Why It Happens (and What Actually Helps) You’re out, maybe shopping, travelling, in a queue, theatre or meeting someone and suddenly you become aware of sensations or movement in your body. It often follows with a thought, “What if I need the toilet?”, and almost instantly, “What if I don’t make it?”. The fear of …
Are you afraid of having an accident when out? Maybe you are afraid of losing control of your bladder or bowels and not making it in time, of wetting yourself or pooing. It’s not really about the toilet. It’s about control, dignity, and safety — very human things. There are a number of reasons we …
When working with clients, a question I am often asked is, how to cope when you feel you need the toilet, but know you don’t really need to go. I do know that if you are often anxious about needing the toilet when you are out, it can be very overwhelming. It can be hard …
Why Flying Can Trigger Toilet Anxiety (and What Actually Helps) No matter what your normal toilet habits are, when you’re travelling, it is common to feel worried about needing the toilet on a plane. For many people, flying isn’t just about turbulence or fear of heights, they are very nervous about needing the loo and …
Overthinking is when our minds get stuck on certain thoughts and feelings, thinking about a certain topic or situations excessively. It often becomes consuming and difficult to focus on anything else. Many people who overthink the toilet or struggle with anxiety about needing the toilet find themselves needing to go to the toilet more often …
People with a very active thinking mind often have a need for information, answers, understanding and solving problems. Often asking “what if” questions, for people that worry about the toilet and needing a toilet when they are out, this can spiral. Understanding the “What if” Thought Cycle The pattern often begins with a situation where …
Simply understanding anxiety and how it operates doesn’t always stop it, many people who struggle with anxiety about needing the toilet say the same thing: “I know it’s anxiety… but it still happens.” or “I know I don’t need the toilet, but I still worry” So even understanding anxiety and knowing that the fear is …
Many people who struggle with anxiety about needing the toilet describe the same experience, normal body sensations can feel more urgent. They are usually more aware of their body sensations but anxiety makes them more aware and then any normal body sensations suddenly feel more urgent. This can be frustrating, especially when it seems to …
For many people, the problem isn’t just the sensation of needing the toilet. The real difficulty is the thought that follows it: “What if I don’t make it?” Once that fear of not making it to the toilet starts to take hold, it can begin to affect everyday life. People start planning routes around toilets, …
Most people experience mild signals from their bladder or bowel throughout the day without paying much attention to them. But when anxiety is present, those same signals can suddenly feel much more noticeable. At the same time, the mind often starts monitoring the body more closely: “Do I need the toilet? What if I suddenly …
Helping you come out of this stronger The past few months in lockdown have been challenging. Many people have suffered disappointments, losses, worries and stress, both in their personal and working lives. Isolation from our friends and support networks has also intensified everyday social and mental health problems – such as anxiety, fears, and relationship …