Cured Just By Knowing IPA EXISTS

A couple of weeks ago (Nov 16) I was browsing and thought to plug in “urine problems” and see what happens. Lo and behold I found paruresis. I really had no idea it was so widespread and no idea it was so well documented. I’ve been aware I’ve had this problem since I was 15 and am now 33. To cut a really long story short, since I found out about paruresis, my problem has pretty much gone. The day I found this site I felt that I could go in a public toilet and pee. And since then I have been taking myself to public restrooms in malls, restaurants, gym, airport and places where I wouldn’t have even dreamed I could go. I’ve been taking myself everyday to a public loo just to make sure its really gone. It still has to be a cubicle ( I don’t think I can manage a urinal) and I make sure it’s fairly busy. As long as there are a few other stalls and the place isn’t jam packed (like after a movie-I made a pretty sharp u-turn when I saw the crowd and went to a Burger King instead), I can pee and be aware of the activity outside.

That is something that used to put me off. I’ve since booked a trip to Australia, something I’ve always wanted to do but felt that I couldn’t. My question is this-Why would finding out about paruresis help solve the problem? I guess that knowing that my problem has a name and that many many others have the same problem has something to do with it. But I don’t get the psychology of it. Ultimately it doesn’t matter to me how as long as the problem is gone. But it might be useful to others to understand how. Does anyone have any ideas? Needless to say, my outlook on life has really changed from being a miserable old git to quite a happy fellow. Thanks IPA.

Originally published June 21, 2002