Shy Bladder and anxiety counseling

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dustythepilot

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Dustythepilot
I have a shy bladder. It’s called Paruresis. Can’t use urinals Unless I’m the only one in the restroom. Started from being bullied in high school. Generally have no trouble with stalls and private restrooms. Recently was hired by a school and had to take a drug test. After a rush of anxiety I was able to provide a sample within 4 minutes. It really was a wake up call that I need to work on myself as a person and beat this disorder I have.

So I have been. But I want to start taking cognitive based therapy to help my recovery. I’m worried what repercussions this will have with my flying career. I don’t want to take medication and don’t believe I need it. Will I need to report these sessions on my medical? Does it matter if I go to a counselor or psychologist or psychotherapists?

Haven’t found much online but did meet an airline pilot who said he suffers from it as well. He told me the time pressure of using the restroom on the plane as the FAs block the aisle has caused him to not be able to go several times.

Thanks
 
Yoga or any other meditation type (mental relaxation) exercise might do the trick without any therapy, but it sounds like maybe there’s more to it than not being able to go.
 
Hmmmm...... External catheter and a bag strapped on the leg would seem to overcome the entire issue.
 
I'm not the biggest fan of public peeing either; I just drink a lot of water before any drug tests (required for work) or diabetes test (for FAA physical.)
Of course, I'm usually wearing sandals or flip-flops; being next to someone else can certainly point out bad aim. I'm an advocate for shoulder-to-floor "splash guards".
 
Shy bladder is quite embarrassing Nothing like standing for the longest and nothing happens. Like a valve is cut off at the bottom of the full bladder. Can be painful and the bladder can lock up even after one is alone.

As my body aged, the problem just kinda left.
 
Stop worrying about it. I doubt very much it's an issue for a medical unless you take a medicine for it. The docs will be along. Happens to me sometimes, I just wait it out, nobody cares. It's funny if it happens at a football game, some yahoo behind me starts piping up why is it taking so long, I just turn around say the more you talk the longer it'll take, sometimes that doesn't go over well, lol, stupid drunks.
 
I think as you age the reciprocal happens, can't hold urine anymore.
 
Try wearing ear plugs. Put them in before going into a public restroom. Focus on nothing gut going pee, let the ear plugs block out everything else so its just you in your head. Sounds silly but it works.
 
What if you just pay cash for counselor and use your first name as long as they were okay with it. Lot don't even take insurance anyway make you file your own claims. With today's database breaches of security I don't trust electronic records.
 
Talk to the AME. They often will take a sample you provide on your own or allow you to submit a UA from another doctor.
 
flyingron said:
Talk to the AME. They often will take a sample you provide on your own or allow you to submit a UA from another doctor.
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He said wants to try and get some help for the problem after doing a pre-employment drug screening not giving a sample for the AME. If he goes to see a counselor or psychologist or psychotherapists will the FAA have a problem with that.
 
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flyingron said:
Talk to the AME. They often will take a sample you provide on your own or allow you to submit a UA from another doctor.
Click to expand...
I haven’t heard of this. What if I’m given a random UA? Also what will happen when I start applying to airlines?
 
I had a patient that your same exact problem. He tried medications didn’t really work he became most of fanatic about it.
what solved his problem almost overnight was getting a little too crazy about this to the point that he went into urinary retention, and then he had to go to the emergency room and have a catheter placed up his wanger...After that he would go on command because the fear of that was far worse and the fear of having to urinate around anyone else
 
benyflyguy said:
I had a patient that your same exact problem. He tried medications didn’t really work he became most of fanatic about it.
what solved his problem almost overnight was getting a little too crazy about this to the point that he went into urinary retention, and then he had to go to the emergency room and have a catheter placed up his wanger...After that he would go on command because the fear of that was far worse and the fear of having to urinate around anyone else
Click to expand...
Yeah, screw that, no catheter up my "wanger".
 
dustythepilot said:
I haven’t heard of this. What if I’m given a random UA? Also what will happen when I start applying to airlines?
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There are no "random drug tests" other than for commercial operations. In those cases, some pilots have taken to carrying intermittent catheters with them.

Your pee test on the medical isn't a drug test. It's only to detect albumin and glucose in the urine (though many AMEs use the seven test dip sticks because they're easier/cheaper than getting the individual sticks for the two tests mandated).
 
I used to get shy about #2... then my brother told me "why?! I'm proud of that sound" - changed my whole perspective

And life is all about perception... right?

upload_2019-7-3_13-4-3.png
 
You need to face your fears head on. Ask your friends to watch you pee then work your way up to strangers. Go to a ballpark that has a long trough style urinal as a final test. It helps to envision water falls, babbling brooks, ocean waves, water fountains, etc. Close your eyes if you have to but work towards being totally ok with eye contact at the trough. Engage in mild chit chat with your pee partner to make things less weird. Talk about it openly if that helps. Sometimes a little ice breaker is all you need. You may even make some new friends.
 
I keep parsing the title as "Sky bladder", no doubt some travel enhancement gizmo sold out of the Sky Mall magazine in your seat back pockets...
 
texasclouds said:
You need to face your fears head on. Ask your friends to watch you pee then work your way up to strangers. Go to a ballpark that has a long trough style urinal as a final test. It helps to envision water falls, babbling brooks, ocean waves, water fountains, etc. Close your eyes if you have to but work towards being totally ok with eye contact at the trough. Engage in mild chit chat with your pee partner to make things less weird. Talk about it openly if that helps. Sometimes a little ice breaker is all you need. You may even make some new friends.
Click to expand...
Believe me this is what I’ve been doing the past few weeks. Slowly making progress. One of the best things I did is tell my best friend of over 25 years.
 
flyingron said:
There are no "random drug tests" other than for commercial operations. In those cases, some pilots have taken to carrying intermittent catheters with them.

Your pee test on the medical isn't a drug test. It's only to detect albumin and glucose in the urine (though many AMEs use the seven test dip sticks because they're easier/cheaper than getting the individual sticks for the two tests mandated).
Click to expand...
I work for a flight school as a CFII that gives random drug tests. Trying to avoid having to go the catheter route lol.
 
Thanks everyone for the comments. I am really still wondering if seeing a therapist is reportable on my FAA medical? My understanding is that it is and I’ll most likely get deferred and have to go through hoops to get a medical.

What happens if I want to get marriage counseling with my wife?
 
Applicant History
Item 19. Visits to Health Professional Within Last 3 Years ​

The applicant should list all visits in the last 3 years to a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, psychologist, clinical social worker, or substance abuse specialist for treatment, examination, or medical/mental evaluation. The applicant should list visits for counseling only if related to a personal substance abuse or psychiatric condition.
​
This is the paragraph @Tantalum refers to. And in addition to substance abuse (that includes alcohol) it also list psychiatric condition.

I'll leave it to Dr. Bruce (@bbchien) to comment on if counseling for shy bladder or marriage issues falls into this net.
 
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Some things the FAA needs to know about, some things the FAA doesn’t need to know about. Being this is not a medical condition or a true psychological (depression, suicidal, bi polar) and I personally don’t think medication would help your problem. I personally would not bother with the FAA on this one.
 
Heck, our preoccupation and obsession with aviation or even being pilots is a bit of a psychological disorder in a lot of people's eyes...I mean, man was not meant to fly, right? Do we have to report, "Constant thoughts of aviation that frequently creep into and/or interfere with everyday life and interpersonal relationships?"
Listen to the real Docs, of course, but it doesn't seem like a shy bladder is a reportable medical or psychological issue unless it affects your health or decision-making capabilities.
 
AggieMike88 said:
psychiatric condition
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yes, I have no idea if bladder shyness falls under some kind of anxiety, which would be I believe is a psychiatric condition (anxiety). Remember there is a difference in psychiatrist and psychologist, and I've always assumed that a visit to a psychologist every now and then to help with marital issues, work difficulties, etc., would not fall under a psychiatric condition umbrella..

now, if you're going to a psychologist to help with alcohol addiction, or obsessive-compulsive tendencies etc than that certainly is a psychiatric condition. But I've always been told and assumed that marriage counseling by itself does not need to be disclosed unless it is associated with other issues that may be ruining a marriage, IE like drugs etc
 
Tantalum said:
Remember there is a difference in psychiatrist and psychologist
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Yup, there is a difference in how they go about treating their patients. What I don't know is if the FAA looks at them differently based on the "black letter" wording of that paragraph, or thinks that treatment from either is to be reported based on the need of treatment.

Psychiatrist could be in "black letter" because psychiatrists are trained medical doctors, they can prescribe medications, and they spend much of their time with patients on medication management as a course of treatment. While Psychologists focus extensively on psychotherapy and treating emotional and mental suffering in patients with behavioral intervention. With a psychiatrist likely to proscribe medications, then the applicant is also declaring the meds and the FAA will definitely want to know what meds and for what condition are they being proscribed.

But please be clear that this is a complete guess from me and I defer to our respected experts for the correct answer, both on this subject and DustyThePilot's question regarding reporting therapy.

Hopefully we will see an answer in this thread because I'm curious about this and am always up for expanding my knowledge of medical certification topics.
 
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