Do you suffer from the not-my-own-toilet syndrome? Here's what you can do about it
My apologies in advance. Not exactly the most charming topic to talk about, but almost half of all Dutch people suffer from it, so here I am just putting it on the table: doing number 2 outside the home. I honestly thought I was one of the few who had developed some sort of fear about this. I've never managed to sit relaxed on a toilet that isn't mine. Not at the office, not at my best friend's house, not in a Dixi, nowhere. On vacation, it's even more of a party; I can easily hold it for a few days.
That I suffer from the not-my-own-toilet syndrome is clear, but it's not healthy. Better said: it's really bad for you. The longer you wait, the more blocked you become. Voluntarily ignoring the need to go to the toilet can cause problems in the rectum, colon, and the entire gastrointestinal tract because you are not moving your intestines. The longer the stool stays in the colon, the more water is absorbed, and the harder the stool becomes. Before you know it, you won't even be able to poop on your own nice toilet.
Poop is also a toxin, so the longer you keep this in your body, the more risk you run that these toxins are reabsorbed into the body. Or worse: a dysfunction occurs in your sphincter muscles down there. I think every normal person would want to avoid that.
Anyway, if you, like me, turn pale from the awkwardness, I've gathered a few tips that make the whole ‘experience’ a tiny bit less awkward.
1. Make noise
Let the tap run. If you somehow don't have one nearby, turn on your TikTok sound to mute. Most likely, you were already scrolling anyway.
2. Put on headphones
And preferably ones that are noise-cancelling. If you can't hear it yourself, you're also less focused on what's happening around you and less bothered by that awkward feeling when you suddenly hear footsteps.
3. Flush beforehand
As soon as the moment arrives, flush the toilet immediately. The smell will lessen, and no one will have heard your splash. Winning.
4. Bring a sample perfume
Next time you get a whole load of testers at the perfume shop, throw them straight into your bag. You'll be grateful to yourself during your next toilet visit.
5. Toilet paper
A classic, but always good. Just throw a bunch of toilet paper in the toilet before you sit down. No one will hear it.
Don't forget: we all do it after all. It doesn't have to be awkward; you just make it awkward yourself.
Source: teenvogue.com
