to the point you forget your surroundings.
However, in this instance, all you can feel is your pleasure in the thing you are focused on.
The trauma aspect:
There are many resources that confirm that many people that participate in both sfw age and pet regression and BDSM as a whole are trauma survivors or suffer some form of depression or anxiety.
https://prostasia.org/blog/bdsm-can-help-heal-from-trauma/ https://mashable.com/article/bdsm-therapy-sexual-trauma https://dame.com/blogs/sexual-wellness/how-bdsm-can-aid-in-healing-from-trauma
** ☝️These are resources on kink specifically.☝️**
https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-is-age-regression-therapy https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_regression_in_therapy https://www.verywellhealth.com/age-repression-therapy-5212676
☝️Age regression in therapy evidence☝️
Sadly I could not find many therapy resources of pet regression, but I believe you have the idea.
Watering down headspaces themselves to sexual and nonsexual is, psychologically speaking, illogical. As headspaces are simply chemicals in your brain being heightened.
However, we should not force someone to consent to sex depending on their headspaces, nor should you force consent at all.