Is ABDL linked to childhood trauma?

[DiaperedBondageBoy]

I've heard many people suggest that ABDL may be linked to childhood trauma, and I'm wondering if that is true, at least to some extent. While it may not be the sole predictor of ABDL, I believe it may be a contributing factor to the development of this fetish. I was spanked with a belt as a kid, and it hurt like a motherfucker. I've heard of research linking spanking to trauma, and I think the spanking might have contributed to me being an ABDL.

What about you, though? Do you think ABDL might be linked to childhood trauma?

 

[SoftMichel]

This is definitely the case with me. I was also physically punished, with hard slapping and eventually with fists as I grew older. I was naturally a soft sensitive boy (weak) and my dad tried to toughen me up very early on (boxing, judo, etc.). I hated it. Looking back now, I can see I did not get the soft nurturing I so desperately needed. I have two psychologists working with me now who agree that my troubles stem from childhood Developmental trauma, which is very hard to treat. I go to bed now every night with my three dollies. I absolutely need them for bedtime and my Frequent panic attacks.

For me this is Definitely not a fetish. It is an emotional release.

 

[blaincorrous]

There’s some stories about childhood trauma, but the connotation of “trauma” tends to color that idea like it’s “victim of abuse” or something else negative. That’s not always the case. In fact, I’d hazard a guess from talking to people here that most ABDL people haven’t been abused, though they may have had a trauma that imprinted diapers as a coping mechanism.

There’s also a theory that proposes potty training as a trauma in and of itself.

Still, a large number of people will claim they came by their ABDL traits honestly or without any identifiable trauma. Generally, I encourage people not to obsess over finding their origin story too aggressively. If it helps you find acceptance in the present, great, but if it doesn’t, you’re still left with the task of finding acceptance some other way. And we can’t change the past, so your answer is probably in the present anyway.

And to acknowledge @SoftMichel, I don’t mean to minimize your trauma, because your experience is still valid, even if I’m rendering it as possibly in the minority.

 

[littledreamers333]

probably

 

[SoftMichel]

There’s some stories about childhood trauma, but the connotation of “trauma” tends to color that idea like it’s “victim of abuse” or something else negative. That’s not always the case. In fact, I’d hazard a guess from talking to people here that most ABDL people haven’t been abused, though they may have had a trauma that imprinted diapers as a coping mechanism.

There’s also a theory that proposes potty training as a trauma in and of itself.

Still, a large number of people will claim they came by their ABDL traits honestly or without any identifiable trauma. Generally, I encourage people not to obsess over finding their origin story too aggressively. If it helps you find acceptance in the present, great, but if it doesn’t, you’re still left with the task of finding acceptance some other way. And we can’t change the past, so your answer is probably in the present anyway.

And to acknowledge @SoftMichel, I don’t mean to minimize your trauma, because your experience is still valid, even if I’m rendering it as possibly in the minority.

Thank you for the acknowledgement. Odd thing, I don't see myself as being a victim of abuse. I know that my dad (and mum) were just doing the best they could. They had their own emotional and cultural intergenerational trauma to deal with. Such as their own childhood physical punishment, catholic nuns/priest abuse, poverty, etc. My personal and family history is complex, I really cannot go over it here.

 

[blaincorrous]

Thank you for the recognition. Odd thing, I don't see myself as being a victim of abuse. I know that my dad (and mum) were just doing the best they could. They had their own emotional and cultural intergenerational trauma to deal with. Such as their own childhood physical punishment, catholic nuns/priest abuse, poverty, etc. My history is complex, I really cannot go over it here.

No need to expand on your history. You’ve said quite a lot with that already, and I think I understand. And as for the violence it sounds like you experienced, you’ve clearly done a lot of work on yourself to recognize the chain of abuse/trauma. Hurt people hurt people, as the saying goes, but I have a particular bone to pick with trauma connected to religion.

I’m sending you and your younger self love and appreciation. If I’m reading your story the right way, I see you being capable of great resilience, and you should be proud of that. ❤️

 

[Zeke]

While I’m not an ABDL I am a PPL (plastic pants lover) and have come to be a DL since becoming dual ic. I’ve been a PPL as far back as I can remember. The senior citizen babysitter that I had from age 1 through 5 caught me wearing PP under my short pants when I was using her restroom for an inordinately long time at about age 4. That was something that stuck with me for over 60 years now. My father was a Korean Conflict Marine sergeant and him and my mother were both believers in corporal punishment and it was still practiced in primary and secondary school when I attended, something that I’m thankful for or I would’ve ended up being a real brat. Dad would always send me to my room when I was in trouble and then wait to come in until he had cooled down so I wasn’t spanked out of anger. I did the same with our children until they got to about age 8 and they never seemed to do anything that called for spanking after that. So it’s not trauma that caused me to form my mental attachment to PP. But I do remember sitting on the heating vent in my bedroom wearing the PP, that mom had gotten for my bed wetting, against my bare tushie and feeling them reaching the yield point, due to the heat, and loving the feeling. As to why this affinity for PP has been a part of me for 2/3rds of a century I truly have no clue, but it has stuck with me through the years even at times when I tried my best to shake it.

 

[YakuiAndOzoi]

Based on my personal social experience, I would imagine there is some sort of link between some level of childhood trauma / abuse and having the whole spectrum of "ageplay" kinks / interests. With all that said, ABDL is extremely expansive as it is and, as @blaincorrous pointed out here (and I agree with basically the entirety of both his posts in this thread so far), the nature of what trauma is or could be is extremely expansive:

There’s some stories about childhood trauma, but the connotation of “trauma” tends to color that idea like it’s “victim of abuse” or something else negative. That’s not always the case. In fact, I’d hazard a guess from talking to people here that most ABDL people haven’t been abused, though they may have had a trauma that imprinted diapers as a coping mechanism.

There’s also a theory that proposes potty training as a trauma in and of itself.

 

[TexHagrid]

My counselor would say they’re linked for me.

Abusive stepdad when I was prepubescent. My counselor says that the diapers represent a “cover.” ie: a means of trying to shield myself from the childhood trauma.

 

[PinkyJujubean]

As for me, I definitely think so. I've lived a life that can best be described as a combination of very rough but also fun and exciting in many ways. I do this partially to feel safe. But I'm a baby pretty much all the time when I'm home. I think for me this isn't so much for therapeutic reasons. It is to some degree because I feel safe and I don't feel like I'm gonna cry when I'm a baby. It's my natural personality I think. Also this is my way of resting and relaxing after a lifetime of fun and severe trauma.

 

[Nowididit]

It's all speculation. Truth is no one knows what triggers one to be an ABDL. There simply just isn't enough studies done on the matter.

 

[TabaCrate]

I find the theory of Dylan Lewis (many books) quite interesting (and seems valid for me).
He says that it might be an Attachment Deficit during early ages. It doesn't mean your parents were not good, just that your expectations were not inline with the reality. But there are plenty of kids with attachment deficit.
So a second event created a link with ABDL.

My case: mother that was more education oriented than "unconditional love" I was expecting. Good mother, I have good life but always felt educated and not loved.... Then at approx 3-3.5, I fully remember my best frind (15 months smaller) being diapered in the evening in front of me and me whishing I could be at his place... There was so much love in this action...

I think, this sent me to the ABDL world... At least, this is satisfactory for me!

 

[diapered30something]

Yeah, I think that likelihood is pretty high. It is in my case

 

[hti24]

I don't know about "trauma," but right after I was potty trained I was hospitalized for two months and forced back into diapers. My DL side certainly emerged from that hospital stay: after it was over I was totally bummed about not being able to wear diapers anymore and began desperately trying to find some to wear. I didn't become a full-fledged ABDL for another 20 years, but those original urges certainly stem back to that hospital stay.

 

[Hemix]

It can help getting hook to ABDL, but it doesn't necessarily have to be a reason for that to happen.

For example, when I was very little, I got the bathroom door opened while I was pooping, helping me develop a fetish to pooping.

However, I also discovered that I love the softness from diapers and I like some ABDL stuff, so it's possible I would have liked diapers anyway.

I don't know if I was clear, but in my case, the trauma wasn't the reason, but a trigger that encouraged me to give it a try.

 

[Brumas94]

As suggested by others, trauma is a wide-ranging descriptor. Both physical trauma and emotional trauma could be elements of the 'why'. As humans we are naturally curious and over time become reflective, seeking answers to all sorts of questions both about ourselves, the wider world and beyond. Its natural to seek our own explanations and equally valid to factor in traumatic experiences the degree of which will be unique.
In my own case my earliest memories of desire for plastic pants was about 3.5 or maybe 4; I know it was early as we moved house in my 4th year and the visual images of the surroundings are imprinted. My mother decided she needed to do a sort of ceremony to mark the fact I no longer needed nappies day or night. In the living room she stood on one side and I on the other. As she ripped up all the plastic pants as I guess cut up the nappies - as they ended up as dusters for years after - I felt really sad. For a number of years after I went to the bottom drawer of the chest in which they had been kept in the hope of finding some that had been missed. Unsurprisingly without success. This post-dates a period at about 2 years old when my mother was away for an operation for about 6 weeks and it is possible, indeed my 'truth', that I transferred my instinctive need for affection to my baby items like plastic pants. Transitional Object Attraction Theory developed by Dr Winnacot in the 1950s is worth a look.

 

[LittleScotty]

I wouldn't say it was linked to any childhood "trauma" but certainly my experiences as a child without doubt is a the main reason I'm m am ABDL. I developed some unknown psychological issues with using toilets after being potty trained for about two years. I regressed and starting trying to try and stop myself from having to use the toilet, holding my pee in as much as I could until inevitably I wet myself. As a result of that I saw a child psychologist for many years to try and resolve it but it led to me wearing nappies and pull ups until I was 10 years old.

I wouldn't say it was trauma. My parents were great, as was my sister. They tried make me feel like other kid albeit I did miss out on a few things like school trips and sleep overs at friends.

 

[Lyric]

I have little doubt that one or more events experienced during childhood contribute to adult ABDL behavior, and some sort of trauma may well have been a precursor for some. In my case, I don't recall any thing like childhood abuse, physical or psychological. But I did wet my bed until well into my teens and had to wear diapers until I stopped bedwetting. Wearing diapers and rubber pants and wetting in them throughout puberty when my first sexual feeling began was most certainly a prominent factor in causing me to become an ABDL, especially the DL side of it. Lastly, growing up with my mom who was so close and loving, treated me like her baby boy and pinned my diapers on me every night, tucked me in and cuddled me every night after diapering me and then getting me up every morning before school to take my wet diapers off, clean me and help me get ready for school and never complaining or criticizing me for wetting my bed and needing to wear diapers when no one else my age or my younger sisters still wore diapers was a major factor in my desires to continue to wear diapers for fun and recreation, as well as for stress reduction. Diapers became a substitute for having my mom around to take care of me.

 

[Abdlchriscrinkle]

Definitely not the case for me, I had an amazing childhood, with very loving and caring parents that taught me great values and gave me lots of attention.
No trauma whatsoever to speak of.
Yet here I am as an IC/DL.

 

[nwm]

This seems to be an ages old question - and something tells me it will never really be totally answered.
My personal conclusion is that it may well be a contributing factor, but NOT an actual outright cause.

Now in my particular case - yes there were various physical punishments, but nothing that I would call abuse, and even less so when you consider the time and location (within the country - we did move around a lot). Basically such things seemed pretty normal almost everywhere (and there were distinctions to separate that from actual abuse). I do recall the farther east we ended up, the less acceptable/more strictly regulated and enforced that got.

HOWEVER - there was a rare issue with my eyes discovered at about 6months old (glaucoma - in itself not THAT rare, but it is to be born with it so...) - then a few years later, IC issues caused by nerve damage was discovered. And more and more just seemed to keep showing up. That did eventually slow down - but actually never totally stopped coming until I was 25. (CP was eventually DXed at 18, that explained not all, but a lot of issues that previously had no known cause - 25 was when Menieres showed it's ugly head - that is a rare hearing and balance disorder, and that likely would not have been found if it weren't for suddenly not having any useful hearing in my right ear. Had been getting extremely dizzy for no apparent reason for years, but without the loss of hearing to go with it, no one seemed to be able to even guess).
Growing up - in an effort to try to make things a little easier on myself and others, I did have quite a few objects (on top of diapers) around that actually had medical sounding names (don't bother asking what they were called - WAY to long ago to remember, and not short names) - knowing what I do now - basically they were AB items, just with a fancy name, and slightly different shapes, ex. (Like for example, a square shaped bottle - because I had major issues gripping anything round, and seemed to just constantly spill any liquid unless the flow was pretty restricted - even then I would drop it a LOT, but at least it stayed in the container instead of going all over the place that way).

So I guess you could say there was a certain amount of trauma just constantly finding all these medical issues, lots of them with no known reason for at the time. But then you also had all those item around like forever, so to use them nbd, always had pretty much, just had a slightly different look, but the function was the same.
BUT even with all that, I don't think AB ever really came out, and may not have at all if it were not for this girl I took a liking to in my early teens - but that is a whole story in itself, and already explained in some detail in a different (pretty old) post.