Overcome your fear of public toilets by using these toilet hacks!
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Having a hectic lifestyle means you’ll have to spend a lot of time outdoors. Sometimes, situations land you in public places that could seem unhygienic. While you are out there, food and everything else feel manageable. But, being left with no choice but to use a public washroom may feel daunting. No matter how many cleaning sprays, or toilet papers you carry, when this urge hits, you feel like rushing to your nearest public toilet. Many people shy away from pooping in a public restroom. If you have a fear of public toilets too, you might be suffering from a psychiatric disorder called shy bowel or Paruresis. There are times when you feel like holding it in rather than using or defecating in the public toilet. Fret not! As with tips and tricks, you can learn to manage your hygiene while using a public toilet.
Recently, Dr Divya Vora, an Obstetrician, and a Gynaecologist took to her social media to share 5 ways to beat the fear of public toilets. Read on to know what she told.
How to overcome the fear of public toilets
The expert strictly asks everyone to refrain from doing any of the following whenever they feel like pooping or peeing in a public toilet.
• Don’t half squat: It’s funny how we think our gym workout training pays us off while using a public washroom. However, with the below-mentioned tips, you will never feel the need to do so, and instead, use public restrooms freely.
• Don’t control your pee: Refrain from doing so to avoid using the toilet. This is one mistake all of us tend to do. This is not just a bad habit, but it is also not good for your bladder.
• Don’t dehydrate yourself: You may think avoiding drinking fluids may help you avoid the toilet. Come on, somewhere, we are all guilty of doing this. We consume fewer fluids on purpose to avoid using the public toilet.
Also read: Love to travel? You may be exposed to these urinary bladder concerns
Here are some tips from the expert to help deal with this not-so-uncommon fear.
1. Never forget a seat sanitizer and a tissue
It is a known fact that public washrooms are open for use to anyone and everyone. People from all walks of life visit it daily. So, it’s inevitable that you can find the toilet seat untidy. Whenever you feel stuck in such a situation with no one around to help, you must make it a habit to carry a sanitiser and a tissue in your daily bag to clean the seat and then use it.
2. Carry a pee cone
In recent years, the usage of public restrooms has increased manifold. And, peeping and pooping in an unhygienic setting, which is a breeding ground for germs, could lead to infection. “Carry a pee cone or pee buddy so that you can stand and pee,” suggests the expert.
3. Try opting for Indian toilets over western ones
Indian toilets are curated in such a way that there is less transfer of germs, and they are also good for your overall body. The use of western toilets is common, but it has also led to the growth of an array of other health concerns.
4. Use a hand shower to clean it
“Use a hand shower or water to clean it, even if you don’t have a tissue,” reckons the expert. No fancy treatment can ever beat the use of good old water. So, if you find the tissue missing, use a hand shower to properly clean the seat before you sit.
5. Lift the seat and sit on the lower surface
Most women who visit the public toilet sit on the seat to pee or poop. So, the lower surface is the least used in a women’s toilet. You may lift the seat and sit on the lower surface instead for safety and hygiene purposes.