If ABDL was a recognized mental disorder in the DSM would you tell more people you're ABDL?

[flickpuppy]

Maybe so!

Mhmm, great minds think alike!

 

[killahB]

It would be war for me, autonomous weapons and all to guarantee my bodily autonomy and property rights. There are serious implications with personal liberties and human rights being permanently revoked when someone is considered to have a mental disorder. Are we saying that someone who likes wearing cute clothes shouldn't have guns, security clearance, respectable career etc? Oh hell no! Slinging that mental disorder label around has serious life ending implications for the accused and shouldn't be taken lightly.

Which brings up another topic about how BS it is that people who do have issues and want help cant get it without throwing their rights away for life. That needs to end. That mental disorder flag on your record for seeking voluntarily health care brands you for life and it shouldn't be that way.

This! 100% I can vouch from personal experience that trying to discuss mental health with the general public is dangerous at best. People hear that you have a diagnosis of depression and they start treating you like you are a danger to them. I can't imagine what people would think or how they would react if they found out that I like wearing diapers and cuddling a teddy bear to help cope with that depression.

 

[mistykitty]

This! 100% I can vouch from personal experience that trying to discuss mental health with the general public is dangerous at best. People hear that you have a diagnosis of depression and they start treating you like you are a danger to them. I can't imagine what people would think or how they would react if they found out that I like wearing diapers and cuddling a teddy bear to help cope with that depression.

Examples of what I cited in my first post, stigmatization. It's a real risk with stuff when documented. People learn that it's something that's diagnose and next thing you know they treat you like you have the world's new deadliest disease.

 

[Cashew]

Wouldn't call my appreciation for diapers and little things a disorder. Granted having a disorder is also nothing to be ashamed of. But in the morning, after I change and put on my big boy pants, I live an adult lifestyle for the next 10 hours or so. I choose to take time away from being my little self. I'm sure folks with mental disorders wish they could say the same thing.

 

[DiaperedTeddyBear]

It feels like that at the root of this poll is the idea that if ABDL were to be medicalized by being made a mental disorder that it would somehow be admissible or acceptable. Because we as ABDL folks just couldn't help it due to it being a mental disorder. Which in turn would bring about a public acceptance of ABDL as just another mental illness.

That is exactly why I asked the question, and you just explained it a lot better than I did. Sometimes labeling behavior makes it more socially acceptable because the label provides an explanation for the behavior. I'm more likely to cut the hyperactive kid some slack if I know he has ADHD, because I know that having ADHD makes it very difficult for him to concentrate.

Similarly, if a link between adverse childhood experiences and ABDL were established it would provide the general public with a good explanation for why we have such a strong desire to wear diapers. I think we would be more accepted if people would focus less on the diapers and more on what caused us to want to wear diapers in the first place.

 

[mistykitty]

That is exactly why I asked the question, and you just explained it a lot better than I did. Sometimes labeling behavior makes it more socially acceptable because the label provides an explanation for the behavior. I'm more likely to cut the hyperactive kid some slack if I know he has ADHD, because I know that having ADHD makes it very difficult for him to concentrate.

Similarly, if a link between adverse childhood experiences and ABDL were established it would provide the general public with a good explanation for why we have such a strong desire to wear diapers. I think we would be more accepted if people would focus less on the diapers and more on what caused us to want to wear diapers in the first place.

Ok, when put that way the idea makes a bit more sense. I can appreciate the idea better this way.

In that event if it were to get in the dsm to be recognized with the desired effect it would likely need to be recognized as a trauma disorder like ptsd because I think anything other then that would have the reverse effect. People understand trauma better then anything else and it would be the most accurate because many here including myself experienced some sort of trauma when young that imprinted this on us in the first place. So if people recognized it as a trauma disorder then maybe it would lessen the stigma a bit.

 

[Cashew]

That is exactly why I asked the question, and you just explained it a lot better than I did. Sometimes labeling behavior makes it more socially acceptable because the label provides an explanation for the behavior. I'm more likely to cut the hyperactive kid some slack if I know he has ADHD, because I know that having ADHD makes it very difficult for him to concentrate.

Similarly, if a link between adverse childhood experiences and ABDL were established it would provide the general public with a good explanation for why we have such a strong desire to wear diapers. I think we would be more accepted if people would focus less on the diapers and more on what caused us to want to wear diapers in the first place.

I know 100% what your saying. And I get why. Like I said having a disorder is nothing to be ashamed of. Many other non ABDL folks can agree with that. And I'm speaking just for myself. But it's not a disorder. Maybe things might be easier if we could say it was but things aren't supposed to be easy. Rather try and convince others not to judge than call my desires a mental health issue.

 

[Bigbabybret]

Well, i'm not ABDL, but i have plenty of disorders on file.

My thoughts are that it would not make anything better to have it in your medical file with a number along side of it.

I also think that people might actually take it the wrong way, like trying to get medical services for being an ABDL wich costs money in the system.

Lastly is why do people want to be classified in the first place?

I for one dont like being classified at all, and really have no desire to have that done, no do i look for it, i could do autisim testing and would likely have the diagnosis but why?

Everyone is different and should be tha way, and to be classified takes that away, and other than for reporting and/or using medications to help something i cant see any use for being classified as something where there is no drugs that need explaining or surgeries etc.

 

[Joeysms]

strong thought on the use of the word disorder. i in no way view or would want ABDL to be viewed as a disorder. that presents it as something very negative and it would not make it seen by the general public as a good thing. makes it sounds like something that needs to be treated and cured/managed. Mental Health professional already consider ABDL to be part of a person's make up/personality, so it is recognized. i believe a person can only accept and respect him or her self. whether acceptance and respect come from others that can't be an expectation. all one can do is put his or her best foot forward and be accept as the individual he or she is as a person and not part of a group.

 

[Belarin]

So I see a number of problems with this most of which have been brought up already.

• Starting with the point about it not being the same as a mental disorder for most, it's a simple life choice like how some guys like to wear smart suits even when in casual settings and others like tracksuits/casual wear, or how some bald people might choose to wear a wig and others don't.
  
  It is not a mental disorder unless it brings with it some kind of real impairment like being agoraphobic or anthrophobic unless you are wearing a diaper, something that means you are actually completely incapable of functioning in a "normal" way without diapers or ABDL things. and even then there are probably ways to support and correct that without the inclusion of ABDL and diapers, in which case they are more a coping mechanism than a cause.
  
  The vast majority of ABDL folk can operate basically normally without it and the few that can't probably have other issues that are causing problems for them.
  
  
• Secondly is the fact that if it were a recognised and commonly known disorder it wouldn't really change the publics opinion of it, it would still be weird and abnormal, even more so than most currently recognised disorders.
  
  Even Autism and ADHD etc. while very well known now by the world at large with much greater awareness and understanding of it by common folk is still not really given the acceptance it deserves, most people tend to give autistic people a wide berth. They may understand why an autistic person is the way they are but still don't want to involve themselves with that person, struggle to include them or simply find themselves uncomfortable around that person.
  
  
• Third is that fact that if it was a recognised disorder it could/would be managed the same way that many other disorders are whereby people with ABDL tendencies could be excluded from certain basic human rights, for instance someone with Alzheimer's may have someone with power of attorney for them able to make decisions even if that may go against what the person wants if they were clear minded.
  
  We have made great improvements to the rights of people with mental disorders over the years but there is a long way to go and people are still discriminated against, excluded from certain rights and choices, singled out and held back purely because of their condition.
  
  I've seen several stories for instance about people with Tourette's being removed from a cinema because their vocal ticks are causing a disturbance to the other patrons and making them uncomfortable. Imagine being ABDL sat in a cinema and asked to leave because the people sat next to you saw your diaper and complained that it makes them uncomfortable (highly unlikely but just an example of how mental disorders can be mistreated).
  
  
• Fourth is that it automatically assigns a negative connotation to ABDL in most peoples minds, people would assume there is something wrong with you that either needs fixing or can't be fixed. Similar to the first point there is nothing wrong with us we just like to wear different things and enjoy different activities to other people.

There are other problems with it but those are the big ones.

That said however if it was a recognised mental disorder, that was separate to what is already considered (i.e. fetishistic or sexual disorders), then depending on how it was defined and any suggested support/treatment options Yes I possibly would tell more people but only one or two i.e. my doctor and a therapist.

Basically because it would mean that those medical/mental support professionals would must have had some training and a greater understanding and acceptance of the ABDL lifestyle itself and would be more open and accepting to include that in discussions of mental health and wellbeing. perhaps even support in procuring diapers (i.e. VAT exemption).

I would however still much prefer people to think I was incontinent than having a mental disorder.

 

[Frungie]

It already COULD BE a diagnosis under Fetishistic Disorder, in fact diapers is given as an example in Diagnostic Features.

 

[Newbaby110521]

No one I know personally in my life is aware I’m ABDL and given the negativity and suspicion around it I prefer it that way but if it was a recognised condition would I tell anyone? I’m not sure I mean if it was seen as a mental illness I wouldn’t be so worried about letting people know. Some people know I have suffered from severe depression and as a whole society is way more accepting of mental health issues than it was but it was considered a physical disorder I’m not as sure.

 

[LittleAndAlone]

I don't think many people here understand the severity and number of rights and privileges they would be giving up for the rest of their lives by accepting and celebrating a mental disorder flag on their permanent medical record, just because they find diapers comfy.

 

[CrazySmoker]

ABDLs for vanilla folks are screwed. If is or not personality disorder by DSM isn't important at all.

 

[caitianx]

Being Autistic I am already seen to be a crazy dangerous homicidal nut case.
After the Sandy Hook Elementary School Massacre, there were calls to round up and imprison for life every single Autistic person like me throughout the United States in Concentration Camps.

 

[Floodingpants]

I'm glad ABDL is not classed as a disorder. I have worked as a mental health nurse for years and seen how people are treated. I think it is good to accept the special parts of ourselves and take delight in those things that comfort and give us happiness. There is already too much bad in this world. We need to learn to love ourselves and others. I can do a lot of loving wearing a diaper.

 

[PaKo66]

Certainly the opposite. I think it's counterproductive. We're always trying to prove that we're normal people, and a diagnosis would bring us another stigma and to the public another reason to fear us.

 

[60something]

The stigma of mental illness is about the same as being AB/DL. Being diagnosed with mental illness after being hospitalized, I can tell you the world takes a dim view. Believe me! nobody needs to know unless the circumstances absolutely require it. What that point is can only be decided by you. All the people that know me understand and hasn't changed a thing. All the flags go up if a new acquaintance finds out. You can see it in their eyes. A sort of "two steps back". The fact that even I don't feel comfortable telling them shows that I feel the spell of social stigma.

 

[huggiesthick]

I would say this is a hotly debated topic. It can be a mental disorder in some cases if it causes significant impact on a person's life or those around them. But for most of us, it's likely not. Best to consult a health care professional if it is causing you or those around you distress.

 

[LittleAndAlone]

Being Autistic I am already seen to be a crazy dangerous homicidal nut case.
After the Sandy Hook Elementary School Massacre, there were calls to round up and imprison for life every single Autistic person like me throughout the United States in Concentration Camps.

This is triggering my "come and take them" and "try it and see what happens" response so bad.