Anxiety and Your Bladder
I ought to perhaps warn you that I'm covering a slightly more "delicate" subject in this article as I'm going to talk about stress and your bladder!
I bet this is one subject you don't hear too many people talking about! But why? It's well known that stress, "nerves" and anxiety can have an effect on the bladder. This is true for everyone but can be more of a problem for some people than others.
Have you ever had an important event to attend and been convinced that you had to go to the toilet beforehand, only to find that you didn't really need to go at all?
Some people get a real sense of urgency in times of stress that they need to have a pee. It's actually a false signal from the bladder but still feels very real at the time!
And how can you cope with this if it happens to you?
Distraction is the most obvious of coping methods. The more you think about needing a pee, the more your bladder will reinforce that thought by sending you yet more "urgent" signals!
(Some of this may be familiar to you as it is similar to the methods used to try and stave off a panic attack.)
* Focus on the world around you. Look in great detail at everything that is around you.
* Choose one particular object and focus just on that. If it reminds you of pleasant memories, let your mind go in that direction.
* Busy your mind: recite the alphabet backwards, think of an animal for each letter of the alphabet, whatever it takes to stop you thinking about those "urgent" signals being hurled at you!
Distracting your attention from your bladder and the signals it is sending you will get you into good habits for the future and make it easier for you to make your bladder calmer next time it happens.
Also, remember to keep practising your breathing exercises so that you can relax as much as possible during times of anxiety and so more easily resist the urge to empty the bladder.
PLEASE NOTE: If you think that you have a specific bladder problem, rather than it just being a symptom of anxiety, then do please see your doctor as there are various treatments and specific exercises available that will be of help to you.
I bet this is one subject you don't hear too many people talking about! But why? It's well known that stress, "nerves" and anxiety can have an effect on the bladder. This is true for everyone but can be more of a problem for some people than others.
Have you ever had an important event to attend and been convinced that you had to go to the toilet beforehand, only to find that you didn't really need to go at all?
Some people get a real sense of urgency in times of stress that they need to have a pee. It's actually a false signal from the bladder but still feels very real at the time!
And how can you cope with this if it happens to you?
Distraction is the most obvious of coping methods. The more you think about needing a pee, the more your bladder will reinforce that thought by sending you yet more "urgent" signals!
(Some of this may be familiar to you as it is similar to the methods used to try and stave off a panic attack.)
* Focus on the world around you. Look in great detail at everything that is around you.
* Choose one particular object and focus just on that. If it reminds you of pleasant memories, let your mind go in that direction.
* Busy your mind: recite the alphabet backwards, think of an animal for each letter of the alphabet, whatever it takes to stop you thinking about those "urgent" signals being hurled at you!
Distracting your attention from your bladder and the signals it is sending you will get you into good habits for the future and make it easier for you to make your bladder calmer next time it happens.
Also, remember to keep practising your breathing exercises so that you can relax as much as possible during times of anxiety and so more easily resist the urge to empty the bladder.
PLEASE NOTE: If you think that you have a specific bladder problem, rather than it just being a symptom of anxiety, then do please see your doctor as there are various treatments and specific exercises available that will be of help to you.