Every time I think about buying diapers at the store i feel like they Are gonna make fun of me I have social anxiety and cant buy em can you guys please give me tips on it
It’s simply a matter of reframing. Admittedly, the first few times, it’s going to be embarrassing no matter what, but that’s only because we’re viewing the situation from our own biased perspective: WE know the diapers are for us and WE know what we’ll be using the diapers for and that’s how WE are inevitably seeing the transaction. It takes a little while until we can finally realize that not only do THEY not know the diapers are for us and THEY don’t know what we’ll be using the diapers for, they honestly don’t care.
One of my first jobs was working as a cashier at Target and that really helped me when it came to buying in public. I’d scan thousands of items per day, and adult diapers were regularly one of them. Of course I noticed it because that’s what I’m into, but if I wasn’t into it, I’d have paid it no mind whatsoever. Let’s say for example that somebody had an enema fetish - gross (to me), I know, but maybe they have the same feelings of embarrassment having to buy them at the store. If you were to ask me if I sold any enemas and to whom I sold them, I couldn’t answer because I’m sure I did, but as I don’t ever think about enemas, it never stuck out to me as I sold them. It’s the same thing with diapers because the general public doesn’t think about them like we do. It’s just one of thousands of products they sell each day: your particular pack of diapers won’t be their first and it won’t be their last.
I’ve bought so many diapers at the store over the years - including trips where I bought only a pack of diapers - and have never had any sort of weird look or comment, mostly because if they make fun of you for any purchase (ESPECIALLY sensitive healthcare items), they would be fired. I guarantee the only thing going through their minds as they check you out is just wondering how long it is until their lunch break. Once you look at the situation from their perspective, it gets so much easier to buy in public.
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I just tell myself that no one really cares that you’re buying diapers, might be a bit awkward if you run into people you know but that’s pretty much it.
I also find it quite a thrill to be purchasing diapers in a big box store.
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Buying diapers in store is always anxiety inducing, though once you step out of that store, the anxiety quickly turns into exhilaration.
Just do it, you won’t regret it!
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Simple: Order them online. Store brand diapers are terrible at not leaking so you’d have the added bonus of getting a much higher quality diaper for your money instead of leaks ruining your experience. I wish I’d known to steer clear of store brands when I started buying diapers. I’d recommend anything from here instead: https://us.abuniverse.com/
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I use the self service checkouts and always have my earphones in with some tunes playing.
You’d be surprised as to how the distraction of the music enables you to do things you may not otherwise have done.
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Nobody will. And if they do, that’s their problem. Setiously, you need them for some reason.
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I spent a long time telling myself that it’s nobodies business what I buy before I would go into stores with no imbarasment. But if it’s really that hard for you, I would suggest making 2 different transactions and paying 2 separate ways so it looks like you are picking them up for someone else.
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There’s nothing really left on the UK highstreet to buy from a shop: Boots have gone cloth-backed and 90% of little non-chain pharmacies only carry the breathable Tenas (Yep again they’re CB) …meaning it’s been a while!!
That said (pre-amble over) just try to act like it’s not phasing you, I’ve used a few times “The family has sent muggins to get these for another family member, there goes my street-cred’!!” …sorry to say there’s always going to be diffrent kinds of proddy folk, one serving girl who looked in her mid-30s (I’m nearly 30) saw straight through that excuse that I just layed out saying “It really is nothing to be ashamed though.” I didn’t quite know how to re-act, she was good-looking and - I’m gonna say it - seemed born-female-in-right-body. I think I made a slightly side-lining quip about how also long-play console gamers had been nappying up for years and after sharing a kind of funny old world style shrug I left relativly quickly!!!
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- Okay, you’ve put some thought into this!! Then you can play a ‘seperate (transaction) reciets’ move!!!
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I’ve heard so many bizarre things along this line over the years, whether it’s buying diapers in a separate transaction or buying diapers with a birthday/retirement card to make it look like a gag gift or even making a joking comment about having to buy diapers, but personally, I think it’s best not to draw any sort of extra attention to them whatsoever. Honestly, the best and most direct way is just to buy them without notice is simply to buy them. Just rip the Band-Aid off, so to speak. Having to add an extra step in making a separate transaction only makes the cashier more attentive to what it is you’re buying.
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Sorry. I should have also added that people care less then you think about what’s in your cart. They are either concerned with their own shopping trip or they are just doing a job.
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I feel the same way myself now but, they are uncomfortable with that idea
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Repetition. When you do sonething long enough, it loses such significance.
That and buying diapers outside of your typical neighborhood. 
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I haven’t seen good diapers in a store in a long time. I have to buy all on line.
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Like many, when I was In my teens through 20s, I was also shy about buying adult diapers in stores. However I had no problem buying baby diapers or Goodnites, since I didn’t think anyone would realize they were for me. Other than experimenting with various box store brands, I ended up buying most my adult diapers from a local medical supply store. I knew the people there would not ask why I was buying them and at least once were helpful in suggesting what size pull-ups to buy. To prevent sagging with pull-ups they recommended buying the smallest size I could fit into.
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I never felt imbarraced buying diapers. If anything was said you can say they are for a grandparent. But nobody will ask. I was more imbarreced buying condom as a teen.
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have to agree with this, though I’ve never purchased Goodnites in the store. Given my build, I do feel like people might judge, but, hey we all have a little social anxiety. Baby diapers are super easy to purchase, even if someone looks in the basket, all they’ll see is a brand, they can’t tell if they’re size N or 7, and even if they were, you could be a older sibling, a parent, picking up items for a busy neighbor, buying a pack to donate, etc.
As others have said, cashiers really dont care, they just want to scan what they have on their conveyor belt as fast as possible and move you out of the store/keep the line flowing.
If you’re worried you might run into someone, think of how small the odds would be that they would be in that store in that aisle, at the same moment of the same day. I find that shopping in a place a little out of my area helps, or going to a store chain that’s not one I frequent and has a self scanner. I was using reusable grocery bags (some are from a pediatric hospital my mother used to work at, and I think people seeing the logo/name, it would’ve looked like I was buying them for work), but that turned out to be the most anxious part, that I think drew too much attention to myself as not too many people seem to be using them as of late
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I bought goodnites one time at target like 2 or 3 years ago. I just put on my headphones and listened to some music and added the pack to my other stuff in my cart. I was extremely nervous even while using the self-checkout. However, it was a pretty painless experience overall. Putting on headphones really helped to distract myself from paying attention to anyone around me. I also use the headphone strategy when buying alcohol since I still feel weird purchasing it. It helps a lot!
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if you want to overcome the embarrassment of buying diapers in store you’ve got to except that it’s all in your head, the only person that cares or will even notice you’re buying diapers is yourself. Other people don’t care you’re buying diapers and that’s the great thing. Good luck
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