We think it is: "An inability to urinate in the presence, real or perceived, of others". Common names for the condition are Shy Bladder, Bashful Bladder or Pee Shy. A medical description is Psychogenic Urinary Retention. It affects both men and women, of all ages and backgrounds. Sufferers are often called Avoidant Paruretics (or APs for short), because their paruresis causes them to avoid situations that make it difficult or impossible for them to be able to pee. 

For a more detailed insight as to how this may affect the individual, look at Living with AP. For the implications of workplace urine testing click here.

The condition was first researched and defined by Williams and Degenhardt in their paper "Paruresis: a Survey of a Disorder of Micturition" published in the Journal of General Psychology, 1954, 51, 19-29.

Find out more about living with paruresis, see what others are saying on the forum, look at what you can start doing in The Way Forward, and then find out about our successful workshops in Case Studies.

This condition can also affect people's ability to defecate, though by its nature this is usually less of a problem - an information site about this may be found at: www.shybowel.com

If this does not describe your condition, but you do have a toilet related phobia, try the UK Toilet Phobia Internet Group: uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/uktoiletphobiagroup/