What is a Bashful Bladder?
Bashful bladder syndrome (BBS), or paruresis, is a psychological disorder that makes it very difficult for people to pass urine especially if they feel they may be interrupted, don’t have adequate privacy, or if they must urinate for things like urine samples. It is not that uncommon, though degree to which it may affect people varies. It’s also been shown to be more common in men than in women, potentially due to the relative lack of privacy in men’s public restrooms. The bashful bladder syndrome is considered a social phobia, somewhat akin to shyness, and the term shy bladder may be used instead. Bashful bladder is no joking matter for people it affects significantly, because it can mean that those with the condition can seldom go out for longer than a few hours, take trips because of the necessity of using public restrooms, and the like. It can also cross over into creating medical problems, since failure to urinate regularly can cause urinary tract infections. What causes bashful b
