Being a teenager can be a stressful time in life. There's the pressure of fitting in, preparing to get into college, going to prom, learning to drive. Now imagine if you also had to tell someone of the opposite sex that you have to wear diapers and plastic pants because you still wet the bed?
Teenagers can be very cruel when it comes to people being different. I think it's important for teenagers to be able to talk to other people with similar problems. There are many online support groups for various health problems and teenagers suffering from bed-wetting should take advantage of the many online health resources.
You can also start an online support group if you want. Many older children, adolescents, teenagers, and adults deal with bed-wetting every night so there are a lot of people who would be interested if you do decide to start a bed-wetting support group. On a related note, if you don't personally feel like starting an online support group for teenagers suffering from bed-wetting you can do a Google search for incontinence support groups and forums. Bed-wetting is a very common problem so it shouldn't be difficult finding a person you can talk to about this issue. There are also organizations that specialize in disseminating information about incontinence. Two of the major organizations that deal with incontinence are the Simon Foundation for Continence and the National Association for Continence. These organizations should be able to provide you with information about support groups for incontinence.
I think it would help if teenage celebrities(as well as adult celebrities) started talking about subjects such as bed-wetting-it would make it less taboo.
Right now I'd like to talk about one teen's experience with wearing cloth diapers and plastic pants. This person felt extremely self-conscious about wearing the garments. There are several aspects that made him feel babyish-the bulk of the diapers between the legs, the safety pins, and the crinkling sounds of the plastic pants. I thought I'd talk a little bit about because it's possible that many teenagers have similar feelings regarding wearing diapers and plastic pants for bed-wetting. I believe in this particular case it's possible to see the glass as half full. For example instead of viewing these attributes in a negative manner one can see them in a positive way. Instead of viewing the bulk of the diapers as a bad thing a person could see them in a positive way-thicker diapers are more absorbent and therefore they provide better protection.
This in turn will make the wearer feel more comfortable and secure. As far as the plastic pants are concerned it should be stressed to the teen that some plastic pants and disposable diapers make a rustling sound. Although many people are self conscious about this crackling sound the teenager should be reassured that since the product is only worn at night this shouldn't be a concern. However if the child or teen is sharing a bedroom with another sibling they might have some misgivings about this. If they do share a room with another sibling the parents need to tell the sibling in no uncertain terms that if they make fun of the bed-wetting or diapers and plastic pants they'll be punished. Finally, as far as the pins are concerned,these should be viewed no differently than other methods of fastening clothing such as buttons, zippers,or snaps. I hope this helps other teenagers who might be feeling embarrassed about wearing the diapers and plastic pants at night.
I also think it's important to be able to confide in people about this problem-whether a family member or relative, a teacher, or friend. Sometimes talking to people helps a great deal. It's important to be able to gauge the depth and quality of a person's friendship. There are some people who are real compassionate and understanding. These people are very accepting of other people's problems and they're easy to confide in. If you feel you have friends of this nature and if you're having difficulty coming to terms with wearing diapers to bed then you might want to consider discussing this with them. It's important to remember one thing-there are plenty of people of all ages who wet the bed so the next time you're getting ready for bed and putting on your diapers and plastic pants keep this in mind!
I am a psychology major who writes about the stigma surrounding using diapers to manage bedwetting with older children,adolescents,and teenagers. The purpose for writing these articles are to alleviate the stigma of older children and teenagers wearing diapers for bedwetting, to make parents aware of the different types of cloth diapers,plastic pants,and disposable diapers available to manage the bedwetting, and to offer strategies a parent can use to motivate and encourage an older child,adolescent, or teenager who feels embarrassed and ashamed about wearing diapers for bedwetting. In addition I write about other topics in this area.
