Paruresis

Paruresis, also known as shy bladder syndrome, is a type of phobia in which a person is unable to urinate in the real or imagined presence of other people, such as in a public restroom. It is also known by names including bashful bladder, bashful kidneys, and pee-shyness. The condition is addressed across the specialties of psychiatry, clinical psychology, and urology, reflecting both its psychological basis and its physical presentation. A related condition affecting bowel movement rather than urination is called parcopresis, or shy bowel, and is considered analogous to paruresis. Paruresis is referenced in the DSM-IV-TR under section 300.23, and continues to be referenced within the DSM-5 as a specific presentation of social anxiety centered on the physical act of urinating in the presence, or perceived presence, of other people. The severity of the condition varies widely, ranging from mild discomfort using unfamiliar or public restrooms to a complete inability to urinate outside a person's own home.