My Daily Shy Bladder Journal - # 01

Hi there,

If you're reading this, I'm assuming that either you or someone you know is also struggling with Shy Bladder. Alternatively, you might be in the field of mental health and are looking to understand the experiences of someone who has been dealing with Shy Bladder since the age of 10. I'm now 35, so you can see how long this condition has been affecting me.

Navigating my New Office and My Strategy for Coping with Shy Bladder

I've only written about Shy Bladder a handful of times on this website over the last decade. I'm not entirely sure if it's helped alleviate my anxiety, but it certainly has allowed me to be more open about this condition. Whenever I get to know someone who happens to accompany me to the restroom, I take the opportunity to share my experience with them. I did this on my first day at my new job. I spoke about my condition not only with my manager, who was an acquaintance from the past but also with my fellow alumni who are working in the same office.

Did any of them judge me for it? I don't know, and I haven't noticed any significant change in their behavior toward me. However, I don't go around sharing my condition with every person I encounter. There needs to be a certain level of rapport, of course.

So, Does Talking About Shy Bladder Make a Difference?

In my experience, at least in the presence of those with whom I've shared my condition and whom I believe to be understanding, I can now urinate while standing next to them. Sometimes it takes a few moments, but when I feel my anxiety creeping in, I steer the conversation elsewhere to distract my mind. And then, it happens effortlessly. I feel a sense of relief and confidence after each instance.

My Success Rate Dealing with Paruresis in the Office Restrooms

However, not everyone in the office is someone I'm comfortable discussing shy bladder with. Hence, there are instances every day where I wait for others to leave the restroom before I can use it. Sure, there are also private stalls, but I like to challenge myself daily.

 Throughout the workday, I find myself visiting the urinals around 4-5 times. During this, I do experience occasional failures in attempting to urinate in the presence of others, but there are also instances of success, at least once or twice daily. So, as you can see, my success rate is around 60%, which is quite motivating.

The Purpose of This Blog Post

The main aim of this post is to make myself more comfortable discussing Paruresis. If you'd like to chat with me about it, feel free to leave a comment or reach out via WhatsApp at - sanjay91422@gmail.com, 8580758440. Don't worry, I'm not charging anything for a conversation, but please opt for messaging over direct calls.

I plan to keep this journal active by documenting my daily successes and setbacks. I aspire to overcome this mental struggle within a month. I acknowledge that this goal is ambitious, given my 25-year-long battle, but I believe it's time to genuinely give it a shot.

My One-Month Recovery Plan

Starting today, August 15, 2023, I commit to recording this journey daily until September 15, 2023. These 30 days of transformation will be like walking through a dark tunnel, leading to the opening of a bright, green, and joyous world on the other side. If you're reading this article at a later date and are curious about my progress—whether I reached that bright end of the tunnel or not—please explore the latest posts on this blog.

Thank you for stopping by!

Warm regards, Sanjay