U.K. PARURESIS TRUST: Re: I think this thing officially has ruined my life.

Hi Mark,

May I say 'Well done' for adding your experience & ordeals to the site & by doing so you have already made one incredible break through. Just finding the site is a huge was a huge benefit to my well being I have to say. Funny enough I am the same age as you & share much experience of many of the situations you have mentioned.I have had the condition for as long as I can remember & have missed out on a lot of great things through it – girls, career opportunities, holidays & travel, etc ... you sort of wonder what’s it all about. However somehow you just seem to muddle through life taking opportunities that seems the most appropriate to you with the inner knowledge of the condition. One thing you will find if you do take up a workshop is that there really is no specific type of person who has this condition as you will see just normal people are from all walks of life & there is really nothing to worry about. By doing so you are really helping yourself immensely, psychologically & emotionally as in your own way you will learn to take some control feelings back from what has been strangulating you for most of your life as you have known it up to that point. I am taller then average & having this type of condition only seems to draw attention to me if I am seen not to be doing the same as others & ofcourse blokes being blokes they usually only seem to be able to make one conclusion that you have an inadequacy which is amusing. Well if only they knew & I must say that the UKPT has helped me out in my mind if at least for not decking them !! As Andrew mentioned how he would not choose to drink the large pints whilst in a pub which can help in an environment with busy toilet facilities. For the last few years I have been living in Europe where I find that there is just not the attitude like we would get in bars & clubs anyway & everything – not always though is on a lower par with people in bars & clubs not getting so lashed as the British tend to do. But in general you can’t stereotype places to go out but just know where you don’t mind to go like places that have reasonable cubicles to use – admittedly this won’t work in new situations but by going on a workshop it gives you the confidence just to go into that toilet & check it out without even using it & then coming back out again, you mental attitude changes slowly to say in your mind “so what I just went in there to check it out” “who cares what I do whilst I am in here” & that is the new thought process you will eventualy get get to adopt. Thanks again Mark for sharing & hope to see you on a workshop soon I am thinking about one in either London or Manchester soon - let us know if you decide to go.

Steve