Posted by Jean on 5/2/2014, 5:28 pm, in reply to "Beginners workshop feedback."
I'm glad you have discovered this board and have been able to attend a workshop which you have found very helpful, as we all do. It must be particularly difficult for you having to cope with a physical disability as well - I don't suppose you are able to be as independent as most of us.
You may find it helpful to know about my experience of the condition. I am now 74 and have suffered from paruresis since I was a teenager. I found this board quite a number of years ago now and it has made a big difference to me knowing that I'm not the only one with this problem. I was lucky enough to be able to attend an all women work-shop, and I think it may have been the only one so far. I can now cope quite well using public toilets in most situations, which I couldn't do before. I am not cured, but I have learned to live with the condition. I still find some situations difficult, for example if I am with people I know or if there are only 2 or 3 cubicles and a queue.
What seems to work best for me in difficult situations is slow, deep breathing, as taught on the work-shop, and if I can I try to make sure I give myself plenty of time. And I try never to miss an opportunity to use public toilets, resisting the temptation to wait until I get home. That way it seems 'normal.
I also drink plenty of water - something that was suggested to me by a counsellor a long time ago. It should prevent cystitis, which means if I get caught out and can't 'go' I do feel uncomfortable, maybe very uncomfortable for a while, but I know I will find somewhere sometime, and I don't worry that it will damage my health. It doesn't happen very often now. It's no longer a big issue for me which is why I don't use this board so much now.
So, very good luck to you, Lucy. You know now that you are not alone. Stay positive. Keep posting.181
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