Possible TMI - Anxiety

[awake]

I'm totally embarrassed about this
but does anybody else's anxiety manifest in the fixation about having to pee?

It's like the second most repetitious thought in my head underneath food/weight etc

I'm constantly worried about
what if I have to go and I can't
where are the bathrooms
what if i can't get in the bathrooms
what if there's traffic
what if i can't find a public restroom?

I can't even tell anymore if/when I genuinely have to go and when its just anxiety

Is that totally abnormal?

I mean, I get full on sweaty hands, heart goes crazy, i get hot/cold flashes even though logically I know I've gone 20 minutes ago and can't possibly need to again so soon.
It's awful : (

[MyDarkestNight.]

I have this too!
I find it very embarasing, but when I do exams to this day, the thing I worry about most is needing the toilet and not being allowed out. It seriousley worries me a lot, and in most situations.
It doesn't help my anxiety problems at all :/

You're not the only one, I can totally relate, and it sucks :(

[awake]

Thank you for replying!
Is there anything you've found that helps?
[besides not drinking anything?]

[LadyFace]

I honestly cannot say that I have struggled with this but I can completely understand how anxiety can manifests itself in a lot of ways, and most of the time the anxieties are completely irrational and something that at other times, you wouldn't think twice about.
I'm sure that the same anxiety tips would work for your problem as well. Maybe do some google research on how people control their urges to run when they get anxious, or how they face their fears and self talk themselves through a situation. May be very helpful! I know I've had to do that quite a few times in the middle of an anxiety attack.

[sadderstar]

HAHAHAHHA LOL OMG I'M EXACTLY THE SAME. I'm constantly worried about having to pee and eventually peeing myself if I can't make it to the bathroom (it never happened, though). And I drink a lot of water, so I need to pee constantly. Not fun.

It's a torture when I feel the need to pee and I can't - like when I'm in the bus or something. It makes me cry and I keep thinking that I'm going to pee myself if I stand up.

Okay, now it's TMI, right? :( Sorry

[awake]

@sadderstar yes exactly! Thank you for replying.

@ladyface I've tried the counting and the breathing and self-talk 'you just went you don't have to go, you're 22, you can hold it'. It's pretty hit and miss if it helps or doesn't though : / thanks for the suggestions!

[abusingsunshine]

I haven't used a public restroom since before I can remember. I am afraid people will judge me for peeing? Does that make sense? And I am always paranoid that there's cameras in the bathrooms so I hold it until I can't stand it anymore, even in my own house. The last time I used a public restroom, I had to wait until I knew for sure that no one was in there before I could actually get myself to go.
I totally know what you're talking about..

[Cecilie]

I'm the same. If I don't know where I can find a restroom, I can't drink anything in case I will have to go. I can't ask anybody either. And I hate it if I know someone will hear me pee. I guess for me it's a part of the social anxiety I'm struggling with.

[abusingsunshine]

And I hate it if I know someone will hear me pee.

It just dawned on me that I think what is even harder than knowing someone can hear me peeing is when they try Talking to you while you're in the bathroom. It's just so strange to me. Am I supposed to respond? I'm busy pretending I'm the only person alive on the planet here; hello..

[awake]

I do that too! Don't drink before I go to school, or before I drive to work or anything else, even if I know there's going to be a bathroom nearby. Just to be safe, I have to wait until I get there.

I never got girls that hold convos through the stalls - but even worse than that is people on the phone. It's like I feel guilty for flushing and spoiling the "i'm not doing anything like, i don't know peeing while talking to you" facade for the person.

Which is just crazy. O.o

[sostarving]

I totally have this too. It is so frustrating especially cause it happened to me all the time in one of my classes it was right after I had breakfast so I always ended up having to pee, seriously every class I had to go. So it ended up being this mental war with myself over if I could go yet cause I didn’t want to miss something important when I left, and I couldn’t go too early cause I didn’t want to have to go more than once, and I couldn’t skip my breakfast since I was only having a no cal monster and desperately needed the caffeine to stay awake during class and couldn’t have any real food either. I probably missed more stuff sitting there arguing with myself then I did actually leaving the classroom.
Also anytime someone mentions going to the bathroom I have to go to otherwise I start worrying that I’ll have to go later and not be able to make it to the bathroom for some reason and then I’ll wet myself and everyone will be like why didn’t you go when so and so did? Anxiety makes me stupid.

[awake]

Anxiety makes me stupid.

Firstly, anxiety makes you anxious, not stupid.

But I can totally relate! My classes at the college I attend are each 4 hours. So usually the instructor will give a break only after the 2 hour mark and I'm completely useless after the first hour because I'm worried about what if I really have to go before then? I do have to go. Can I hold it? What if I can't? And I'll be damned if I know what's going on at all half the time.
Some are ok with you getting up and going if you need to, others are strict and I don't want to be the asshole who interrupts class every week, but sometimes ya gotta do what you gotta.

I also drink monsters at work and they make fun of me for my tiny bladder, because I get anxious about getting stuck behind a register and having to pee and not being able to go because nobody's watching the till. It's all just bad. lol.

[perfucktion]

Oh man, can relate. Its been a while since it has happened, but I've pissed myself before simply because I was too embarrassed to ask where the bathroom is or if I could be excused to go use it. I don't know why I can't get it through my head.... Everyone pees. No one will think I am odd for asking for the toilet. Strangely though, pissing myself a few times has helped get me over the anxiety of asking for a break or restroom, because having to hide the fact that you've wet yourself is so much worse to me! I still restrict liquids though if we're going to be driving a long while and the driver is someone who hates making pit-stops, or similar situations.

[barely_there]

i love reading posts in the anxiety forum that describe me to a T, haha. I can totally relate to this fear!