Concerned About A Friend / Concerned About A Friend's Influence On Me / Question
Published: January 9, 2003
Dear TeenHealthFX,
My friend, who is 13, purposely wets the bed and his parents buy him the teen diapers. He says he likes to wear them and it turns him on. Is it considered Infantilism, or is it just a phase? Please help, I am concerned. He wants me to start wearing them too. What should I do?
Signed: Infantilism?
Dear Infantilism?,
Infantilism may be defined as "a state of arrested development in an adult, characterized by a retention of infantile mentality; Extreme immaturity, as in behavior."
Your friend's behavior, although out of the ordinary in some respects, does not sound like it puts him in that category. Bedwetting is actually a very common problem that can persist into the teen years. What sounds unusual is your description of the deliberate nature of his bed wetting and his fixation with wearing protective undergarments. Both could possibly be an attempt to get attention on his part. If his bedwetting is actually unintentional, he may be feeling very embarrassed about it and simply acting out.
It is also possible that your friend has what is called a "fetish" related to wearing diapers. A fetish is a fixation on an inanimate object or body part that is not primarily sexual in nature. There is a compulsive need to use the object in order to gain sexual gratification. There are many people who have fetishes - as long as nobody is being harmed in any way, and the fetish does not prevent that person from having normal relationships, then there is usually nothing to be overly concerned about. If, on the other hand, the fetish begins to take over normal behavior, then it may be time to consult a professional therapist for assistance.
The most important thing you need to do right now is to be a good friend and be supportive of his problem. Certainly you do not have to wear diapers along with him, but can let him know that you are there for him and are not judging him harshly.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
Teens often abuse prescription drugs because of the myth that these drugs provide a medically safe high.
