A moment that changed me: I spent a day with some naturists – and it cured my shy bladder

For as long as I can remember, I’ve suffered from a condition called paruresis – also known as shy bladder syndrome. This means that, unless I’m alone in public toilets, I cannot pee, however badly I need to go. I developed tactics to deal with this, such as loitering outside the gents if I see someone going in, so that I can walk in as they walk out. But if someone follows me in, I find I’m just standing there, which I worry looks odd.

I’m a writer, so am often out and about meeting people in cafes, hotels and at events. My agricultural background means I also meet a lot of my interviewees on farms – but at least there I could pop behind a hedge if I needed to go, and be assured of privacy.

It was while I was doing research for a book on the spiritual connections humans once had with the land that I stumbled across the Christian Naturist Fellowship: a network of people who believe that Christianity and naturism are entirely compatible. Here, I thought, were a community who clearly get closer to nature than most – I was keen to meet them

Continue to source – https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/sep/09/a-moment-that-changed-me-naturists-cured-my-shy-bladder

curators note: Don’t get it twisted it wasn’t just the nakedness that transformed a life. It was the human connection and connecting with nature. Without that he would have just been another naked guy with anxiety.

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