Toilet phobia . . .

[Aeon]

I know that I am not the only one who has such phobia, but it doesn't make me feel any better. I've been suffering from this for almost 6 years. It is ruining my life. I hardly can go out. Firstly I could go out when I knew that I would have a toilet near (e.g. cafes or theaters), but it got worse. Now I can be away from a loo for 30 mins and that's all. Even if I know that toilets are near, I grow so excited and even panic. I even don't know... I want to pee, because this anxiety or the urge is the cause of this anxiety.
When I start feeling the urge to go to pee, I cannot do it immediately. I work on the 5th floor and the closest toilet room is on the 7th. I need about 3-5 mins to reach it. Moreover I start thinking "what if there's a queue or the toilet is closed" and so on, so on. I am on holiday now, but it ends on the 1st of October and I don't know what to do.
When I am at home I forget about this phobia, but it returns again as soon as I make a step over the threshold. I visited psychologists and tried different anti-anxiety techniques. Sometimes it works and I can forget about the loo for 2 hours (if it is near), but some days I hardly go to the nearest shop.
I don't know if anybody could give me some advices, but at least I'd like to talk to somebody who has the same phobia, because I could tell about it only to my parents, other people around me don't know about this problem.
Is there a chance to cope with it?

[ollie88]

I think that is one of your main problems is embarrassment because of what other people will think. Just keep facing it otherwise you will have a fear and everything will be a fear. Keep pushing yourself, I get stomach aches with mine etc and then I relax when I go and dont get it again. It is panic so its a matter of retraining your brain and being confident... try small steps and KEEEP going out don't hide.. hiding intensifies the fear.. Breathing, yoga, exercise all well lessen the anxiety... Just be confident x

[MARK1971]

hi there, i to have a toilet phobia, no matter how often i go, the minute i sit on the bus or travel anywhere with out a toilet in close proximity i convince myself that im going to want to go....so bus journeys are often broken up. i also hate having to pee in urinals so when i go to a bar where there is usually only one male cubicle you can imagine how the anxiety builds up about needing to pee and yep you've guessed it, the minute i walk in the bar i need to go, or i try to hold in it until i find a cubicle empty. unfortunately i found no cure for this and im flying to rome on friday and even though i will go numerous times before getting on the plane, the minute i sit in that chair prior to take off i will worry about wanting to go until the captain releases the seat belt sign. unfortuately i have been unable to prebook seats close to the loo, so will probably end up in the middle of the plane and the anxiety about that will start which in turn will lead to the "oh my god i need the loo" cycle and every1 will see me going and that in turn will lead to me wanting to go numerous times, oh i cant wait for that

mark

[Aeon]

I think that is one of your main problems is embarrassment because of what other people will think. Just keep facing it otherwise you will have a fear and everything will be a fear. Keep pushing yourself, I get stomach aches with mine etc and then I relax when I go and dont get it again. It is panic so its a matter of retraining your brain and being confident... try small steps and KEEEP going out don't hide.. hiding intensifies the fear.. Breathing, yoga, exercise all well lessen the anxiety... Just be confident x

You are partly right I think, but my phobia is much bigger than this. It is something more complicated than just me thinking about what people can think of me. But thank you for your advice and support! x

---------- Post added at 13:07 ---------- Previous post was at 13:02 ----------

hi there, i to have a toilet phobia, no matter how often i go, the minute i sit on the bus or travel anywhere with out a toilet in close proximity i convince myself that im going to want to go....so bus journeys are often broken up. i also hate having to pee in urinals so when i go to a bar where there is usually only one male cubicle you can imagine how the anxiety builds up about needing to pee and yep you've guessed it, the minute i walk in the bar i need to go, or i try to hold in it until i find a cubicle empty. unfortunately i found no cure for this and im flying to rome on friday and even though i will go numerous times before getting on the plane, the minute i sit in that chair prior to take off i will worry about wanting to go until the captain releases the seat belt sign. unfortuately i have been unable to prebook seats close to the loo, so will probably end up in the middle of the plane and the anxiety about that will start which in turn will lead to the "oh my god i need the loo" cycle and every1 will see me going and that in turn will lead to me wanting to go numerous times, oh i cant wait for that

mark

I completely understand you! I rarely travel because of my problem, but when I do I try to organise it the best possible way. If I fly I order the seat near the loo, if I go somewhere by car I try to find out about all places when I can go to the loo and so on so so on, but it doesn't really work for me. I go to work, than I back home or go shopping in the nearest shop and that's all.
Good luck with your trip!
x