What is ‘shy bowel syndrome’? The real reason you can only poo at home
Why you should never avoid bowel movements due to ‘poo anxiety’
- Poo anxiety, medically known as parcopresis, describes difficulty pooping away from home and is a common condition, with studies showing a significant percentage of university students experience it.
- Sufferers experience distress, anxiety, and physical symptoms like a racing heartbeat or nausea when faced with using public toilets, often avoiding social activities due to a fear of perceived scrutiny or negative judgment.
- Psychologists classify poo anxiety as a type of social anxiety disorder, stemming from negative self-perception and concerns about the sounds or smells associated with bowel movements.
- Withholding bowel movements due to anxiety can lead to chronic constipation, increasing the risk of haemorrhoids, anal fissures, and in severe cases, life-threatening complications.
- Treatment involves proper toileting education, ensuring adequate dietary fibre and hydration, using techniques like 'SEN', and professional help through cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and graded exposure, with medical consultation advised to rule out other digestive issues.