NLP as a Cure for Paruresis

Paruresis (aka bashful bladder or shy bladder syndrome) affects millions of people around the world - but simple yet powerful techniques based on NLP and/or hypnotherapy can bring a permanent cure to those who suffer from this embarassing and sometimes painful condition

So you had a little drink about an hour ago, but unlike in the old song, it hasn't "gone right to your head".  What it has done is to send you scuttling off to the nearest public toilet, or 'restroom', to relieve yourself.

When you arrive you find it quite busy - so much so that there are guys on either side of you in the urinals.  While you wait for the flow to come you notice, or at least you THINK you notice, out of the corner of your eye, one of them glancing in your direction.

You start to wonder why.  You know in the back of your mind that a gents public toilet is often used by predatory individuals to target and proposition potential victims; and you start to wonder whether he is one of them.  But then an awful thought dawns on you:  "If they don't hear me 'peeing' soon, they might all start to think that I am one of those predatory individuals, just stood here with no intention of having a 'pee', waiting for my chance to proposition somebody".

That's it - the damage is done ! ! !  For no matter how much you want to go, you know that you won't actually be able to now, at least not until the others have zipped up their pants and left the urinal.  

But, they seem to take forever to do so.  You can see them out of the corner of your eye (or so you THINK) glancing with disapproval in your direction - and you can almost hear them (or so you THINK) tut-tutting as they wash their hands before taking their leave of you.  And then you are gripped by another horrific thought: "What if someone else arrives before I am able to start 'peeing' ?"

Does any of this sound familiar to you ?

OK - so maybe the thoughts that go through your mind are quite different to this - but the end result is probably the same !

Then again, maybe there is no discernible thought process when you find yourself in these circumstances - just an inexplicable "tensing up" which prevents you from doing what comes naturally until such time as you are on your own again.

Whatever the exact nature of your own personal problem, please don't imagine for one moment that you are alone in this ...

It is reckoned that no fewer than 7% of the U.S. population - that's about 20 million people (most of them male) - and millions more from the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and other places around the world suffer from paruresis.

Paruresis is the medical name for bashful bladder or shy bladder syndrome - also sometimes referred to as urophobia or psychogenic urinary retention.  All of these expressions refer quite simply to someone's inability (for whatever reason) to urinate in the presence or proximity of others.

The problem may present itself occasionally, or it may become a permanent obsession.  
It may simply be a source of fleeting embarassment, or it may develop into a painful and potentially harmful condition if left untreated.

Paruresis is correctly classified as a social anxiety disorder; and it usually falls to healthcare professionals with general experience of treating anxiety disorders, or phobias, to provide therapy for this particular anxiety complex.

The precise mechanism of the syndrome is unclear, but it seems that tension, anxiety, or feelings of embarassment can lead to a contraction of the abdominal muscles, with a consequent constriction of the urinal tract, so that you are unable to "pass water" even when you are longing to do so.

Many psychiatrists believe that shy bladder syndrome is a deep-seated natural survival response and has its origins in prehistory.  This is an extremely plausible theory, for in those wild and dangerous times, anyone lowering their guard to 'urinate' would be making themselves vulnerable to attack; so they would first want to ensure that the immediate environment was 'safe'.  

It is quite 'natural' therefore for bashful bladder sufferers, and indeed all of us, to experience a longer delay than usual before urinating in public places.  But if for some reason this natural 'protective pause' lengthens, even slightly, then anxiety levels can increase - and if they do, your brain may well interpret this anxiety as a sign that the local environment is not safe, causing your body to restrict or even shut down the flow of urine.

Although there must be genuine physical factors preventing the passage of urine, the source of the problem clearly lies in the mind; and to be truly effective any treatment or cure for paruresis must remove the mental blocks that are causing the phobia in the first place.

All of which leads us into the world of hypnosis, hypnotherapy, and NLP.

In many cases, NLP has proven itself to be the most effective cure.  NLP stands for Neuro Linguistic Programming - and, as its name suggests, is all about "programming your mind in its own language".

NLP uses simple but powerful psychological techniques that enable you to change the way that you think; and is widely used by all kinds of people all over the world to wipe out fears and phobias, and rid themselves of limiting thoughts and beliefs.

It isn't difficult to track down healthcare professionals who use hypnotherapy and/or NLP as tools for treating social anxiety disorders.  The Internet is a rich source of information for those who feel that they might benefit from such treatment.

However, if you suffer from bashful bladder or shy bladder syndrome, it is important to find someone who has specific experience of treating paruresis, and not simply someone who uses hypnotherapy or NLP to treat social anxiety disorders in general.  The truth is that such professionals are often few and far between.

The other problem is that a regular ongoing course of treatment with a skilled practitioner, whilst almost certain to deliver beneficial results, will inevitably work out quite expensive.

One solution to this problem might be to avail yourself of one of the hypnotherapy/NLP based courses that can be purchased online for a single one-time fee.

The Paruresis Treatment System, for example, sets out to deal with the problem of paruresis by eliminating the long-standing destructive neural pathways of anxiety, that have become established in your mind over the years, and replacing them with positive neural pathways that engender confidence and calm. 

Hypnotherapy solutions work by retraining the subconscious mind so that your body receives the relaxation signals that it needs to allow you to urinate normally.  Self-hypnosis downloads such as Overcome Shy Bladder Syndrome can often start working surprisingly quickly, providing much-needed relief in the process.

You can try out this mp3 download at absolutely NO RISK to yourself - because it comes with an amazing 90-day 100% Money-Back Guarantee.  In other words, if it doesn't work for you, you will receive a full refund, provided you let the supplier know within 90 days.

Whichever approach you choose, rest assured of one thing - there is no reason why you should continue to suffer if you are one of the many who are touched by this condition.

Help is readily available - all you need is the will and strength of purpose to reach out and grab hold of it !

We wish you well in your quest.

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NOTE:  The material on this website is provided solely for informational and educational purposes.  None of the content should be regarded as a substitute for proper medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.  You should consult a professional physician if you have any doubts as to whether opinions or recommendations expressed on this website are applicable to your own symptoms or medical condition.  The author is not and does not claim to be a therapist, psychiatrist, physician or any other kind of medical professional.  Results may vary from one individual to another, and are influenced by many factors.