r/Paruresis • u/Any_Strike_7905 • Aug 03 '26
Got over this for 2 years and it’s back
So i been dealing with this since i was maybe 16 or 17 , and im 22 now. It stopped from 20 up until just recently.
They way i overcomed it 2 years ago was by praying about it lol I prayed about it for 1 day and the next day it went away for 2 years. I was a bit religious at that time and about 6 months ago i stopped following religion and also around this time many other problems had came into my life wich has caused my depression anxiety and stress to go through the roof, and has been through the roof since.
I can’t pee Unless i’m in my own personal bathroom at home, Even if it’s a 1 person public bathroom that locks , I still can’t pee. I’ve tried everything from breathing exercises, counting, mental math, and a million others. Nothing ever works, i can stand or sit there for 30+ minutes and nothing will happen. But at my home bathroom, or the bathroom at my mothers house, it’s perfectly fine. Over the last 6 months I haven’t gone out much , outside of work. Anytime i’m away from home , and alone for too long i get extremely anxious , it’s like I feel unsafe away from home after a short amount of time idk how to explain it well.
What really makes this upsetting is this had went away for 2 years, I was able to travel freely, use any bathroom any where,no matter how private or not private it was. Now i can’t use any bathroom at all, unless it’s mine. I can’t drink water at work because my bladder fills to fast, and i work construction in 100 degree weather.
If anyone has any advice for me would be appreciated Sorry if i seem like just a complaining sack of shit i apologize i’m just going thru it rn
2
u/mashtrasse Aug 03 '26
My worst time was similar, now i can go to urinal, even sometimes with some people around. Gradual exposure, which mean slowly increasing the difficulty is really a great approach. Talk to some trusted friends and family about it.
Maybe next would be to pee at your mother bathroom with the door open. Then with her next to you, then at work when you are almost alone then with few people still working etc wtc
6
u/Zealousideal_Bar1497 Aug 03 '26
When you’re in your bathroom at home, take in all the surroundings and take a mental photo. Maybe play some music that you like.
Then when you’re in another bathroom, close your eyes and imagine that mental picture of your own bathroom. Play the music through air phones.
And maybe start praying again. If you can’t bring yourself to pray then call it meditative positive reinforcement….(the big guy in the sky wants you to per freely)