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A panicked man in a bathroom is in hysterics as he notices that there is no lock on the door.

I Hate Using Another Person's Bathroom

I really don’t like using other people’s bathrooms, especially because I have IBS. I don’t care if you’re family or friend – I just can’t ever feel, or better yet, get comfortable in someone else’s bathroom. For instance, I get panic attacks sometimes because I’m afraid someone might try to open the bathroom door or think I’m taking too long. I have also dealt with worst-case scenarios, such as not enough toilet paper, and/or no locks on the bathroom door.

Why I hate using public and other people's bathrooms

Needless to say, my IBS is not an easy thing to deal with because of the fears it evokes in me, especially in public. So, when I make the sacrifice of leaving my comfort zone to face the struggles outside in someone else’s home, I brace myself for possible worst-case scenarios.

Panic attacks

One of the main reasons why I don’t like using someone else’s bathroom is because I get panic attacks. In my case, although the panic attacks are mild, they still exasperate my IBS symptoms. I hate panic attacks because it worsens my anxiety and makes me clench up, which makes it hard for me to release a bowel movement. It’s an ironic situation when you really have to use the toilet, but once you sit down, the panicking and anxiety takes over, which makes it hard to do the very thing you feel the urge to do. I know how my IBS works, therefore, it’s hard for me to be Speedy Gonzalez on someone else’s toilet, let alone in my own bathroom, because it takes so much concentration and patience. Since I know this about myself, the mild panic attacks occur because I’m afraid others won’t understand my IBS habits.

Some bathrooms are not Hess-friendly

Another reason why I don’t like using someone else’s bathroom is because they are not me-friendly. In other words, other people’s bathrooms don’t cater to my comfortability (and they shouldn’t). For instance, bathrooms that are Hess-friendly would have 4 simple things; a good number of toilet paper rolls, quality hand soap, a loud vent, and the most important of all, a lock on the door! I’ve gone to someone else’s home and they lacked many of these things, but the worst, for me, is when the door has no lock. How do you poop in peace with no lock on the door?! I’ve been in many situations where this is the case and I would always have to make sure whoever I’m with will “play bouncer” in front of the bathroom door to make sure no one else gets in but me.

Because of my IBS, there are so many other reasons why I don’t like using someone else’s bathroom. I find it hard to go out in public regularly because of these reasons, and, frankly, it's just easier to deal with my IBS in the comfort of my own home.

Can any of you reading this article relate? Do you find it difficult using other people’s bathrooms? If so, what are your reasons? Please feel free to share below and thanks so much for reading my article!

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This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The IrritableBowelSyndrome.net team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

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