Toilet OCD Anxiety

Miranda888 · ‎29-05-2017

Hi all, this is my first time posting. I feel like my OCD/anxiety relating to toilets is starting to affect my life and I'm looking for help. For the last 10 years I have felt like I need to go to the toilet before leaving anywhere. I hate long drives or drives where I don't know where I'm going or could end up stuck in traffic because what if I have an accident and wet my pants. I have two young kids and that hasn't helped because it makes it harder to stop everything and find a toilet if I need so there are some mornings where I go 3 times in a row before leaving the house. I feel embarrassed and I'm so over it! Can anyone relate or have any tips?

BballJ · ‎29-05-2017

Hi Miranda888,

Firstly, welcome to the forums.

Nothing to be embarrassed about at all, I have experienced this type of anxiety before... especially the long drives or getting stuck in traffic and not having somewhere to go toilet. I actually use to map out my drives and knew where all the service stations or McDonald's were in case I needed to go to the bathroom. I actually googled it at one point and there was a name for it, I forget it but it is a real thing. I actually bought it up to my psychologist as it was an anxiety symptom for me. When I started working through my anxiety with my psychologist I found it helped ease these feelings and I don't have it happen to much anymore which is great. Have you ever spoken to your GP about anxiety before, or is this all self diagnosed?

My best for you,

Jay

Miranda888 · ‎30-05-2017

Thank you! It's so nice to let it out and be heard by someone who understands. I spoke to my GP last week and she said it could be mild anxiety and mild OCD so I've booked in to see a psychologist. I feel embarrassed if I go as well as if people are judging me or think/know I have an issue with it and i feel like I have no control if I'm being driven by someone else because I can't just stop and go if I need to. The silly thing is I have no bladder issues just hate feeling like I don't have control of a situation I guess??? Would love to know the name of this is you remember 😊

TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsN · ‎30-05-2017

Well done on taking some steps towards getting some help - that's the hardest part!

My fingers are crossed for you 🙂

Mr_Walker · ‎30-05-2017

Hi Miranda888 that's great you're seeing the psychologist - I've had a similar problem too - for most of my life I've avoided going to the toilet if I'm out somewhere - even to the point of being quite severely in pain! Only the last four or five years the problem's gone away as I've got better control of my anxiety generally - I have found though that it's been such a lifelong habit that I often forget I CAN go! Just today I spent all day in town busting for the toilet - even had two cups of tea at a friends house and STILL didn't go until I got home (after an hour's drive!) Not from anxiety - just from habit! Good luck!

MsPurple · ‎30-05-2017

Hi Miranda and welcome to the forums.

I know exactly how you feel. I used to have the same problem. I still have it sometimes (especially in peek hour) but it's now not as bad. It used to be so bad when I was a kid I would go to the toilet 5 times before going to sleep and I felt like I needed to go even if I didn't. It is horrible and frustrating, but now I hardly struggle with the issue. Yes I will go to the toilet before bed now and go before I leave the house even if I don't really have to go but I guess this is also a habit (mum used to aske me to go to the toilet before leaving the house).

It is great that you have taken the first step and have booked in to see a psychologist. I have found it very helpful for me as once I addressed my anxiety my bathroom anxiety went down as well as my general anxiety.

I thought I should post to let you know you are not alone in having this issue. I think it is more common then we thing, but it is something people just don't openly talk about.

BballJ · ‎30-05-2017

Hi Miranda888,

I am happy to read that you booked in to see a psychologist... toilet related anxiety is very common, a lot more than you think as you can tell with the replies above. I tried a quick google search and couldn't find the exact name - it was a while ago I checked and I cannot remember what I searched.

It's funny because I have the exact same thing.. If I am being driven by someone else and really need to go I feel embarrassed, that's why I prefer to drive because one it distracts me and two I can stop if I need too. As you can see, you are not alone in this at all... it just working through the anxiety and learning to control it.

My best,

Jay

geoff · ‎31-05-2017

hello Miranda, maybe the word for this is Polyuria, but if you have excessive OCD, and don't worry I've had it for 57 years, but what I would do is to try and replace this thought by doing another OCD habit/ritual, but you have to convince yourself that this new habit is more important than having to go to the toilet, see if that helps you.
Mind you just as the others have mentioned it is a worry especially when you do actually need to go and where is no toilet or stuck in the traffic. Geoff.