Bathroom anxiety

[zx123]

Hi,
This subject is a bit embarrassing but I wondered if someone could offer me any advise?

Since having an experience of being on a bus and needing to use the bathroom but being unable to do so for a prolonged period of time, I seem to have developed somewhat of a pre occupation with issues surrounding using the bathroom.

If I am going to go on a bus journey, I try to regulate my food intake so that I have a bowel movement before I have to catch the bus, before catching a bus I go to the bathroom just to make sure that I don't need to have a bowel movement,

At the moment I have a problem whereby When I go to the bathroom to check if I need to have a bowel movement, if I do feel that I need to, I sometimes push slightly to make myself go. I know it is bad to strain and I try not to do this, but I just wondered if by pushing I could be causing damage to myself?

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/images/nmp/misc/progress.gif
Thanks

[Aleman200]

I'm not sure about damage to yourself but you may induce some form of bleeding from your anus if you strain too much.

I like you try to go to the bathroom before going on journeys on buses or the such like, it's perfectly normal. Try to let your calls of nature come naturally. Don't pre occupy yourself with it :)

[zx123]

Thanks for the reply,
The problem I have is that I worry that the same thing will happen to me again.
I worry that I will start needing to have a bowel movement in the middle of a bus journey, so I try to do all I can to avoid it happening.

[mark84]

You know, it's a bit of a temporary fix, one of those tablets you take to stop diarrhoea, and I wouldn't say use it often but maybe you could use it to help build your confidence- they make it impossible to need the toilet, obviously you cant take them 24/7 so don't be tempted and don't end up thinking of them as a long term solution.
I know it feels a very embarrassing issue to discuss but what i'd ideally suggest though is see a therapist or a doctor, they've heard it all before. Good luck buddy.