Bathroom anxiety

[AsheSkyler]

I've heard similar advice! "When you're trying to clean out your closet or whittle down your wardrobe of unnecessary items, get rid of anything you'd be embarrassed to be wearing during a car accident."

It's gonna be kinda painful to remove my birthday suit though...
Heehee. If I got rid of everything I would be embarrassed to be caught wearing, the only underwear I'd have left is my socks. Not that I've got anything kinky. I just don't like the thought of them seeing MY underwear. Same thing when I hang out my laundry to dry, I carefully construct a wall of towels and tshirts to hide the family's undies.

 

[umbrellabeach]

It's gonna be kinda painful to remove my birthday suit though...
Heehee. If I got rid of everything I would be embarrassed to be caught wearing, the only underwear I'd have left is my socks. Not that I've got anything kinky. I just don't like the thought of them seeing MY underwear. Same thing when I hang out my laundry to dry, I carefully construct a wall of towels and tshirts to hide the family's undies.

Haha... I would hide my own and display everyone else's if it were my family. Considering the way I was raised I can't imagine they'd mind.

 

[AsheSkyler]

Haha... I would hide my own and display everyone else's if it were my family. Considering the way I was raised I can't imagine they'd mind.

It baffles me how my husband doesn't mind. But, he's a guy. Guys tend to have cool boxers. Girls often have not-so-cool undies. All lacy and flowered and icky. If I had undies with XBOX logos, dragons, and other stuff, heck yeah, they'd be flying proud.

 

[Fluttershy]

Again, it's not the idea of people knowing I'm going that bothers me. Just them being around or being under pressure. I was actually with my ex for a long enough time that I felt open about it, and I'd ask her to go out for a walk or turn on music or something. It's more like me hearing them invades my privacy of doing the act. I don't know. It's so weird. Maybe it is a bit of both since I can't just put in headphones either.
Thanks for putting up with such an odd topic. My girlfriends going to be staying over this weekend so I'm going to try to face it head on.

 

[Beverly]

It baffles me how my husband doesn't mind. But, he's a guy. Guys tend to have cool boxers. Girls often have not-so-cool undies. All lacy and flowered and icky. If I had undies with XBOX logos, dragons, and other stuff, heck yeah, they'd be flying proud.

So wear boxers, they are more comfortable than those lacy, frilly scraps we females are "supposed" to wear anyway.

Fluttershy, do you feel like you are taking too long and, the people around might need the bathroom for something but, have to wait on you? If that's the case, remember that there is another sink they can use for washing up or whatever, there are other mirrors in the building you are in and, sometimes you wait on them to be able to use the bathroom so, it's fair they wait for you sometimes too. No one is going to be upset because they have to wait on you to use the bathroom, they have all had people have to wait on them, they know that's just how it is when you are a human.

 

[AsheSkyler]

Again, it's not the idea of people knowing I'm going that bothers me. Just them being around or being under pressure. I was actually with my ex for a long enough time that I felt open about it, and I'd ask her to go out for a walk or turn on music or something. It's more like me hearing them invades my privacy of doing the act. I don't know. It's so weird. Maybe it is a bit of both since I can't just put in headphones either.
Thanks for putting up with such an odd topic. My girlfriends going to be staying over this weekend so I'm going to try to face it head on.

Keep on sneaking around, I say. I can't emotionally relax enough to meditate when there are people awake in the house, so I understand where you're coming from.

So wear boxers, they are more comfortable than those lacy, frilly scraps we females are "supposed" to wear anyway.

I do, but I haven't been able to go shopping for the good ones yet.
So I steal my husband's until then.

 

[umbrellabeach]

Again, it's not the idea of people knowing I'm going that bothers me. Just them being around or being under pressure. I was actually with my ex for a long enough time that I felt open about it, and I'd ask her to go out for a walk or turn on music or something. It's more like me hearing them invades my privacy of doing the act. I don't know. It's so weird. Maybe it is a bit of both since I can't just put in headphones either.
Thanks for putting up with such an odd topic. My girlfriends going to be staying over this weekend so I'm going to try to face it head on.

Yeah, I know. But I still thought you might like to know that there are people out there with similar problems and, in my case, even more extreme ones.
This is the second thread I've seen about this sort of thing and in both threads people have been very tolerant of the topic. It's been very refreshing since I've spent my life being bullied and invalidated over my own problem. Because of that I've never been able to open up about it to the extent that I have here. It seems the AC community will tolerate pretty much anything that's not hate speech, spam, or the like.

 

[umbrellabeach]

Sorry for the double post, but I saw this link on Facebook today. While I'm sure we've all had our fair share of suffering from anxiety about this, I'm glad our problems aren't THIS extreme. Then again, this girl's problem doesn't seem to have been about people.
Teen With Toilet Phobia Dies After Holding It In For Months | News & Views | Centric News | Centric

 

[NateSean]

It's hardly an odd topic. The one thing every living thing on this planet has in common is the need to consume and therefore eliminate. I always find it frustrating when people act like it's something that's inappropriate to discuss with others. Granted, there is a time and a place for the subject which may be why I am no longer invited to clam bakes and other family gatherings. But if you can't talk to a forum full of complete strangers about number one and two than what has the world come to?

 

[tree]

"All living things eat, so....everyone poops."

 

[illud]

I didn't like to use the bathroom when I was outside home since I was a kid. I got used to not use the bathroom until I got home. Bad I know.
Now I try to not think about it, and just use it when I need it. But I also don't like it if someone enters or interrupts in some way.

 

[Fluttershy]

Still no luck around the girlfriend. I had her over this past weekend and had several times where I was close but still couldn't. I think it's because of how much I'm thinking about how I need to go, but I don't know what to do about that. I tried going when she was asleep, and right after I started the shower. No luck. Even took Metamucil. The need to go hit me at the 4th of July fireworks, when I couldn't (crazy line even if I could do public).

 

[NateSean]

I'm not sure how effective Metamucil is. I found some success with the Fiber One tablets not too long ago. That and copious amounts of coffee drinks, but I'm not sure how sensitive you are to caffeine and that can backfire too. Have you spoken with your girlfriend about your concerns?

 

[zurb]

The body often responds to some stimulus for bowel motions. For some its simply a random time at which the bowel is full. For some its a period of time after a meal. For some its an activity. And for some its a specific time of day.
I used to go about once every three days when I felt the need. Then I'd really have to go, but was often very constipated.
Some time in my late teens I realized that most others I knew (like family) go daily. So I decided to change. It's not hard to retrain the body to go to some stimulus. I choose to go first thing in the day before my shower.
Changing routines or timezones usually takes a day or two to adjust, and then my body is telling me back on schedule to go.
If I'm nervous or in a strange place, it can still upset my routines. Being able to relax the muscles is important. In those cases I might end up going again later in the day, or catching up properly the next day.
Possibly a cheaper alternative to Matamucil is just buying the generic Psyllium husk from a health food place. Kiwifruit pulp is recommended here too. Coffee is a definite no no if you are having problems as it will clog you up more. Bananas always help either way.
But if I understand your problem, laxatives aren't really the answer.

 

[pax]

Yes, I have problems around this because
1) (Spoiler alert!!!) My **** sometimes smells, and I feel bad for the next person who has to use the cubicle. That doesn't stop me going, I just hate the thought of them thinking "Holy ******* did something die in there!"
2) I hate those dyson hand dryers that give out a piercing noise, and in a lot of public toilets now they're the only option.
3) If I go hiking/bushwalking, I have to go find a spot. Hubby says I should drink more on walks, and I should; but guys can just go behind a tree. It's a bit more of a problem for females, especially in a large group.

 

[NateSean]

Coffee is a definite no no if you are having problems as it will clog you up more.

I don't know how coffee effects your body, but it tends to move things along very quickly for most people Very few things can incite me to leave my laptop unguarded in a public place (even if it is Starbucks) more than the massive BM I need to have after a vente cup of dark roast.

Unless you're referring to people becoming irritable but coffee, especially hot coffee, is a pretty natural laxative. I doubt even the shyest pooper could resist the urge after a cup, but then I'm only assuming.

 

[Beverly]

Self confessed coffee-aholic here to a point coffee moves things along, but too much has the reverse effect so, be careful with it. (interesting trivia: caffeine is also a bronchial dilator so, it can help you breathe better if you have asthma, a chest cold or, other breathing restrictions going on.)

 

[NateSean]

bronchial dilator

I'm a huge fan of the bronchial dilator. I wish it would have fought the Indominous Rex but, oh, it's not a dinosaur? Well I need to hit the books again.

Anything taken in excess is bad for you, definitely, but then I only drink one pot of coffee max. People freak out when I say that it's a five-cup pot, but it's like the tiniest cup. Stewart Little couldn't wake up after a "cup" of coffee poured from this pot.

Still, I often wonder if it's not so much the coffee as it is the hot water. Tea, cocoa, and a ton of other possible warm beverages would be helpful. (Apologies to Fluttershy for hijacking the thread with constipation advice as it's not quite what this thread is about, but it ties in with the main topic)

 

[zurb]

I had to check as what you say contradicts everything I have ever read on the topic. It’s true that coffee can make the intestines contract, stimulating a bowel movement - so this might help the OP. But it’s not recommended for constipation as its a diuretic. Also, if you are lactose intolerant, the milk is also going to make it worse.

 

[NateSean]

Also, if you are lactose intolerant, the milk is also going to make it worse.

Milk isn't a requirement for coffee. You can substitute lactaid, almond milk, hazelnut milk, cashew milk, and a million other things you didn't know you could make milk from. You don't even need those things, which is why some people order their coffee "black".