h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Speaking from personal experience as a male mild sufferer I'd say the problem is not so much being overheard (an irrelevence at the urinal in any case) as *not* being 'overheard'. There is an expectation that men should be able to stand next to each other chatting whilst relieving themselves which I find myself entirely unable to live up to (along with lots of other manly behaviour). The thought of those outdoor urinals that are being installed on London streets makes me shudder. No doubt if I attempted to use one I'd be found frozen to the thing the next morning.

Here's a tip for fellow sufferers: if you arrive in an empty loo it's possible to take yourself by surprise by concentrating very hard on the pattern of the tiles or the punctuation and spelling mistakes in the graffiti (dear god, I *am* Niles). Once started, keep an ear on the door so that you're not startled into stalling (or into the stall) should someone else suddenly come in. And if someone else does come in make as much gurgling in the drain as you can, just for the satisfaction of proving to yourself that you can do it. Happy weeing.

Personally, I'm just happy to see there is a name for it. Makes me feel less of a weirdo and now just an interesting part of medical science. Don't think I know anybody well enough to go in for the suggested therapy though.

Sometimes I'm worse when there are people in the public loo that I know, so I'm not sure that it would work for everyone anyway!

That's true: I once went at the same time as a friend of mine to try and break the 'men can't go to the loo together' rule, and neither of us could go, thus proving the rule correct after all, and he doesn't usually suffer from it. Expectation again.

I too suffer from this. I just don't like the idea of someone hearing me while I relieve myself. It just bothers me. And this is with everyone I know. I just don't want them around, thanks anyways. BTW, the idea of leaving the bathroom door open frightens me to death.