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Conditions

Paruresis

Shy bladder can be a nightmare!

Have you ever been bursting for a wee, but found that you couldn’t go because other people were present? Well, don’t worry, you might be left dying for the toilet, but Paruresis (or ‘Bashful Bladder’ as it’s otherwise known) won’t kill you. This social anxiety disorder affects around 4 million men and women in the UK and can impact heavily on their daily lives. The most common manifestation of the condition is men who cannot urinate at a urinal and instead find themselves standing next to unzipped, exposed and free-flowing men, as if just a casual observer. Women can also find it difficult to urinate in a cubicle if there are people near by. The condition is caused by a neurological shutdown of the sphincter valves that when open allow urine to flow, but it is completely involuntary. However, several physical and cognitive therapy techniques have been devised to help people cope with this problem.

If you’re suffering from any of the conditions featured on this site and want to apply for an onscreen consultation with one of the EB team then you can find more details here >>

Remember that you should always check with a health professional if you have any concerns about your health.

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I find it helpful to concentrate on breathing in and out deeply and slowly to relax myself. Another thing I sometimes do is say the Thunderbirds countdown in my head to encourage my bladder to hurry up and empty!!! And lastly, I may shut my ears to block out the background noise of the public loo.





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I have bladder problems and have to wear dry nites which really lower my self confidence , and stops me from going to sleep overs at my friends houses as im worried of what they might say. I have to go to the toilet regularly in the day and night i dont even realise that i needed the toilet i have been to the doctors and they gave tablets (I took one every night) but these didnt work, I also had an alarm that clipped into my knickers at night and if started weeing it would make a loud noise, this started working but then clip kept moving during the night. Please help this is ruining my life!





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This problem is absolutey ruining my life!I've suffered with it since I can remember.it's slowly driving me insane and I need to get help as soon as I can, I'm 23 and am so fed up I've told my mum, fed up of keeping it a secret because I know it wud only get worse and worse.it's a doubleedge sword cos it's embarring to tell but if yu leAve it,it is only gona get more horrible,I'm going to go to the doctors soon and see if ne thing can be done.I'd suggest ne 1 to do the same there must be a way to sort this out.cheers





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Bashful Bladder is a global issue. In Japan they pipe the noise of the ocean into the loos to alleviate the problem. We should campaign for the same here





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I have good tips to get over this! which you have probably all thought of... but here they are just incase you havent :) what me and my friends do, say theres 3 of us, two of us will go to the loo and the other puts the hand dryer on til we're out, then they'll go and we'll do the same for them. or run the tap, cause it's usually the idea of others hearing you do your business which freaks you out, well me anyway. also, a trick i use too if im on my own is to sit at the edge of the pan as is possible to stay on, this way you cant hear, you know. hope these tips help someone!





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Hi guys There is a charity that supports men and women who have shyblsdder. They also run workshops to help you move forward with this condtion. Go to www.ukpt.org.uk, or google "shy bladder" or paruresis. Their website contains a lot of useful info, and their forum is amazing.





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i have this fear of going to the toilet with other people there and i dont know what to do about it. if there are people in the toilet i will not go and that if the toilet is really dirty then i will hold my wee for the hold day untill i go home and i still dont know what to do about it. i will wait 6 hours till i go to the toilet SO PLEASE COULD YOU HELP ME.





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i have been suffering from this problem for quite a few years now,i like goin to the pub and having a beer with my pals but dread havin to go for a pee,i feel stupid not bein able to pee,i have a 1 year old son,i am dreadin havin to take him to the toilet when he is older,what will he think of his dad





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me too ..most of my life..just seems so unnatural to stand that close to another male and pee... 50, 4 kids... just use the cubicles with the door open...not a problem with strangers but the guy's at work like to chat..WHAT... excuse me please..just not happy with men about...it's my penis! between me and a female.. Just how it is I guess..been there standing....been there bursting...horrendous when i was younger... happiness is an empty loo... or at least some a good few spaces to allow some privacy.





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my friends think im gay cuz i dont go out, if they only knew. I cant pizz anywhere with people, but how embarrasing if they found out. Im running out of excuses. Last trick in the back is to bite the old bullet.......





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