Is it normal i can't pee when someone can see me?

88% Normal
8 Comments

When I go to the toilet for a wee sometimes I can't go. This always happens when someone can see me like in the urinals and it never happens when I'm in a cubicle or somewhere alone. It seems weird as even when I need to go a lot and whatever I do it just won't start when someone is there. As soon as they leave it goes fine. Sometimes I have to go to cubicle when many people are around otherwise I can stand there for minutes and nothing. I considered visiting a doctor, but there is clearly no problem as when I'm at home or alone all is absolutely fine. Even when I try to imagine someone was there at home it goes fine but when there really is someone looking I can't go. It's like if my brain somehow subconsciously knew that someone is watching me and it subconsciously blocks the ability to pee. And it's not that I mind someone watching me, I would be absolutely fine if they watched me if I could go, it's just something inside that blocks it. In fact, I'm more worried someone would notice I can't pee and think I'm weird than someone actually seeing me peing. I just wonder if anyone else ever had this problem and if there is anything I can do about it?

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88% Normal
Based on 17 votes (15 yes)
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Comments ( 8 )
  • EnglishLad
    3 years ago

    I've read that this is a thing on a few medical websites. Surprisingly common.

    I'm always fascinated about how people discover this phenomenon about themselves, though. Sometimes even the sound of another person's footsteps entering the loo as you're trying to pee can shut your bladder off. Is your shy bladder syndrome so severe that that's the case for you, or has someone with a pee fetish actually tried to sneak up on you while you were peeing and you couldn't pee but then as soon as they left you alone again it was like niagara falls?

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    • Keblecollege
      3 years ago

      Nice to hear it's surprisingly common and not just me. Even what you describe has happened to me several times, I was peing and heard someone coming and that shut it completely off. That's probably even worse as it seems I finished to them and if I continue to stand there they may think I am the one spying and that makes me even more nervous and unable to pee. So I usually walk away to the sinks and pretend to clean my clothes or wash my face or something until the person is away, then I go back to urinal and all goes fine.

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  • Boojum
    3 years ago

    Pretty common, particularly for women. There's even a fancy medical name for the condition: Paruresis.

    Have a look at this:

    https://www.healthline.com/health/shy-bladder#:~:text=Shy%20bladder%2C%20also%20known%20as,the%20restroom%20in%20public%20places.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      3 years ago

      Thanks very much for the link, it's very helpful and a lot of information. Nice to hear it's not just me.

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  • FromTheSouthWeirdMan
    3 years ago

    Im like that too. I use to get drug tests once a week with someone standing right there and I couldnt piss for the life of me. The tester would be like how hard can it be to pee??

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  • SwickDinging
    3 years ago

    I have the same thing but with pooping. It's not even that I'm embarassed/nervous, I just literally can't go. It's like it shuts off unless I'm somewhere properly private and comfortable.

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    • Keblecollege
      3 years ago

      I think that's parcopresis. There was a link posted on trouble with peing (https://www.healthline.com/health/shy-bladder#:~:text=Shy%20bladder%2C%20also%20known%20as,the%20restroom%20in%20public%20places) and it mentions there is a think called parcopresis where someone can't poop unless private or at home.

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  • rocketdave
    3 years ago

    Very common, try doing high number times tables (23x1, 23x2 ect.) you'll soon start to flow.

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