What is Shy Bladder?

Shy bladder is one of the most common symptoms that men consult me for. Men with shy bladder (and it is usually only men who get shy bladder – for obvious reasons) have a great difficulty urinating in front of other people, or in a place that they are unfamiliar with.

Hypnotherapy Mindfulness & Psychotherapy can help men and women for whom urinating in the presence or vicinity of other people is difficult or impossible – Paruresis.

This anxiety based condition has been listed under the category of Social Phobia, and sometimes paruresis is referred to as a Social Anxiety Disorder. The condition is also known by a number of other names including “avoidant paruresis”, “shy bladder syndrome” and “pee shyness”. It is sometimes grouped along with other conditions under the term “toilet phobia”.

Typically my client consulting with Shy Bladder would say that when out for a few beers he just can’t pee in the urinals if there’s anyone else about – could be busting, really busting but if someone else is there just couldn’t pee for anything and would have to go into the cubicles to wee. Often knowing that it’s a confidence or anxiety issue.

As with all phobias, the severity of the symptoms can change from person to person, and also fluctuate depending on the persons stress level. i.e. some men find it a little difficult to urinate in a crowded toilet, some can only urinate in their own toilet (causing great difficulties – because the person has to come home from work, just to “have a pee”).

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

In fact, recent studies show that about seven percent (7%) of the public, or 17 million people, may suffer from this social anxiety disorder. Often referred to as Pee-Shy, Shy-Bladder, Bashful Bladder, etc., avoidant paruresis is nothing to be ashamed of, and you have made an important step simply by coming to this website and then booking your free and confidential assessment consultation.

Therapy for Shy Bladder

The choice of therapy to help your Shy Bladder is going to depend on just how much the problem is affecting your day-to-day life, and also how long you have been suffering from the problem.
Ruth Watson is able to offer three principle techniques for helping you to resolve your issues:

Clinical Hypnosis for Shy Bladder

If your Paruresis is “relatively” minor and only affects you now and again, then you may have found that you have been able to tolerate the feelings that you have experienced. In these circumstances I would normally recommend just one or two sessions of Clinical Hypnosis (Suggestion Therapy) as this particular technique has an excellent track record in these cases.

Cognitive Processing and Integration Therapy for Shy Bladder

If your particular Paruresis issues are more significant and they are having a seriously disruptive effect on your life, then you may wish to consider a technique such as Cognitive Processing & Integration Therapy. This type of therapy can help you to re-process any past situation that may have become “blocked” in your mind leading to a more permanent resolution. Normally CPI takes place over a number of sessions.

The Mindfulness and More Programme for Shy Bladder

The very latest, and perhaps most effective way to deal with Shy Bladder and it’s associated anxieties is to follow a course of the Mindfulness and More Programme. This Mind Therapy technique helps you to really understand how your “beliefs” have contributed to the way that you feel and in doing so, teaches you how to take control of your thinking and really change the way you “see the world.” This approach utilises a research-backed applied course of Psychology combined with Mindfulness and has been producing excellent results.
Ruth offers both group sessions and one-to-one sessions for this programme.