Toilet Phobia
Toilet Phobia: What It Is And How To Conquer It
Suffering from a toilet phobia is not as uncommon as you may think. It is estimated that well over four millions people cannot use public toilets due to a social phobia referred to as “shy pee” that can dent confidence, ruin relationships and in some cases, lead to suicidal feelings.
There are different levels of toilet phobia that can range from occasionally being affected which is a mild life interruption and is common is a great number of people, up to a smaller percentage of those that are almost always affected with significant life disruption.
There are two common forms of toilet phobia, being the fear to urinate in a public place and the fear to defecate in a public place.
Urinating Toilet Phobia
This shy bladder syndrome is recognized as being a form of social anxiety that can develop at virtually any age and affect women, men and children. It is however, most prevalent in young men due to the openness of public urinals.
Those suffering from this form of toilet phobia face problems pretty much anywhere including work, restaurants, schools and even a friend's home. The problem generally disappears once they are home but often they avoid having any visitors which brings about the fear in their own safe house.
People with this fear are usually not able to urinate on demand, therefore, providing urine samples is rarely ever an option. Those that are affected will often go as far as changing food and drink habits to attempt to control their urinating.
Defecating Toilet Phobia
This form of social phobia is often referred to as “shy bowel syndrome” and can affect women, men and children equally. Those that suffer from this type of toilet phobia often experience a great deal of anxiety when others are around. This increase in anxiety generally causes an increased muscular tension that decreases the ability to have a bowel movement.
Those that are affected can only defecate at home in their “safe” place. Many rarely venture far away for fear of needing to return home and sufferers often try to control their bowel movements with their diet.
Diet
Many that suffer from toilet phobia believe that their diet is the problem since it is the connection of needing to use a toilet. Some will reduce their food and fluid intake at certain times to avoid needing a public restroom. While others will only eat specific foods that they are positive will not affect them.
As important as it is to eat a healthy diet and drink water, good nutrition is often neglected. Unfortunately with unhealthy dietary habits comes a result of poor health which can lead to tiredness and weakness that only result in the anxiety becoming worse.
Relaxation Can Help
Toilet phobia can be overcome with relaxation training that reduces the body's physical tension. This also aids in lowering blood pressure and heart rate as well as slowing down the breathing rate. Relaxation training can often leave the person with a feeling of tranquility and well being which is a very valuable skill to acquire.
Exercise
Exercise not only keeps your body healthy but it is also essential for your mental health. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins which raises your self-esteem levels, helping you to combat public fears. Additionally, exercise lowers your stress levels, allowing you to manage your anxiety.
It is recommended that anyone suffering from toilet phobia should follow a healthy diet and exercise programs as well as engage in relaxation training to help in slowly tackling their fears.