Sounds like you have convinced yourself that a toilet isn't available and like most of us when you tell your body you "can't" you start to feel like you must!

Here's a suggestion you can try - when your at home or other comfortable setting where you know there's a bathroom available. When the need to go strikes, wait. See how long you can actually hold off going to the bathroom before it becomes now or never situation.
If you can get used to holding off for awhile in comfortable settings, it should be helpful to you in the situations like camping, road trips and so forth.

Also when your on a trip, you have to stop telling yourself that a bathroom is no where to be found. A bathroom is as close as the nearest gas station, mcdonald's, grocery store, tree line, large bush, etc.
(be sure to go before you leave the house and limit your food intake to help as well).

I've also had major stomach problems due to anxiety...Constant for the past couple years. What happens to me is I had so much diaherria that if I couldn't go it would just turn into constipation. So I would have both all the time (which of course is hard to treat).
Well what I did was looked at what was causing anxiety. Broke up with my boyfriend :) and worked on rational emotive therapy cognitive distortions (telling yourself things are no big deal) as far as school is concerned. Yes I like to use self therapy on myself. And I concerned myself with things that don't stress me out.
This stomach problems have generally been gone for the past couple months. It took a while to get rid of them, there was no cure all method. It slowly began to get better.

Hello all,

I am 22 and I am having exactly the same problems. It started about 1-2 years ago and ever since i am not able to do any of the things i like or enjoy or just want to do. For example, I used to go to the movies every weekend with my Girlfriend but not any more, I sold my season tickets to the Miami Dolphins because of it, any time I am out of my house or parents house or just some one that I knows place I get stomach pains and the feeling of having to go to the rest room. I live in Miami and i cant even go to the beach because of this illness. Can someone help!!!! Please feel free to PM me with any help or information about this!

Thanks.

Munky you are the perfect example of what we all need to do. Treat the underlying anxiety. I am really proud of you! Yes we can treat the anxiety symptoms, we often need to. But we have to deal with what is really wrong with us, crippling anxiety. Especially when we know anxiety is behind so many of our physical problems. It is hard to face our underlying issues, but we can all do it, and it is amazing how much better we feel. We get so we are scared of our own anxiety, its a viscious cycle!

I have been having the exact same problems as PhotoPunk. I've had it ever since I was once in a situation where there was no bathroom on a boat with 20 other people, and it was really painful and stressful. That was years ago, and I've had various similar experiences since then. It is definitely easier to handle when I'm with someone I trust, because the embarassment factor is minimized. It prevents me from doing various fun activities, like going on biking and hiking trips with friends, getting on airplanes (because you can't go to bathroom during various stages of flight), taking roadtrips, and yes even getting a ride into town with a friend. At work, it impacts meetings and presentations, because I can't just leave partway through. I'm more stressed about the bathroom issue than I am about public speaking and my work performance!

I'm trying things to help alleviate the stress but it's a vicious circle. I keep pepto bismol with me to settle my stomach (and therefore relieve my anxiety) when I'm situations without bathrooms. Sometimes I eat nothing before a flight so there's nothing in my stomach - that sort of works, but it might just be in my head. I try to think of something relaxing to keep my mind off of it. I try not to let it affect my plans and what I do, but it's hard. Does this problem ever goes away, or is it just something that I have to manage with?

Munky - -your solutions are for when the problem is caused by something else, like your boyfriend or another external stress. What if it's caused by itself?

Just want to say that stress is the one of the major factors with stomach problems. I have had IBS since childhood and now have advanced to colitis due to anxiety and stress in my life. I don't ever think there was a time I have been without stress or anxiety. Coming from a broken home as an infant did not help either. I never knew how to love because my family never showed love. I don't remember ever hearing the words "I love you" growing up. Things like this stay with you for the rest of you life. You can learn to deal with it and with the help of some medications but, it seems it is always there.

Carrie

I've had a very similar problem since I was 15 years old (I'm now 24). I always thought the problem was with my body, but only in the last 3-4 years have I started to realize that the problem is all in my mind. I'm not cured of it, but I will share with you what has helped me.

1. Find out which issues scare/stress you out. Make a list. Break the problems down into manageable steps... and start DOING. Procrastinating on life is a major source of stress and fear.
2. Don't obsess about your stomach problems. We mistakenly think that just because we are constantly thinking about our stomach problems, that means we are dealing with it.. Wrong! Obsessing over our stomach problems just causes more anxiety. CLEAR YOUR MIND.
3. Do productive things that focus your attention elsewhere... like a jigsaw puzzle, study, walking on a treadmill.. etc Doing productive things will raise your self-esteem and focus your attention elsewhere.
4. BE HAPPY. When I'm happy and having a good time, my stomach no longer bugs me.

Summary...
CLEAR YOUR MIND. BE PRODUCTIVE. BE HAPPY. BE CONSISTENT.