I suppose I'm a bit of an odd bird

carol · Aug 11, 2018

I came for the diaper reviews, and stayed for the resulting curious fascination with the ABDL community, though being fairly sure(?) I'm not AB or DL myself. Go figure. Maybe you folks could help me with this riddle.

I'm glad to be here -- hello. As far as my interests are concerned, they are many, but music and politics and spirituality are big ones. My taste in music is eclectic and I play some instruments as a hobby. I especially love the harp.

My trip down this internet rabbit hole started with my neurological issues. (Among other things, going over a cliff without a parachute is not something I'd recommend for spine health.) Anyway, I was in need of finding a true high-absorbency diaper for nighttime and learned about this community because of the excellent reviews I found.

I was at first just interested in reviews of medical products I already knew of, but then was absolutely blown away by the fact that (1) juvenile-themed printed adult diapers were things that existed, and (2) they are custom-designed and made in factories, and (3) they are apparently the best quality out there.

So apparently "AB/DL" is a thing? And a huge thing? Enough of a thing to support an industry? Wow. I became intrigued by this phenomenon. And I came to love learning about this community and its wonderful people.

I'll leave it there before I write a book at you. I'd love to hear back from you folks. Thanks!

Elenwen · Aug 11, 2018

Hi! Welcome and I hope you feel comfortable here!.. I don't really know anything about you or your situation, but I hope, that whatever reasons led you to the community are only temporary.
Anyway, there are actually lots of people, who discover ABDL like you did. It was similar for me, as well. Although I immediately became a devoted DL, as soon as I learned such thing existed. [emoji38]
Anyway, welcome again!

Kashmir · Aug 11, 2018

Welcome have fun

ESPF · Aug 12, 2018

Hello Carol,
Welcome to the yellow side... And may the farce be with you.

carol · Aug 12, 2018

Elenwen said:
I don't really know anything about you or your situation, but I hope, that whatever reasons led you to the community are only temporary.

Well, I have multiple medical issues going on, and one of them did improve temporarily, which improved the incontinence for a while, but it's now back to where it was.

Elenwen said:
... Although I immediately became a devoted DL, as soon as I learned such thing existed.

As for "what I am" with respect to this community, I don't know. I do know that I really appreciate the excellent information on diapers that I've found here. Finding the right product has really helped my day-to-day living. (I absolutely detest leaks.)

Regarding AB, I'm intrigued by the phenomenon but not interested in doing it myself. (So maybe I'm a latent "caregiver"?).

Regarding DL, it feels good to be mostly free of the leak/accident phobia -- that takes a lot of stress off. But beyond that I don't "love" diapers. I hate dealing with changing, etc., though it's okay while just wearing one. I especially hate putting on the taped ones I have to wear at night, but I'm working on that. The technology behind these products is pretty cool though.

So why am I here, beyond just appreciating the good information on high-quality diapers? I don't know, but somehow I find the AB thing (completely non-sexually) fascinating , though I'm quite sure I'm not one myself.

Elenwen · Aug 12, 2018

carol said:
Well, I have multiple medical issues going on, and one of them did improve temporarily, which improved the incontinence for a while, but it's now back to where it was.

As for "what I am" with respect to this community, I don't know. I do know that I really appreciate the excellent information on diapers that I've found here. Finding the right product has really helped my day-to-day living. (I absolutely detest leaks.)

Regarding AB, I'm intrigued by the phenomenon but not interested in doing it myself. (So maybe I'm a latent "caregiver"?).

Regarding DL, it feels good to be mostly free of the leak/accident phobia -- that takes a lot of stress off. But beyond that I don't "love" diapers. I hate dealing with changing, etc., though it's okay while just wearing one. I especially hate putting on the taped ones I have to wear at night, but I'm working on that. The technology behind these products is pretty cool though.

So why am I here, beyond just appreciating the good information on high-quality diapers? I don't know, but somehow I find the AB thing (completely non-sexually) fascinating , though I'm quite sure I'm not one myself.

For me being a DL means, I guess, accepting my situation. I always saw diapers just as something necessary and normal, but then there was ABDL and I thought, if I'm already doing this, why not enjoy it? Then, over some time I actually developed a liking for related pictures, stories, etc...

And... Umm... Sorry for prying, but why do you hate changing, especially for the night?

carol · Aug 12, 2018

Elenwen said:
... I thought, if I'm already doing this, why not enjoy it? Then, over some time I actually developed a liking for related pictures, stories, etc...

I've enjoyed learning about diapers and that industry (but then again I like researching anything) so that's been fun. After becoming ABDL-aware I've even tried doing a few AB things to see if I like it, wondering if I may actually be AB, but it definitely wasn't my thing. With maybe one exception...

Background: For some reason, even though I'm on the older side, people have given me stuffed animals as gifts over the years, even though I've never asked for such a thing. I often keep them displayed as mementos. Anyway, I recently tried taking them to bed, and I do actually like it -- it's a nice thing to hold on to when sleeping alone. But some non-AB adults sometimes do that too, I think, so who knows if that means anything.

Elenwen said:
And... Umm... Sorry for prying, but why do you hate changing, especially for the night?

Being incontinent and wearing/changing diapers isn't nearly as gross as I thought it would be before I had this issue. For instance you can keep the odor down to nearly nothing, if you know what to do. However, even then, I don't like dealing with things that are the least bit icky.

The thing about changing before bed is that I find putting on a taped diaper (which I need) to be aggravating. It's tricky and annoying for me to do it correctly for some reason.

The other reason is that at night I go from being awake to super-tired very quickly. At bedtime I really just want to crash on the bed. So, doing this annoying task takes a lot of willpower most nights.

Elenwen · Aug 12, 2018

carol said:
But some non-AB adults sometimes do that too, I think, so who knows if that means anything.

I don't think it does, really. I do it too, sometimes and for me it has nothing to do with AB, it's just comforting and nice... I do end up throwing my mouse across the room (well, just off the bed, actually) by morning, though, so it's just something to hold on to when falling asleep.

carol said:
The thing about changing before bed is that I find putting on a taped diaper (which I need) to be aggravating. It's tricky and annoying for me to do it correctly for some reason.

You will learn to do it quickly and efficiently in some time. It's actually very easy, once you get all the little tricks.

carol said:
At bedtime I really just want to crash on the bed. So, doing this annoying task takes a lot of willpower most nights.

Yes, I know that feeling, too... And I sometimes lack this willpower. But I still live with my mom and she kind of checks on me before bed and either awakens me or (that's super rare, only when I'm so tired I don't respond at all, I know only of about 4 times like this since primary school) changes me herself.
I'll need to find someone to keep an eye on me, when I decide to move out... [emoji6]

carol · Aug 12, 2018

Elenwen said:
I do end up throwing my mouse across the room (well, just off the bed, actually) by morning, though, so it's just something to hold on to when falling asleep.

Haha, my biggest stuffie is a mouse. I favor him and my big chicken.

Elenwen said:
You will learn to do it quickly and efficiently in some time. It's actually very easy, once you get all the little tricks.

I started wearing a taped diaper every night about a year ago. (Before that I used pull-ons as a back-up and went to the bathroom multiple times each night.) Maybe I don't know the tricks, or maybe I'm too much of a perfectionist. If you don't do it properly you can leak and I really, really hate that... so I want to get it just right.

From earlier:

Elenwen said:
For me being a DL means, I guess, accepting my situation. I always saw diapers just as something necessary and normal, but then there was ABDL and I thought, if I'm already doing this, why not enjoy it? Then, over some time I actually developed a liking for related pictures, stories, etc...

What do you enjoy about it? Or in other words, what does a DL like yourself do that other IC people don't?

You mentioned pictures and stories... AB? DL? What are they about?

Elenwen · Aug 12, 2018

carol said:
What do you enjoy about it? Or in other words, what does a DL like yourself do that other IC people don't?

You mentioned pictures and stories... AB? DL? What are they about?

Hm... I don't know... I guess it's about how wearing a diaper feels or something like that... Before I discovered ABDL, I didn't give changing or wearing much thought, but after it kind of became pleasant, I think. Like, I take out a fresh diaper, open it, fasten the tapes and it all kind of feels nice... I don't know, it's like I even get some kind of positive charge as I do it.

Well, pictures are pretty self-explanatory, I think. Just different cute pictures of diapered people. There are photos, but I prefer drawn ones. Like, in anime style.
And stories... Most stories are, indeed, AB, but I don't really like those. There are very rare, very good stories, that have diaper stuff in them and it feels like it's all right there.

carol · Aug 12, 2018

Thanks for welcoming me so warmly to the site. I'll bug you one more time.

Elenwen said:
... I guess it's about how wearing a diaper feels or something like that... Before I discovered ABDL, I didn't give changing or wearing much thought, but after it kind of became pleasant, I think. Like, I take out a fresh diaper, open it, fasten the tapes and it all kind of feels nice... I don't know, it's like I even get some kind of positive charge as I do it.

You know, that I can relate to somewhat. It's great feeling nice and dry after changing. Also, (probably due to past embarrassing accidents and clean-up) I feel stress/anxiety these days when I'm not in a diaper. So the feeling of being "padded" makes me feel secure to where I can relax and get a sense of comfort, even though I don't like dealing with this overall. [Edit: I should add that there are no sexual feelings at all associated with this.] Maybe that's enough to consider myself DL (?).

Finally, after talking to you a while, I'm curious as to how you became incontinent, if it's okay of me to ask.

For me there are multiple contributing factors, but the main one is an injury that I got from an accident while hiking. Basically, I fell off a cliff. It left me with neurological damage that is slowly worsening. But I still have partial daytime control on most days.

Elenwen · Aug 12, 2018

carol said:
Finally, after talking to you a while, I'm curious as to how you became incontinent, if it's okay of me to ask.

It's OK.
No one seems to know the reason, but it started when I was around four years old and I was gradually moving back to bedwetting, to daytime accidents etc. By the time I went to school, I had virtually no conscious control and later the feeling was also almost gone.
As later tests showed, some nerves in bladder area deteriorated, leaving my bladder functional, but impossible to control. So it's acting on it's own, usually holding up to some, relatively small amount, then releasing, but sometimes also free-flowing or retaining liquid, until it actually starts getting somewhat uncomfortable.
They think it's due to long term exposure to low levels of radiation, but that's merely an assumption.

pampers47 · Aug 12, 2018

welcome carol, I hope you enjoy your time here.

carol · Aug 12, 2018

Thanks y'all for being so welcoming. Yes, this looks like an interesting place, to be sure.

Andrewgdfw · Aug 12, 2018

from an accident while hiking. Basically, I fell off a cliff. It left me with neurological damage that is slowly worsening. But I still have partial daytime control on most days.[/QUOTE]

-------------------

and mine when I fell off a step ladder! same results.

littlemoosey · Aug 12, 2018

Welcome Carol, your avitar is perfect! It certainly depicts a curious "you".

carol · Aug 12, 2018

Andrewgdfw said:
and mine when I fell off a step ladder! same results.

Yikes, that sucks. Doesn't take much to change your life or even kill you.

I'm just pleased I fell so far without dying. I don't mind the pain and functional issues and IC, when you consider the alternative.

- - - Updated - - -

littlemoosey said:
Welcome Carol, your avitar is perfect! It certainly depicts a curious "you".

Haha, I didn't even think of that, but you're right! I'm most definitely of the curious sort.

Actually I just used it because trash-pandas are so cute. Except the one that tried to attack me, but that's another story.

Elenwen · Aug 12, 2018

carol said:
Actually I just used it because trash-pandas are so cute. Except the one that tried to attack me, but that's another story.

All pandas are cute, no matter what! [emoji209]
No more panda discrimination! [emoji1]

Anyway, welcome again and I hope you stay here!

Safariwolf · Aug 13, 2018

carol said:
I came for the diaper reviews, and stayed for the resulting curious fascination with the ABDL community, though being fairly sure(?) I'm not AB or DL myself. Go figure. Maybe you folks could help me with this riddle.

I'm glad to be here -- hello. As far as my interests are concerned, they are many, but music and politics and spirituality are big ones. My taste in music is eclectic and I play some instruments as a hobby. I especially love the harp.

My trip down this internet rabbit hole started with my neurological issues. (Among other things, going over a cliff without a parachute is not something I'd recommend for spine health.) Anyway, I was in need of finding a true high-absorbency diaper for nighttime and learned about this community because of the excellent reviews I found.

I was at first just interested in reviews of medical products I already knew of, but then was absolutely blown away by the fact that (1) juvenile-themed printed adult diapers were things that existed, and (2) they are custom-designed and made in factories, and (3) they are apparently the best quality out there.

So apparently "AB/DL" is a thing? And a huge thing? Enough of a thing to support an industry? Wow. I became intrigued by this phenomenon. And I came to love learning about this community and its wonderful people.

I'll leave it there before I write a book at you. I'd love to hear back from you folks. Thanks!

Hi and welcome I'm so glad to hear that you have been receiving helpful information from us all the ab\dl community is amazing and very friendly hope you enjoy your time here

Writerbehindtheblock · Aug 17, 2018

Carol, you are my hero. You fell off a cliff, while hiking?! And you're still with us, we are so glad you are. I hope to hear more of your awesome stories.