Imagine suffering through school, work, or another social scenario with a bladder that feels like it’s ready to burst. You’d feel better if you simply made a trip to the public restroom, but you can’t. You won’t. Using the facilities is a terrifying prospect, an experience that must be avoided at all costs.
Why? Well, you might have what's called “shy bladder syndrome” — or paruresis in medical lingo. For outsiders, this idea of being shy about peeing in public is an easy thing to snicker at. But it’s far more debilitating and common than many people realize. It’s thought to be the second most common form of social anxiety disorder behind the fear of public speaking. But rather than worrying about saying something embarrassing, someone with paruresis is afraid of being negatively judged during a very human — albeit private — act.
