Transcript National Phobics Society

‘Toilet Phobia’-Getting to the Bottom of
It
National Phobics Society,
Zion CRC,
339 Stretford Road, Hulme,
Manchester, M15 4ZY
Tel: 0870 122 2325
Fax: 0161 226 7727
Email: info @phobics-society.org.uk
Registered Charity No: 1113403
Company Registration No: 5551121
Gathering Information
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Flyer sent out with newsletter- asking individuals with TP to
contact us.
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Sourcing existing NPS members for TP sufferers
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Contacting individuals via telephone
- Interviewing and recording case
studies from those affected by TP
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Contacting individuals via internet
- UK Toilet Phobia Group
- NPS Bulletin Board
Case Study Information
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We asked all TP sufferers:
-Age, location, gender
-Background information on the way TP had developed
-Type of TP
-How it had affected their daily life
-Treatment (if any)
-Ability to discuss TP with others
Statistics from NPS Research
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22 individuals responded to the flyer
18 of these were female and 4 were male - approximately a 5:1
female to male ratio
The majority of females were affected by agoraphobia related
TP whilst the majority of males were affected by AP
The ages of the individuals that responded to the flyer ranged
from 21-79 years.
55% were under 40 years old
75% were under 50 years old
The geographical location of TP sufferers was evenly spread
Incidence of Associated Conditions
Agoraphobia
Related
Social Phobia
Related
Agoraphobia +
Social Phobia
Specific Phobia
Other
Emerging Themes
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It was clear that people would like the subject to be
more openly talked about, however, they were not
prepared to go public themselves.
The majority of people spoken to agreed to help with
the booklet but did not want to be identified as a
sufferer
Several people said they would admit to others that
they were affected by anxiety but would not admit to
having TP
Themes Continued …
A number of people identified a particular
incident, usually in childhood (and several
within school) as a trigger point for TP
Also:
 Learnt behaviour was identified as a factor
for TP behaviour
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Themes Continued…
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TP was reported as being restrictive to
varying degrees– particularly around travel,
social events and work.
Exacerbating factors include: layout and
design of toilets, queuing, cleanliness,
availability of toilet paper and soap etc.
Several people would not discuss TP issues
with their GP for fear of being thought ‘mad’
Avoidant behaviour
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Restricting travel
Adapting eating and drinking patterns
Avoiding social gatherings and events
Restricting employment opportunities
Deceptive behaviour around TP issues
Avoiding using hands to touch seats/ taps/ doors etc
Avoiding using urinals
Avoiding use of the toilet
Safety Strategies
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Taking Imodium
Carrying changes of clothes and adapting
clothes to hide ‘accidents’
Using panty-liners, sanitary towels etc
Carrying deodorant
Using cubicles rather than urinals
Carrying toilet paper
Preplanning routes to include toilets
Coping With TP
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A strong message emerged that making
contact with fellow sufferers helped with
support and reduced isolation
Talking therapies helped at the time,
although most TP sufferers said that they
reverted back to their previous behaviour
some time after therapy ended
Help for TP is often difficult to access
Voices
“I’ve not told anybody, not even my husband”
“I always plan when it is ‘safe’ to go to the toilet and I
make sure that nobody knows”
“Queuing for toilets can cause me extreme anxiety”
“I restrict my fluid intake and wear panty-liners or
sanitary towels so that I feel more secure”
“I don’t go out much because of my phobia, which
means I don’t see many people. I know I appear
unsociable”
Examples of How NPS can Help
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Booklet on TP
DVD on TP
Support and information services including
internet chat room and helpline
Therapy services (inc. CBT, Hypnotherapy,
Counselling, Alternative Therapies)
Increasing contact between TP sufferers