It’s difficult for me to socialise

When you are suffering from incontinence, the location of your nearest toilet is often uppermost in your mind. The thought of leaving the comfort of your home to go somewhere where toilet facilities are not adequate is scary, and it can severely limit your movement and sense of ‘personal freedom’. In a sense, you might feel like you are under ‘house arrest’, unable to join in fully with the usual social commitments, for fear of causing a disruption.

Firstly, if this sounds like you, then you should be speaking to a healthcare professional about a suitable treatment for your incontinence. Remember – incontinence is not something that you just have to accept and live with! There are options available to improve your quality of life.

dificult to socialise

Secondly, there are a few tips and tricks to keep in mind:

Support_In_Continence_Infographics_Incontinence Tips for Socialize
Incontinence tips for socialising.
  • Choose an aisle seat on the plane, or at the cinema/theatre.
  • Ask for a restaurant table near the bathroom.
  • If possible, live in a home with more than one toilet.
  • Research the location of public toilets before you go on an outing or trip – you can download a useful app here.
  • Have spare change available in case the nearest public toilets are fee-paying.

Reference

European Guidelines on Urinary Incontinence [Internet]. 2018 [cited 3 August 2020]. Available from: https://wfip.org/european-guidelines-on-urinary-incontinence/.