Incontinence is No Joke

Disclosure

The kids are into jokes these days. Not practical jokes, they leave that to their dad. We’re talking riddles, knock-knock and logic jokes. They’ve been sharing ones they read in books or heard at school while Scott and I have been presenting them with ones we remember. It’s fun and always good for a laugh (or an eye roll.) One of my favorites is the riddle of the Sphinx. “”What is the creature that walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon and three in the evening?” The kids stole my luster because they already knew the answer: Man.

I remember when I first learned that riddle. My perception of what the three different stages in life represented is much different than my perception now. Perception is a funny thing, isn’t it? When I was younger I remember thinking how babies were helpless and needy while the elderly could be classified mostly the same with the addition of wisdom. Everything in the middle represented strength. Yeah. I was younger then. As I grow older and wiser, I see the strengths of the generations before me as well as weakness of my generation and others in the “walks on two legs” stage can be.

As I continue to recognize the strength of of my community of friends, I have started to open up (both online and offline) about my trials and tribulations in life. As a result, I’ve found that I am far from alone. Others have issues, too. Some more severe than mine, some not as much. I’ve bonded with people who experienced infertility and miscarriage, suffered from gall bladder disease, suffer from asthma, had children who were bullied, individuals who felt lost and lonely for one reason or another and those who have incontinence issues. We may be walking on two legs, but we certainly are far from perfect. FAR from perfect – no matter our age.

One of the most common medical issues I hear people talking about (now that I’m listening) is incontinence. It’s something that has been an issue for me to some degree for as long as I can remember. I’m not alone. Women of all ages experience difficulties and many can attribute it to motherhood while others connect it with diabetes. Jumping jacks, laughing, coughing, sneezing and even running can all be triggers for a little leakage. Over 51 million American women experience bladder leakage. That’s 1 in 3 American women. In most cases, we are talking about minor leakage, but anything is enough to cause embarrassment when we aren’t prepared. There’s no reason people should be afraid to find solutions for the problems that plague them. Remember, we’re FAR from perfect and chances are that someone you know experiences the same problems that you do. To support the over 51 million women who experience bladder leakage, the Depend brand is introducing Depend Silhouette Active Fit briefs. It’s a thin design with a lower rise to provide an underwear-like look, fit and feel. Jumping jacks, running, trip to the store, watching a funny movie… it’s all possible with less concern.

If you’re wondering how big and bulky it is, well, it isn’t. If you look closely at the photo, you’ll see that I’ve stacked a pair of Depend Silhouette Active Fit briefs on top of a pair of my own briefs. The size of the Depend brief is actually smaller than one that I currently own. Yes, I was surprised too. I’ve always thought Depend products were bigger, bulkier, more noticeable. I’m not alone in that either.

Unfortunately, there’s still a stigma associated with incontinence in general. The Depend brand has been working to combat that as well. It is entering year two of Underwareness, a social movement and charitable cause to break down the bladder leakage stigma. In a time of strong social media where everything – good, bad, funny, embarrassing, difficult or whatever is shared across the myriad of social channels, the Depend brand is harnessing that power for good by encouraging people to show their support for women with bladder leakage. For every photo and video shared using #Underwareness, the Depend brand will donate $1, up to $3 million, through 2016 to fund charities that advance the research and education of bladder leakage. Depend is also joining forces with CVS Health to support women with bladder leakage as they navigate their path to better health.

Let’s put on our big girl pants and all work together to break the stereotypes – not just in the medical issue itself but also in the products designed to assist those who suffer from it. If you know someone who limits their activities for fear of incontinence, then please encourage them to request  a free sample of Depend Silhouette Active Fit briefs from Underawareness.com.

For the next few weeks, I’ll be mustering the courage and write my personal story. As difficult as the subject is, I’m opening up in hopes that I’ll be able to help others.