Public bathrooms

[shiva]

Today my fiance and I went on a long bike ride and hike. At one point I really had to pee, so knowing the nature center has decent bathrooms I chose to use them instead of the woods since the park was very active. While in the bathroom I realized how urgently I was trying to get things done and get out of there. I have oftentried to defendmyself to friends and family members trying to explain where I am coming from with my avoidance of public bathrooms and today I think I finally understood it well enough to explain it next time they are finding humor in my situation...


I always (if there is a female with me) have someone go check to find me a usable stall so that I am not caught off guard by anything nasty. Then I realized what bothers me most is not the germs that I might encounter there, but the fact that while I am in there doing my thing, someone else could come in and get sick and I would hear it or possibly see it. Although this has never happened to me, I constantly feel like I am going to have a panic attack when I find myself in a public restroom.


Does anyone else feel like this and if so, how do you rationalize with yourself so that you don't get so worked up for no reason... ?

[danimegi]

I jave felt that way many times....most actually. I HAVE walked in and been in the stall and then heard someone getting sick. I was so horrified!! All I could think was what if I just touched something that they touched. There I was minding my own business (in a restaurant no less) and end up catching a bug because of the timing of when I had to go to the bathroom. I am so careful in everything I do, and to have something as stupid as me going to the bathroom 5 minutes earlier all it would have taken for me to not get sick. Then I have to be terrified for the time it takes for the incubation period to be over. I try to tell my kids that all the time.....they will often bite their fingernails or eat something without washing their hands.....the bottom line is you never know who has just touched something and they are sick or they are contagious and they don't even know it yet.


I know that was a lot of rambling.....what I was getting at though, is that I also am afraid of public bathrooms. I think most of the time I am just as afraid of any public place that has alot of people touching doors and railings and being cooped up together though......Kim

[Babydoll]

This has never bothered me., mostly because I know the chances of it happening are so slim. I've never personally knew anyone who experienced this situation, so I figured it happening to me is almost non existant.


So lets say the possibility exists. You have to ask yourself, whats the worst thing that will happen if I hear someone get sick? You will probably answer that it sounds horrible, you'll get panicy, and leave.then what? it will be over!The end result isn't very scarey once you put it into perspective.


The average person throws up 2 times a year... for roughly 10 seconds.Odds are if the are feeling sick they will stay home. You probably have more of a chance of being hit by lightning that hear someone be sick in a random bathroom somwhere.Edited by: Babydoll

[hippychick]

I understand, it's not like you can make a quick get away mid pee, though I'm sure I'd try if I heard it lol I hate public bathrooms but when i need to pee, i just need to. How about next time you do, and you feel that rush of anxiety, try forcing yourself to stick around for a few seconds more, ride that wave of anxiety and see that nothing bad will nessacarily happen to you