Blog

In my last video, I talked about the decision I made to finally get help for my shy bladder.

Once I made that decision, I started looking for answers.

And for the first time, I discovered there was actually a whole world of information and support out there that I didn’t know existed.

I found the International Paruresis Association.

I read The Secret Social Phobia.

And I started learning about things I’d never heard of before.

Graduated exposure.

The breath-hold technique.

Virtual support groups.

Virtual and in-person workshops.

I also learned something that was really important for me.

I could practice graduated exposure on my own.

That was a big deal.

I didn’t have to wait for a workshop or the perfect situation.

I could go out and practice.

So all of these things became part of my plan.

And I want to emphasize the word my.

Everyone’s experience with paruresis is different.

There’s no one-size-fits-all program that’s guaranteed to work for everyone.

This isn’t a prescription.

It’s simply what worked for me, and variations of these approaches have helped many other people with paruresis.

And if you’re considering trying the breath-hold technique, please check with your doctor first.

But there was one part of my plan that I think made an enormous difference for me.

Practice.

And when I say I practiced a lot…

I mean I practiced a lot.

Eventually, I went to Las Vegas and decided I was going to practice like crazy for several days.

And that’s where things got really interesting.

I’ll share what happened in Part 3.