Five Tips for Traveling by Airplane with Paruresis

Paruresis (or “shy” or “bashful” bladder) is a condition many people suffer from; it can impact your life in negative ways, preventing you from enjoying life to the fullest.  What happens when you must travel by airplane?  You may already fear flying enough, compound this with paruresis, and the fear becomes even worse.  The more you think about it, the worse the anxiety becomes.  What happens when you are 32,000 feet in the air and there is nowhere to go except – Heaven forbid – the bathroom on the airplane?

There are some ways you can deal with this situation without becoming more and more frightened or anxious at the thought of flying.

First, realize that your fear and anxiety begin in your mind

While it’s easier said than done, talk to close friends and family (or even yourself) about your fears.  It could be that you are afraid people will either see or “hear” you if you use a public restroom, and that you would be embarrassed.  This makes you so anxious that you cannot “go” even when it feels as if your bladder will burst.

Think about all of the people you know who use public restrooms on a regular basis.  Tell yourself it is normal and a necessity when you are away from home or other restrooms you are comfortable using.  While it won’t eliminate your anxiety, it might be helpful to keep telling yourself that millions of other people use public restrooms every day, and think nothing about it.

Shy bladder syndrome is a subconscious and conscious problem; it is actually produced in the thought processes, stemming from something that happened at some point in your life.  If you are a man, you may feel that other men are staring at your penis when you try to use a public restroom; for women, paruresis often begins as a result of feeling uncomfortable around others.  Something traumatic may have happened to you as a child, or you could have been made fun of in a public restroom by peers when you were in school.  There are many reasons for bashful bladder, just be aware that the anxiety is made worse because of fearful and frightening thoughts.

Five tips that will help make air traveling easier for those with bashful bladder

If you are going to be traveling by airplane in the near future, there are some things you can do to lessen your worry and anxiety.

1. Try to go during the “slower” times during your trip.  Typically, most people will visit the bathroom on an airplane soon after meals have been served and eaten, or right before the plane descends.  If you go at an alternate time, chances are you will be more relaxed because you won’t have people standing outside the door waiting for you to finish.
2. Practice on your fears for weeks prior to your trip.  If you know weeks in advance that you will be traveling by air, practice making yourself feel comfortable in a public restroom.

Even when you do not need to use the bathroom, make it a practice to go in them every time you get a chance.  While in the bathroom, simply wash your hands and then leave.  This will help your mind begin to realize that being in a public restroom is normal, and part of everyday life.

If you have time in the weeks prior to your trip, you may even take your iPod in the bathroom with you and listen to soothing music while you actually urinate.  This helps block out the noise you often hear in a public bathroom, and helps soothe your anxiety.

3. Meditate or practice relaxation techniques in the bathroom of the airplane.  Whether you have to close your eyes and practice deep breathing or focus your mind on something pleasant, meditation often helps relieve anxiety and relax your mind.
4. Turn on the faucet before you try to go.  The sound of the water is not only relaxing, it helps mask the noise which may help you feel more comfortable that no one will hear you while you urinate.
5. Keep in mind that there are plenty of loud sounds to mask the noise.  If you are worried about those on the airplane hearing you go, remember that the roar of engines and cooling/ventilation systems are loud.  It’s likely that no one will hear anything at all due to the background noise.

Overcoming paruresis for a happier, anxiety-free life

Let’s face it; paruresis affects all aspects of your life.  Not only do you dread traveling on an airplane, you “arrange” your life so that you can avoid using public restrooms at all costs, whether it be at work, at a shopping mall, or at a social event.

You can overcome bashful or shy bladder.  This is a condition that begins in your brain with your thought processes.  In essence, there are therapies such as biofeedback and desensitization that help to “re-train your brain” so to speak.  Paruresis is an anxiety disorder, and overcoming it requires training your mind so that negative or frightening thoughts are replaced by pleasant or normal thoughts.

Whether you are a man, woman, teen, or child, paruresis can take control of your life.  Isn’t it time for you to take control of your bashful bladder?

Click below now to learn more about overcoming your paruresis or to get your free email seminar “The Shy Bladder Solution”: