Will Paruresis Kill Me?

Will holding in my pee kill me?

Seriously! I think about this all the time. Will not peeing be the death of me?

Killed by Urine?

Can you imagine?

It’s happened too. A lady in a radio contest “Hold your Wee for a Wii” actually died from holding in her urine so long. Granted, the actual cause of death said she had died from Water Intoxication (Drinking too much water during the contest), but if she had been allowed to urinate, then she probably wouldn’t have died.

I’m no Doctor here, but hearing this scares me.

Can not going to the bathroom be my doom?

I’ve gone 8 hours (or more) without peeing before. Long flights, busy shifts, concerts, boat rides, amusement parks, dinner and the movies, road trips… it’s easy for a normal person to hold in their pee for an extended period, let alone a Paruretic, someone who is SCARED to pee in public!

I’ve had circumstances before where I’ve been so uncomfortable that I really thought I would die. My screaming bladder would not shut up and that’s all I couldn’t think about. Peeing consumed my thoughts “I NEED TO PEE! I NEED TO PEE RIGHT NOW!!!” I was on the verge of panic!

I am amazed it hasn’t killed me yet!

So I did some research on holding in your pee to find out…

Will Not Peeing Kill You?

It seems that holding in your pee won’t really kill you. The bladder is a sac that stretches just like any other internal organ (think what over-eating does to your stomach).

The bladder gets full and sends a signal to your brain that it’s full and it’s time to go.

Normally this happens about 8-10 times a day.

When you don’t go, the bladder continues to fill and expand (no it won’t explode).

This uncomfortable feeling could cause fever, chills or even stomach pain. It’s just your body’s way of eliminating waste.

The bladder could get so full that it causes urine (which is sterile when it’s in the body) to backtrack and go up into the kidneys. This is where any damage could occur.

It can cause bacteria to form which could result in kidney infections, urinary track infections (UTI) and damage to the body.

Sounds awesome doesn’t it?

As far as I know of I’ve never had an infection (I believe it’s more frequent in women), but who knows?

It’s good to hear that it won’t explode like a balloon and fill my body with toxic poisons. But it could cause problems with my kidneys and become a breeding ground for bacteria.

NICE!

So what can I do to prevent this?

Don’t go out! LOL That’s the cure for most Paruretics…

But really…

I’ll try to go when I feel the first urge. That way I don’t make peeing any more difficult than it is.

Go when the brains says “GO“.

Easier said than done, right? To a Paruretic, this is a living nightmare. It’s the one thing that we dread the most. Especially in a crowded bathroom with a line of people waiting…

As much as your brain shouts “GO“, the bladder and body say “NO“.

Why do they contradict each other? Why such an internal fight? It doesn’t make much sense.

It doesn’t seem like such a difficult thing for the body to accomplish, but apparently many people have problems peeing in public bathrooms. At least 7% of us have some sort of social condition!

Some people avoid the bathrooms and hold in their urine all night… And they’re NOT even pee shy!

Crazy eh?

So until I find a cure, I’ll keep on trying to go and hope that at least half the time it works.

What’s the worst thing that could happen to me? I pee my pants? I turn into a bacteria farm? I become “The BLOB“?

I always say Paruresis will be the death of me. Maybe I’m right? Maybe I’ll be the first?

Maybe I will be “The Exploding Bladder” (that explodes like a Peep in the Microwave)?

I kid, but I can clearly see it happening.

Death by Urine!

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger?

Or does it just give you a floppy bladder?

Hmmm…