There is always a way to conquer shy bladder and to learn how to make yourself pee again … that is if you really want to and if you’re up for the challenge! I did it and if I can you can too.
Paruresis – How To Make Yourself Pee
As any paruretic will tell you and, as we both know, shy bladder syndrome can make for a stressful and lonely world. How many times have you sat in a bar with friends and discussed it? Ask yourself how often do you see people reading about it? How often do you see it featured in mainstream media? The answer … probably never which is why it’s known as the “secret social phobia”. It’s one of those conditions that’s regarded to some as funny, weird or embarrassing. One that somehow means you’re left to feel less of a person.
Encouragingly I’ve noticed more publicity of late but the way that people regard this condition isn’t going to change overnight. So, right now, if you’re struggling to make yourself pee when you need to, I’m pretty sure you won’t feel particularly comfortable about discussing with friends or family – you’ll still prefer to treat or manage it discretely yourself. And that’s not a problem – you CAN overcome it yourself. Here’s a few tips and suggestions for you to put to the test.
HOW TO MAKE YOURSELF PEE – 5 TOP TIPS.
First of all, let me say that there’s no guarantee that these methods will work instantly, it might take a while for your mind to adjust. Keep at it though because you CAN overcome shy bladder and learn how to make yourself pee again!
Tip 1: Trust Your Instincts And Practise Relaxation.
Let me remind you that, in the case of shy bladder syndrome, there’s nothing physical that’s stopping you from peeing – it’s all in your mind. Your body may be telling you to pee but it’s your subconscious mind that’s over-ruling this natural urge unless it feels in a safe, secure and totally private environment.
So, with that being the case, all you have to do is relax your mind and let your body lead the way. Sounds really simple doesn’t it! In reality though it’s going to take time as your mind is pretty damn powerful and has likely been allowed to control things for far too long.
Therefore, my first how to make yourself pee tip is to learn to relax. Great options to try are:
Practise progressive muscular relaxation
This is all about tensing particular muscles in your body and progressively ease the tension to release anxiety. The theory behind this is that when your body feels relaxed you won’t feel anxious. Try tensing different muscle groups as you breathe in deeply and relax them as you breathe out.
Start by clenching and relaxing the hands, move upwards to the shoulders and head before working down through the neck, chest and all the way down to the lower legs. A great set of instructions can be found on the University of Michigan website.
Breathing exercises
These can be remarkably relaxing and can be done anywhere, anytime. Make yourself comfortable (sit, stand, lie – it doesn’t matter). Breathe in deeply and slowly through the nose. Feel the inhale all the way down to your stomach. Count slowly to five as you do so. Don’t hold your breath, just release it again gradually though the mouth and again counting to five. Keep this up for three to five minutes or so and feel the anxiety slip away.
Practise yoga to calm your mind
Yoga is proven to improve your sense of well-being and your mood. It can therefore aid in the management of stress and anxiety brought on by shy bladder syndrome. There are many online resources available but we suggest you consider a local yoga club.
Learn meditation
Meditation can curb your anxiety and stress levels, thereby helping you treat your shy bladder syndrome. In effect meditation slows down the subconscious mind thereby allowing you to put things better in perspective. It can leave you calm, relaxed, balanced and in focus and can thereby really help any fight against anxiety. There are so many available online resources to help teach you the basics.
Self hypnosis for shy bladder syndrome
Hypnosis works by, in effect, reprogramming the mind to respond differently (more rationally) to a particular situation. This can really help as you can specifically target the reaction of the mind in respect of paruresis and it’s natural response to urinating.
Forget that staged hypnosis “entertainment” mumbo-jumbo … we’re talking about hypnotherapy which can be delivered either face to face or through a self-hypnosis program.
Don’t write this one off as it can prove highly effective as a treatment for shy bladder. I actually still use it today. Learn more about paruresis hypnosis >>>.
Tip 2: Start With Graduated Exposure Therapy.
My second how to make yourself pee tip is to try graduated exposure therapy.
As the name suggests, this one is all about building confidence bit by bit until paruresis is a thing of the past! Try urinating in different washrooms under different circumstances and with different degrees of difficulty. Studies carried out by the International Paruresis Association (IPA) show that more than 80% of sufferers succeeded in overcoming shy bladder using this method.
Let me explain as simply as possible. Graduated exposure is basically all about gradual desensitisation. Forcing yourself into increasingly uncomfortable situations on a step by step, gradual basis. Building up confidence until you feel comfortable enough to pee anywhere without concern. This can be quite difficult to do alone and is often tackled in support groups or with the optional help of what’s known as a “pee buddy”! What on earth is a pee buddy I hear you ask? Basically, it’s a close friend or confidant who helps you to get over shy bladder syndrome. In the case of graduated exposure, they can stand behind or next to you in a public toilet pretending to impatiently wait for a urinal whilst gradually getting closer and closer.
It takes guts to do this but it’s proven to be a highly successful solution for paruresis.
Learn more about Graduated Exposure Therapy >>>.