Posted by Andrew on 8/6/2012, 3:49 pm, in reply to "Peeing with co-workers around"

Hi Mike There is a proportion of men for whom peeing is as voluntary and uneventful as spitting on the ground. For them, it is difficult to understand paruresis. Have you explained that the "threat" causes the subconscious to close the tap, and to relax the bladder, and that you cannot consciously override that. A graphic image could be to say its as if someone stronger than you were to put a tourniquet on your willy and pull it tight. Result: cant pee. As for the "threat": yes it is illogical, but so are most fears and phobias. Does he have one e.g. needles, public speaking, heights? Or does he know of someone who has? He probably does. As for feeling weak; it is nothing to do with that; in a lot of case it seems to go back to either lack of "training" i.e. not being shown how to use public toilets, or to some sort of abuse e.g. bullying in school toilets. Is that any help? Andrew

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