Autism/adhd/diapers/*insertmedicalproblem*

[JunkyardDog1]

Preamble followed by sincere question:
In 38 years I have met maybe 5 people who have diagnosed ad/hd. In that same time I have met 2 with autism. My first job at 13 yrs old was on a farm that houses special needs ( ie schizophrenia, retardation, autism, cerebral palsy etc.)
I have never noticed, (either because they are good at hiding it or because they didn't have a draw to it) that ANY of those people, to this day have a diaper fetish or abdl status. That said. Since I've joined here I've noticed that like 50% of members here claim some sort of mental incapacity and seem to use it as a crutch to justify abdl status. So is adbl directly linked to a mental disorder? Is there sufficient evidence for me to claim I like diapers because something is amiss in my head? Is it pure coincidence? Sincerely, make sense of this. Please. Can't someone just like something without a secondary issue feeding it? I'm open to all responses. Although I'd bet alot of you will take this personally instead of having a real conversation. But I beg you, let's be real. Because I'm clearly as weird as the entire group! I wonder at times if im just too open and honest and realistic to be here. I feel like an outcast alot. Because I'm trying to be real and make a connection. But I feel like I'm at the lunch table alone. So. Enlighten me please.

 

[bixie]

Weirdly defensive-sounding post. But to play along, I do have ADHD, but I don't link it to my love of diapers, at least not directly. I do imagine ADHD has something to do with my bathroom problems growing up, which obviously can be easily linked to me voluntarily and happily wearing diapers today.

 

[JunkyardDog1]

But why do so many announce it as if its a reason for diaper wearing/using /abdl etc?

 

[Freddie07601]

The fact that two conditions coexist in a person does not mean that one caused the other. It DOES feel good to be able to admit that I am on the autism spectrum. I think that's why many announce that they are. ASD's are welcome here. That was a very pleasant surprise to me when I first came here. I was drawn to ADISC because I am incontinent and both need and very much enjoy wearing diapers. Learning that people on the autism spectrum are respected here was a nice bonus.

Please understand that, until I was in my middle years, Asperger's Syndrome (the name that was once commonly used for what we now call high functioning ASD) was not widely recognized. People didn't quite know what to make of us. We just knew we didn't fit in. ADISC is a place where we DO fit in.

For a long time, I haven't felt a need to defend incontinence, diaper wearing, or being on the ASD spectrum. Neither is there a need for you to defend your diaper wearing or any other legal thing you do.

I don't know what the connection is between ASD and diapers in my early development. Other ASD's I've met are completely grossed out by.diapers.

 

[dogboy]

I suspect that many or most of us here don't have underlying causes for wanting to wear diapers. Though I was adopted at age 2, I lived a normal life as a child of the '50s and '60s. I graduated college and I've worked all my life, having married and having 3 children. No one in my social sphere would know I enjoy wearing diapers. I go about my day for the most part like everyone I know IRL. I think some members here are sort of like the squeaky wheel and that may give a false sense of all us AB/DLs are crazy, because we're not.

 

[JunkyardDog1]

I'm just trying to make sense of something I've noticed in my time here. Maybe unrelated. Maybe wrong. Maybe not. Idk man. Just seems suspicious lol. Thanks to any input from an open mind so far and forthcoming.

 

[littleFeathers]

So is adbl directly linked to a mental disorder?

I've wondered the same thing, but I suspect that if you studied the larger population, that correlation would disappear.

It may be that if people are going to be open (here) about something like AB/DL, they might as well as well be open about other things in their life.

For the record, I have no significant mental diagnoses, although I am more than a bit of a misfit in both human and avian worlds.

 

[PaddedCub]

With autism, many are sensory seeking. Wearing diapers often provides the sensory input we are seeking (squeezes hips, is warm and squishy etc). This has a lot to do with why I wear diapers, I have moderate / level 2 autism.
This is just one aspect, people are complex.

 

[adderuk]

I was late out of nappies, but continued bedwetting for several years, I hated waking up cold and wet. I just wanted my nappies back. I have ADHD and get attached to things that given me comfort and protection, nappies provided this.

Seeing that bedwetting is more common in kids with ADHD, it's not surprising that some kind of attachment to nappies may develop for similar reasons as mentioned above.

And when my bedwetting returned in my 20s, I started wearing nappies again..

 

[I12BLittle89]

I am curious about this as well. I’ve been going down the path of understanding my ADD and a possible autism. Though I’m realizing it’s less likely to be autism. They seem to have sensory issues. From what I can tell, certain people can’t deal with things like tags or seams on shirts. But others it doesn’t affect them. Some have an affinity for plastic crinkles or the slippery feel of it. The feeling of a pad between the legs and the firm hug of a diaper around a generally sensitive area may help people with sensory needs cope with ADD/autism. I have no evidence to support any of this. I’m trying to understand it myself. I was never treated for ADD but now I’m in the Army. I can’t get treatment because it would mean I get kicked out. So I’m trying to find answers. My condition has gotten worse over time. I get sensory overload in a room full of people talking. I don’t know why but I desire a thick diaper to help cope with it and new situations in social environments. I am a social person but I seem to have trouble when forced to be with people I don’t know. I can’t wear because my wife won’t let me. But the desire is there. A coping mechanism. A firm hug to keep calm in a stimulating environment. My wife has given me kinetic sand and I play with that while I’m with people at times. No one says anything. So they’re cool people. It may seem childish but it seems from what I’m reading about. People with ADD/autism may have a stunted emotional maturity. Especially in stressful situations. I am drinking from a fire hydrant right now and may be completely off.

 

[DBabygirl2]

I'm just trying to make sense of something I've noticed in my time here. Maybe unrelated. Maybe wrong. Maybe not. Idk man. Just seems suspicious lol. Thanks to any input from an open mind so far and forthcoming.

I get what you’re saying but what’s so suspicious about it? Some things don’t need to make sense. There’s so many possible explanations for connections between abdl, medical conditions and why people wear diapers. Tbh your wording in your original post does sound defensive and labeling even though you state that you’re trying to understand.

 

[Astro]

The fact that two conditions coexist in a person does not mean that one caused the other. It DOES feel good to be able to admit that I am on the autism spectrum. I think that's why many announce that they are. ASD's are welcome here. That was a very pleasant surprise to me when I first came here. I was drawn to ADISC because I am incontinent and both need and very much enjoy wearing diapers. Learning that people on the autism spectrum are respected here was a nice bonus.

Please understand that, until I was in my middle years, Asperger's Syndrome (the name that was once commonly used for what we now call high functioning ASD) was not widely recognized. People didn't quite know what to make of us. We just knew we didn't fit in. ADISC is a place where we DO fit in.

For a long time, I haven't felt a need to defend incontinence, diaper wearing, or being on the ASD spectrum. Neither is there a need for you to defend your diaper wearing or any other legal thing you do.

I don't know what the connection is between ASD and diapers in my early development. Other ASD's I've met are completely grossed out by.diapers.

I would say even the terms High Functioning and ASD are also now outdated language and being replaced with ASC (Autism Spectrum Consition) and High Masking, Low Support Needs ect.

I'm AuDHD and for me I feel that it plays a part in why I enjoy aspects of it, however I would say there are far far more neurotypicals into it and equally there will be many neurodiverse individuals that do not have any such attraction.

Preamble followed by sincere question:
In 38 years I have met maybe 5 people who have diagnosed ad/hd. In that same time I have met 2 with autism. My first job at 13 yrs old was on a farm that houses special needs ( ie schizophrenia, retardation, autism, cerebral palsy etc.)
I have never noticed, (either because they are good at hiding it or because they didn't have a draw to it) that ANY of those people, to this day have a diaper fetish or abdl status. That said. Since I've joined here I've noticed that like 50% of members here claim some sort of mental incapacity and seem to use it as a crutch to justify abdl status. So is adbl directly linked to a mental disorder? Is there sufficient evidence for me to claim I like diapers because something is amiss in my head? Is it pure coincidence? Sincerely, make sense of this. Please. Can't someone just like something without a secondary issue feeding it? I'm open to all responses. Although I'd bet alot of you will take this personally instead of having a real conversation. But I beg you, let's be real. Because I'm clearly as weird as the entire group! I wonder at times if im just too open and honest and realistic to be here. I feel like an outcast alot. Because I'm trying to be real and make a connection. But I feel like I'm at the lunch table alone. So. Enlighten me please.

I would say that the vast majority of neurotypicals that are into this most likely partake in other communities and forums and it is just that this forum in particular has attracted more from the neurodiverse community and so you would be subject to confirmation bias and you just happen to be getting exposed to more individuals that happen to feel it's connected for them.

 

[LittleAcorn]

It's conditional probability (and Bayes' Rule if you want to get into the math). You're comparing the probability that someone is ABDL if they are neurodivergent to the probability that someone is neurodivergent if they are ABDL. Notice how the conditionals go in opposite directions: neurodivergent -> ABDL and ABDL -> neurodivergent. Your example at 13 was the first case, and adisc is the second case.

 

[denimchicken]

I don't know if there is a link between abdl and autism. I don't think I'm autistic. I have never been officially tested as far as I know. The closest I have been tested however was a quick questionnaire by my brothers wife who works with autistic children. The results showed I had "high symptoms" The largest contributor being depression. I don't think this test was meant to be comprehensive. I'm also pretty sure that my depression symptoms would go away for the most part if I didn't isolate myself from everyone so much.

Unless I'm mistaken, it's called autism SPECTRUM. Meaning there is not a definitive yes/no for having autism. Everyone is on the spectrum. Is just how symptomatic are you.

I think one of the hallmarks of autism is difficulty expressing yourself/understanding the emotions of others. In that respect, an online forum to talk about whatever the subject is, might be perfect for an autistic person. The subject is defined so there is no confusion. If you want to express yourself emotionally you can do that in writing. If you don't want to express yourself, you don't have to. Maybe that's why there is a perception of more autistic people on this forum.

Adisc has created an environment that's conducive to people opening up and discussing diaper wearing without fear. If the rest of the world was as free of judgement as adisc, we would probably see that there are autistic people everywhere with a wide range of interests.

 

[Nybeli]

Preamble followed by sincere question:
In 38 years I have met maybe 5 people who have diagnosed ad/hd. In that same time I have met 2 with autism. My first job at 13 yrs old was on a farm that houses special needs ( ie schizophrenia, retardation, autism, cerebral palsy etc.)
I have never noticed, (either because they are good at hiding it or because they didn't have a draw to it) that ANY of those people, to this day have a diaper fetish or abdl status.

Hi!

I might have misunderstood your question, and if so I apologize. As many have already mentioned, there are many possible reasons behind your experiences. One might be that ABDLs with ADHD are more likely than those without ADHD to talk about it online. People with autism typically have an ability to dive deep into any topic they're interested in.

I'll try not to sound rude, but there are some things I noticed in your op.

1. If you've met more than 100 people in those 38 years, you've likely met more than 5 people with ADHD, diagnosed or not. Approximately 2-5% of adults (worldwide) have ADHD (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7916320/)
2. Also, as you're probably aware, not all people with an ABDL interest are very open with it. I don't know any research that investigated how eager people are to act out their fetishes or other interests while in an institution such as the farm you describe, but it wouldn't surprise me if those clients would be less inclined to express their interest than outside such a facility
3. There is some research done inside the ABDL community, which suggest that there is a higher rate of autism spectrum diagnosed people in the ABDL sample than in the general population. (https://understanding.infantilism.org/surveys/conditions.php)

Also, I would describe ADHD, autism and intellectual disability as disabilities rather than mental disorders.

This being said, I encourage your curiosity in your peers and how they/we tick.

 

[Astro]

I don't know if there is a link between abdl and autism. I don't think I'm autistic. I have never been officially tested as far as I know. The closest I have been tested however was a quick questionnaire by my brothers wife who works with autistic children. The results showed I had "high symptoms" The largest contributor being depression. I don't think this test was meant to be comprehensive. I'm also pretty sure that my depression symptoms would go away for the most part if I didn't isolate myself from everyone so much.

Unless I'm mistaken, it's called autism SPECTRUM. Meaning there is not a definitive yes/no for having autism. Everyone is on the spectrum. Is just how symptomatic are you.

I think one of the hallmarks of autism is difficulty expressing yourself/understanding the emotions of others. In that respect, an online forum to talk about whatever the subject is, might be perfect for an autistic person. The subject is defined so there is no confusion. If you want to express yourself emotionally you can do that in writing. If you don't want to express yourself, you don't have to. Maybe that's why there is a perception of more autistic people on this forum.

Adisc has created an environment that's conducive to people opening up and discussing diaper wearing without fear. If the rest of the world was as free of judgement as adisc, we would probably see that there are autistic people everywhere with a wide range of interests.

Sorry but not everyone is on the spectrum, the autism spectrum is used to describe the different challenges and issues that those with autism experience and is specific for that, allistic's are not on the spectrum and the common "everyone is on the spectrum" trope just belittles and dismisses the fundemental difference and challenges that those with autism experience.

 

[Akura]

Preamble followed by sincere question:
In 38 years I have met maybe 5 people who have diagnosed ad/hd. In that same time I have met 2 with autism. My first job at 13 yrs old was on a farm that houses special needs ( ie schizophrenia, retardation, autism, cerebral palsy etc.)
I have never noticed, (either because they are good at hiding it or because they didn't have a draw to it) that ANY of those people, to this day have a diaper fetish or abdl status. That said. Since I've joined here I've noticed that like 50% of members here claim some sort of mental incapacity and seem to use it as a crutch to justify abdl status. So is adbl directly linked to a mental disorder? Is there sufficient evidence for me to claim I like diapers because something is amiss in my head? Is it pure coincidence? Sincerely, make sense of this. Please. Can't someone just like something without a secondary issue feeding it? I'm open to all responses. Although I'd bet alot of you will take this personally instead of having a real conversation. But I beg you, let's be real. Because I'm clearly as weird as the entire group! I wonder at times if im just too open and honest and realistic to be here. I feel like an outcast alot. Because I'm trying to be real and make a connection. But I feel like I'm at the lunch table alone. So. Enlighten me please.

Hey there!

I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was a child and I don't *think* I'd associate my love for nappies/me being a little with my ADHD. It may have played a part, possibly, although even without the diagnosis I do believe I'd still consider myself a DL/little. I was also a late potty trainer and continued wetting the bed well into my teens, numerous tests were done and nothing was medically (physically) wrong with me as I have asked my mum about it in the past (she doesn't know I'm a DL/little btw). Me being a late potty trainer/continuous bed wetter is certainly (100%) a contributing factor to me being a DL, paving the way for me to eventually explore little space. Relating to this, there MAY be some studies to suggest that children with ADHD struggle more with potty training/bedwetting. I say may because I honestly don't know, I'm only speculating. So I guess this is somewhat a link between ADHD, bedwetting and being a DL/little although I am unsure exactly how reliable this statement is without doing research/providing medical evidence.

Remember though, as others have said, it doesn't have to make sense. We're all here because we either have to wear diapers, enjoy wearing diapers, are little/AB etc and so on. It's what I love about this community, it's a melting pot of supportive people who are unique and awesome in their own way.

I will say that I have noticed wearing nappies and being in a little headspace has helped immensely with my PTSD and anxiety. Speaking from experience, being a DL/little is almost a way of 'healing' for me, although I fully get and understand this won't be true for everyone. That and my being a DL was there before my PTSD and mental trauma, this just happens to be a way of me coping and healing.

 

[denimchicken]

Sorry but not everyone is on the spectrum, the autism spectrum is used to describe the different challenges and issues that those with autism experience and is specific for that, allistic's are not on the spectrum and the common "everyone is on the spectrum" trope just belittles and dismisses the fundemental difference and challenges that those with autism experience.

My apologies. I didn't mean to be rude.

 

[Astro]

My apologies. I didn't mean to be rude.

That's okay I didn't take it as rude just trying to impart some knowledge on the subject. If you are interested in looking into it a bit more you wont have to look far online to find information on how problematic such phrases can be for the neurodivergent and largely disabled community can be but thanks for being understanding.

 

[LadyOfTintagel]

Simplest answer is that there are a lot of neurodivergent people on the Internet, and this is an ABDL site on the Internet.... so.

You're also more likely to find neurodivergent people seeking out online communities like this, in my experience. I think it makes more sense to wonder; does an ABDL community like this attract ABDL people who happen to be neurodivergent? Rather than, are autistic people ABDL?