by Matt Krouwel | Mar 13, 2026 | anxiety, phobia, public toilet anxiety, shy bladder syndrome
Public toilet anxiety is a common experience in which people feel uncomfortable about using public toilets. One study of university students (Knowles 2023) found some interesting facts about public toilet anxiety: 14% of participants showed public toilets avoiding... by Matt Krouwel | Mar 7, 2026 | anxiety, functional disorder, hypnotherapy, pee shy, shy bladder syndrome, Systematic desensitization
As a therapist with many years of experience working with functional and anxiety disorders I have used hypnotherapy for shy bladder syndrome and pee shy clients many times. Often shy bladder presents as a secondary symptom to another problem such as social anxiety, or... by Matt Krouwel | Mar 1, 2026 | anxiety, functional disorder, paruresis, pee shy, shy bladder syndrome
The term ‘pee shy’ or having a ‘shy bladder’ means a person who finds it difficult or to urinate when another person is around. Shy bladder syndrome is: A specific form of public toilet anxiety. More common in men than women. Frequently accompanied by another anxiety... 
by Matt Krouwel | Jan 5, 2026 | anxiety, erectile dysfunction, Systematic desensitization, vaginismus
Systematic desensitisation (SD) is a psychotherapeutic technique based on behavioural principles. SD involves the patient being deeply relaxed and then exposed to a negative trigger whilst in that relaxed state. Through a process known as reciprocal inhibition the old... 
by Matt Krouwel | Dec 18, 2025 | anxiety, Panic attack
A panic attack is an event in which the physical body enters such a heightened state and the person becomes psychologically overwhelmed by the experience. Commonly the physical experience is sufficiently intense that they feel in danger of a fatal medical event. At... 
by Matt Krouwel | Nov 2, 2025 | anxiety, phobia
A phobia is a disproportionately strong fear response to an object, creature, situation or activity which actually a relatively low level of risk. Phobias are often described as irrational. However, as the fears they represent are often founded in deep evolutionary...