Fear of Self flushing toilets

We are working with a family who has a 4 year old child with Sensory Processing Disorder. The child refuses to use toilets in public. It began with self flushing but now she has generalized it to all restrooms in public.

I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions.

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I hate auto toilets!
by: Guy on the internet

The person who made them is an absolute buffoon. These things are extremely loud, scare the life out of noise sensitive people, and flush when they shouldn’t. Whoever came up with this idea definitely wasn’t thinking about kids either.

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Auto flushing toilets should die
by: No need to know who this mofo is

I don't know when it started, but it was before first grade. One time I was forced to use one at the mall when I was around 9 years old, it was traumatizing AF. I was yelled at for refusing to use it, but I did NOT go on my damn self.

A year later, my mom thought of putting her hand over the sensor until I was in 5th grade, my elementary and middle school didn't have them.

Later, at summer camp on off-site trips I crossed to my fingers inside my damn head to hope that they were manual flushing. Back when I was 11, almost 12 at Mount Olympus, I tried to cover it with my hand, tho it was painful AF.

Another time at a park, I tried to cover with my hand while it was on the WALL and someone in the stall next to me asked what I was doing and didn't answer. You know what happened next?! It FLUSHED while I was sitting on it. (BTW, idk if the park at summer camp or Mount Olympus happened first) I should've been more prepared! 😢😢

My high school uses them 75% of the time. I avoided them until I was 15 when I had to go so bad near the PAC, so I decided to start trusting lots of toilet paper. The only non-auto flushing ones are in the old part, gym, pool, and backstage part of my school. I used to have to go the other side of the damn school if I was not near there.

Now that I'm 16, whenever I'm in certain public places or not near that part of the school, I either sticker, tape, or TP the sensor, but I'm still too scared to go near them. (I usually use the single stall bathrooms)

To conclude, the bigger the sensor or 2 of them is WAY worse than just 1.

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I have his fear too
by: Anonymous

I've had this fear for a while but just recently it got so bad that I literally started crying when I had to use one cause I just cant handle loud noises

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Fear of self flushing toilets
by: Anonymous

I am a teenager and I have an overwhelming fear of public toilets, but mainly the auto flushing toilets that flush either continuously or randomly when your doing your business.

One time I was in Milan Linate airport for a layover and all of their toilets were sensored and auto flushing. I kept going into the stall and getting scared then leaving, at which point my mum told me I needed to go otherwise she’d make me go to the doctor when we got home. Once I finally built up the courage to use the toilet, I was being rushed because my flight was now boarding and I never really got to overcome my fear. This was also an issue when I was around 7 years old and they had these auto flushing toilets in Disneyland, to which I peed myself before I would use them. Literally.

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Fear of toilets
by: Anonymous

Male 22. Been afraid of toilets ever since I was 4-5ish. It all started at the Rec-Center after hopping out of the pool and saying I have to go potty. Mom's friend took me to the womens restroom and this would be the first time sitting on an automatic toilet by myself. Damn thing flushed right on me and I was scared of most toilets since.

I grew up being very close to my toilet at home particularly because of the nice and neutral shape of the outlet hole. I feel the phobia has lessened over the years as I can use automatic flushers, but something about wide looking holes of a toilet or low bowled toilets scare the absolute crap out of me. The hole ALWAYS has to be particular for me to use it. Otherwise, it'll take me a minute to tell myself its safe to use it. Thanks for reading

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Same thing happened when I was 4 or something
by: Anonymous

Here’s a story for you all.

One day when I was a little kid I was just having a jolly good time at McDonalds, eating a Big Mac, fries, some iced tea, stuff like that. I had to go to the bathroom, I told my dad that I had to go to the bathroom. He said ok, and I went to the bathroom. I opened the stall door and started pooping. Of course I also closed the door and locked it.

I closed the door and the freaking toilet flushed! I screamed for help and banged on the door, covered in dookie water. I twisted my ankle trying to escape that godforsaken toilet. My dad ran into the bathroom and asked why I screamed, and also why I was stinky and wet still holding his plastic cup with iced tea in it. I opened the door with all my strength and then could barely mumble "the…the scary toilet…"

My dad was very very confused about what I meant by "scary toilet." He just grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the stall. The guy at the urinal was giving him a funny look. He forgot about what happened that day, but I still remember it.

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I'm in my mid 20s and share this fear
by: Anonymous

It's so comforting to know that I don't have this fear of self flushing toilets alone. I've had this fear since elementary school in 4th grade. I feared the sinks, towel and soap dispensers. And being on the road with an emotionally immature father, I could only pray the rest stops weren't automatic. It used to be so bad for me that the fear made me wet myself before I could pull down my pants and hover.

I still fear them today, but motion activated devices are also my living hell. I HAVE to have my phone and headphones with me whenever I go to a public restroom so I can drown out the sound of it activating especially before I can finish. I'm lucky to get a bathroom with manual stuff.

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I’m almost 30 and still can’t do it
by: Anonymous

My fear of toilets in general started at a very young age when my older sister pushed me in a toilet and flushed it thinking it would be hilarious. I was only 4 years old and couldn’t get out of the toilet. To make matters worse, it started overflowing with me in it, and the drain in the toilet was trying to suction me in as I tried to escape. You really can’t blame me for being terrified of toilets all these years later lol automatic toilets are my worst enemy though.

I don’t like how they flush super loudly and unexpectedly and spit water everywhere while you’re still sitting on the dang bowl. I walked into work this morning and saw that they had put automatic sensors on ALL of the toilets in our building. I legit had a panic attack. I found this thread in search of answers for my silly phobia and I think I’ll try to cover the sensors to prevent it from flushing on me like several other people have mentioned.

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I'm not the only one?
by: Anonymous

I didn't realize I wasn't the only one. I'm 20 and STILL get freaked out by them to the point where i don't use them. I don't even remember where I got the fear from but I've ALWAYS been super picky with bathrooms and if I didn't trust the toilet because of automatics, the way it looked, if i sat down and the ENTIRE THING would move, or portapottys I just avoided them.

in fact the camp i go to, the only non automatic ones are in the dorms so up until recently I would hold it all day until I got back into the dorm. I learned a few years back thac k if you put toilet paper over the sensors it would cover it up and not flush until you took it off. so I finally use it now in the dining hall at camp. but the other day I had to use the bathroom really bad after holding it in, since the morning. I was about to go to a building because I had tested postitive for covid but didn't want to risk using the bathroom so I waited. I didn't think I could make it if I crossed the street so I asked staff, I was about to go to a hallway bathroom on the other end of school I had recently learned a few days before wasn't automatic and was immediately scolded to go to the one that I KNEW was automatic. I didn't have tape or anything because the sensor was ON THE WALL and not attached to a handle like most are. so the entire time I nearly cried trying to struggle between trying to close the stall door and use something to cover the sensor.

I ended up finding an unused feminine product and stuck toilet paper to the sensor using the sticky side of the product. it was horrifying because I was afraid it was going to flush while looking for a solution for it not to.. I ended up surviving that experience (and nearly done with covid now) but I still hate using automatics even though now I am slightly better if needing to use it if I have to

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Fear
by: Anonymous

I got rid of my fear by using a sweater or shirt:)

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My Fear
by: Anonymous

I have always been afraid of self flushing toilets they just flush VERY LOUD and you don't even know when they are going to.I also have a fear of self-drying hand dryers and when ever I go do the bathrooms in the airports that's all they have.what I do is have my mom bring stickers or something to cover the sensors.

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my fear
by: Anonymous

ever since I can remember I have been scared of automatic toilets I still am it terrifies me. I hate that it goes off without permission, I hate the noise. When I was 9 I changed schools the school I changed to only had automatic toilets. I went potty at home so I didn't need to there.

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Me too...How I cope, and my current struggles
by: Anonymous

I am a 33 year old female with zero issue rock climbing hundreds of feet in the air, but tell me to use a novel public toilet (bonus points with an automatic flush) and I will lose my cookies.

This started when I was about 5 years old. I never liked the sound of toilets when they flushed - house toilets were ok, but I will not flush when I set on them, get scared when I see inside the tank. Public restrooms, with the metal handles were loud, and I would open the stall before flushing so I could run out. I could cope with that, and would use the same toilet always in bathrooms I frequented - novel toilets were hard. When I was 5, I unknowingly used my first automatic toilet, it flushed while I was on it and the rest is history. For years I avoided them at all costs - I would only use them if pinned between peeing my pants in front of friends or using the auto toilet - which was full of panic, literally shaking the whole time and having trouble peeing.

Long story short, it was not until graduate school when my friend helped me work through it, and identified this as a legit phobia for me. Ultimately desensitization worked. We went in a stall with auto toilet together and I flushed manually over and over until I didn't care. Then I did it alone, and eventually I peed and it was life changing. This is still a maintenance thing - I have to flush them at least twice (unless I'm drunk, then sometimes I don't care and just talk smack to the toilet lol) before I'm using them. But I struggle to sit on them, I usually just end up hovering.

Most recently we are talking about overseas travel, and I googled toilets in a different country and the images were the content of my nightmares, so I am working through that in preparation for that trip....so frustrating. I just can't imagine going about my life not worrying about where I was going to go to the bathroom.

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Urinal fear
by: John

Interesting how many people have this fear. Here in the UK we don't have self flushing toilets, but for years I struggled really badly with a phobia of automatic flush urinals (which most are) to the extent I couldn't even be in the same room. Normally there's a water tank high up on the wall that fills very slowly and then every time it's full it trips a mechanism and all the urinals in the bathroom flush at the same time. When I was at school I'd hear the water dribbling into the tank and find it impossible to pee because I'd be consumed by this fear of the urinal flushing with me still standing right in front of it. You can't see how full the tank is so you don't know if it's going to flush in half an hour or at any moment, but unlike sensor flush toilets you can't even do anything to stop it so I just found it terrifying.

As an adult I realised how irrational I was being and decided to do something about it. For me the only solution was to face that fear and wait there until it did flush, and keep doing that until eventually I was used to being around flushing urinals. Then it gets boring, it's not scary and not a problem anymore. Same with toilets I guess.

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A tip for fellow flush fearers
by: Anonymous

When I was in kindergarten I was deathly scared of automatic toilets. My teacher had to go in the bathroom and hold the sensor until I was done and walked away. I have no idea where this fear was from, but in 1at grade my teacher told me to put a piece of toilet paper on the sensor so it wouldn't flush. Problem solved! I had to do this until 4th grade, but I'm no longer scared of them. I hope this helps someone.

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Man oh man!!!!
by: Anonymous

I swear I thought I was weird because I’m the only one in the family who is terrified of auto flushing toilets and I’m 18 soon to be 19 now. When I was about 4 my aunt and cousin took me to the bathroom and behold an auto flushing toilet. I peed but as I was using it the thing freaking flushed and it was so loud I nearly peed on my aunt as she was holding me over the toilet. Ever since I avoid using automatics.

I did get over one kind of automatic and it’s the ones that look like the manuals but they’re just automatic they still make me cringe though. I just never understood why are they so loud and don’t get me started on the ones in the hospital. They aren’t automatic but they are just tall asf like why is it taller than me??!!!! Still gives me panic attacks just looking at them. Only way for me to use any of them is if I have to go really bad and I have no other options

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IT just cant
by: Anonymous

Every since i was young. I was picky with bathrooms. Flush by self flushing toilets scare me. When i need to go i stare at it for forever and then decide to hold it. IM 13! I just dont want it to flush!

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I’m 31 and thought I was alone
by: Anonymous

I’ve had a fear of public restrooms for as long as I can remember. I believe it all started when I was around 4 and my mother took me to the restroom and it flushed as I was sitting on it. I ran out naked screaming in fear. But it’s the loudness for me and interesting enough the look of them especially the split seat ones. It’s like the hole of the toilet looks like a big eye and I can’t get that out of my head.

When I was 9 my older brother tried to help and make it seem like the toilet is my friend and would talk to me but make it seem as if it’s the toilet talking to me. However, that only made it worse. I still to this day avoid having to defecate unless I’m home or around one I’ve used already. Like this fear is crippling and really gets in the way of EVERYTHING. I still have yet to use an airplane restroom because of this. I’m travel a lot for work and this really makes things hard. It can’t be healthy to hold it in long like I do and I don’t want to keep having this issue HELP.

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What happened in the restroom and screwed up life for me
by: follow me on Instagram at Loving_The_juice

It all started when I was around 4 years old. Me and my mom were in a public restroom. My mom was in the stall and I was in there with her. She did her business got up and all of a sudden I feel myself being dragged to the back of the stall where the toilet was.She tried to put my face down in the toilet while it was flushing and then she came out the stall like nothing had happened at all. I came out running behind her all scared with my hands close to my chest and my face scrunched up. To this day I still cannot be around them damn toilets without getting scared. If I have to use the bathroom really badly I would rather pee in a trash can and then dump it out or pee myself. The worst part about it is that I can't use the damn bathroom at all. This makes me feel like an animal who pees outside. Follow me on Instagram at Loving_The_Juice
and y'all can hear some more of my stories.

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im 11 and still freaking scared
by: soooo

i was at my dads racitball game i had to pee. so i went in and locket my self in and it took my dad a hour to get me out he said if i do this agin a coo coo we will come out to eat me and im still scared to today pls help me i travel alot and need help

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THESE THINGS ARE HORRIBLE HELP ME
by: Anonymous

I have always been so scared of automatic toilets. When I was 3, I was in the airport and had to use the bathroom and the toilets were automatic so I did my buisness and got up and when the toilet flushed I got SO SCARED and I nearly broke half my bones just trying to get out of the stupid stall (I only ended up speaking my ankle but still).

I still am terrified of automatic toilets and I really hate them and now I go to a school that has them and this has only made it worse to the point where I'm not drinking anything and I always dread going to school and my life is just so messed up and I'm so glad this school year is almost over because next year I'll get to actually move between classes and I know for a fact that some of the bathrooms have the regular toilets so that's really good I guess

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why
by: Device_4547-ERROR

these toilet are not necessary. I will give you 3 reasons. 1. very loud 2. scares the hell out of kids 3. again NOT necessary!

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help i hate these
by: a guy who hates

I hate auto flushing toilets like why are they so loud. I had ear surgery and I can't be exposed to loud noise. The auto ones though, THEY SCARE THE HELL OUT OF ME. I remember when I was 5 I needed to use the bathroom, but I looked a it and said "what is that?" I waved my hand AND HOLY GOD it flushed I smacked my head on the door lol.

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hell no not again
by: Anonymous

so im 28 now when i was 2 my dad locked me in to a stall and the toilet was adimatic and he said if i do go then a monster will come out and eat me and the toilet flushed on me

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Middle school fear
by: Just a normal girl

So im in 8th grade and im still terrified by automatic toilets, it started when i was little,at a Walmart and i had to go, i went to pull my pants down and it went off so i pulled them up and ran as fast as i could. My school now has automatic toilets and im terrified of using one. I would wait to get in a classroom but then i get claustrophobic due to there being very little space.

I havent tried using one in a while but one way to get over your fear is to put something over the sensor so it wont randomly go off, or for me i dont like being in the public bathroom without others in there, tru using it when someone is in there and wait for them to have there toilet flush that way you dont have to worry about hearing yours flush and try choosing a big roomy stall so you can stand as far away from the toilet as possible.

Im going to try to get over my fear by, waiting for my friend to be in there with me, waiting for there toilet to flush and if you have trouble even getting yourself to sit down, i know it sounds crazy but try talking quietly to the toilet or distract yourself from the idea

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There is a Solution ☺️☺️
by: Anonymous

Hi all,

So, both of my children are terrified of the automatic toilet. My oldest has SPD and my youngest is just scared of them. They are 8 and 5!

I created a solution for them and then found out that more children had this problem. I definitely do not want to solicit, but I thought I would let you know that they are available ☺️

Please let me know if you need any more information. I know it gets better 💜💜

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Conquering the Throne
by: Anonymous

I always thought I must be totally nuts because I had this lifelong, inexplicable fear of toilets flushing. Through the years I read about all the potential causes, and really nothing applied to me- at least anything I can remember! Anyway I finally at age 58 seem to have nearly overcome it (although I still jump up like stuck by a cattle prod if a self-flusher goes off while I’m sitting! Lol!)

I had a lot of fear for years MUCH Worse. I think one thing that helped me was learning about toilets- learning to replace parts in the tanks and also helping to do complete installation of new toilets to the floor. Taking some of the control over a toilet by doing an installation or repair made me feel more like "friends with the toilet."

I know it sounds super crazy because we all know toilets are just manmade objects like the dishwasher or washing machine- and even simpler! But toilets to me were always like their own spirit monster. They were not a plumbing fixture attached to water pipes, but live porcelain beings with an evil Toilet Spirit or something. WACKED I always felt I must be! Totally alone with my fear against this crazy toilet monster who was after me constantly at home AND in any public restroom or even at houses of my friends! The phobia alone will drive you bonkers because it’s so hard to talk to people about it. They just laugh and think I’m kidding.

Anyway I’m not over it but "tackling the tank" at home has helped... like fixing and/or replacing the tank junk or the handles.

Yeah I’m still scared but I’m feeling tons less anxiety about sitting on the pot now!

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SO GLAF IM NOT ALONE
by: Anonymous

I'm just about to turn 21 and I'm still petrified of these things! My primary school used to have black toilets and I used to get myself so worked up over and and physically shake while I did my business or I would hold it and not go at all.

I then when to WDW when I was 6 and to my surprise, my fear got worse when an automatic flush FLUSHED on me. How dare you flush when I'm still sat there? It would get to the point where I wouldn't drink any water because I didn't want to have to witness the automatic flushes and my mum used to get so angry with me.

Still to this day, I find it so difficult to go to the toilet on my own. I have to do the "flush and run" thing where even if it's manual or one of those wavey ones that I also can't stand where you unlock the door, flush and then GET THE HELL OUTTA THERE.

I'm going to WDW in 8 days all by myself and I'm deathly afraid of how I'm gonna cope with the toilet situation there. I'm definitely gonna try the sticky notes to try and block the sensor because whenever I used to go with my mum, she used to bundle up some toilet paper and hold it over the sensor for me which helped me at least go to the toilet and the flush didn't go off.

The airplane toilet also scares the life out of me and I definitely can't hold it for 9 hours so I may do the flush and run for that but I'll probably sit there shaking for a while beforehand.

It's such an awful phobia and I feel for all of you! It's really not nice and a lot of people think you're just making it up for drama!

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22 and still uncomfortable
by: Merl

I have been scared of automatic toilets since I was a little kid! I used to not be able to use automatic toilets, toilets with black seats, or airplane/train toilets. To this day, very loud toilets scare me. I deal with my discomfort with automatic toilets by draping a little toilet paper over the sensor or sticking it to the wall to cover it with a little saliva (gross, I know). If I forget to go the the bathroom before bed and have a 'have to pee' dream, it always involves automatic toilets. Even though I can deal with it in real life, dream me can't get over it. I'm very glad to hear others have the same issue!

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Loud? Automatic? Flooding? yeah no thanks
by: Anonymous

Wow, can't believe I'm not alone in this ridiculous problem. I'll make this quick! +some useful tips, I recommend them a lot.

Still a kid/teen/whatever, and still scared of automatic toilets (gotten over manual ones, but still hesitate when flushing).

Over time, I memorized the shapes of the toilet holes (where all the water goes when flushed) and their 'habits'. So here's my 'manual of toilet hole shapes', which go as so (very helpful actually):

- Rectangular with ROUNDED edges are typically located in houses and usually calmer.

- Rectangular, 'footstep' shaped usually mean... well, mean. Loud and probably scary. I call these footstep toilets!

- Completely circular, like a circle, are usually mean too. These appear most in airplane washrooms.

Here are my stories + timeline:

I began fearing toilets after multiple occasions of the toilet being too loud / water rising more than used to and seeing other peoples' flooded toilets. I fear toilets flooding.

I did get over that fear slowly by constant exposure and a reward from my parents, but my automatic toilet fear still remains.
Automatic toilets... one look at the sensor and I'll be like 'nope'. Sometimes I've backed out of a washroom just by seeing them, I cannot stand the toilet flushing underneath me for some strange reason. It's jumpscary, could flood, and that swirly motion plus the loudness is somehow terrifying. For me, the subway toilets are notorious for flushing underneath me. Other auto toilets are fine, the sensor actually works when supposed to, but I still fear them so heavily I'll back out of the washroom.

I was at an airport this year, and would you guess, automatic toilets! However, it helps to know you'll only be scared a few seconds and I've started to do this procedure: Once you're done doing your business, sit on the auto toilet to make sure it won't flush. Prepare yourself, and stand up expecting the flush. This way you know it will come and anticipate it beforehand.

Now for tips:

- Make sure there's someone else in the washroom! Not stall, washroom. Listen for their flush to be familiar with what to expect (is the flush loud and bad, or friendly and calm?)

- Use the big handicap stall if available to prevent claustrophobia and give yourself as much space as possible.

- Locate yourself in a brightly lit stall if possible.

- Put at least one stall in space apart from a toilet someone else is using if possible, to not get jumpscared when they flush.

- Open the stall door before flushing a manual toilet to 'run'.

- For auto toilets: Sit on the toilet once you're done and just prepare yourself. Stand up quickly and watch the toilet auto flush. Since you've expected this to happen, it's less scary.

- For auto toilets: Haven't tried this one yet, but take lots of toilet paper, fold them until they're thick, and drape it over the sensor so it won't flush when you're using.

- Make a 'truce' with the toilet. Whisper to it, tell it 'okay, I'm going to do whatever I need to do, please don't scare me.' Of course this won't guarantee a complete fear-free toilet trip, but at least you've created some kind of 'temporary friend' out of it and can treat the toilet as a less wild creature. Don't ask, just try it.

- If you haven't read my small 'manual of toilet hole shapes', read it! It's up there in this comment and gets you somewhat familiar with manual toilet shapes.

Hope these help! Please let me know if they do by sharing your experiences.

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Still scared at 50
by: Anonymous

I’ve always thought I was a freak- I’m not just scared of public toilets but of toilets in my own house! I can get a little comfortable with a home toilet but never enough to flush it while I’m sitting on it! And never feel safe to sit on one while the tank is filling. I’m a female by the way, not sure if this kind of phobia is gender specific! It’s so embarrassing in public places with automatic flushers- if they happen to start flushing while I’m in midstream peeing, I will literally jump up in panic! I’ve peed all over the pot and myself freaking and jumping off the toilet- it’s awful. After all these years dealing with it, I actually just giggle at myself if I jump... it’s just not a controllable thing or conscious action when I freak out and panic. It’s the weirdest thing ever. I’m actually pretty fearless about "normal" things!

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Yeah.
by: Lizz

I am 26...and still beyond terrified of automatic toilets. I regularly have nightmares about them. I have managed to develop enough coping mechanisms to be able to use them when I have to, such as closing my eyes and covering my ears, but I also sometimes will straight up just reach back and cover the sensor with my hand so that I don’t have to worry as much. If I know somewhere has an automatic toilet though, and also know there is somewhere nearby that has a non-automatic toilet, I will go out of my way to get to the non-automatic toilet. I’ve also sometimes gone in and just turned around and gone back out saying "nope". I have been in a wheelchair for several weeks due to foot surgery, and have determined that automatic toilets are DEFINITELY NOT handicap accessible. Nope nope nope nope nope.

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ban automatic toilets!!
by: Anonymous

omg i thought i was the only one with this fear! I am 11 now but im still scared. I don't know what gets me scared. maybe that creepy red sensor. i guess it helps when you think that its staring at your butt as you poo.

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Still scared at 11
by: Alexis

I thought I was the only one this fear took up my whole life of exploring let me get you caught up. So I was like 4 and I had to go to the bathroom at a rest stop and I hate those places my mom brought me into the woman’s and shoved me into a stall so I ran out and banged my head on the wall crying and saying I can’t go mom!!!!!!

Literally the worst thing ever now don’t even get my started on the Walmart bathrooms they are so scary. I am also scared of black toilets idk why tho. I went onto vacation last week held my bladder for 11hrs then on the way back 11hrs I know I have a problem but I can’t get over it even tho I don’t want this. I need help!!!!

My parents are getting me a therapist to help but it won’t help. Why are automatic toilets a thing!!! Ppl don’t understand a lot of ppl go though what I go thought and I am happy I am not the only one. The sad thing is my school has automatics so I pretend to go I haven’t used a automatic in 7yrs

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You are not alone!
by: Anonymous

I’m 14 now but I have been TERRIFIED of automatic toilets and gotten used to the loud ones.(still makes me cringe though) I’ve been hiding my fear and no one really knows. I would fake use the bathrooms, using the big stall (because of the space) and just wait and hold it.

One time at six flags, I had to go a lot. I would try to pinpoint manual toilets so I won’t be as scared and pee freely. I usually always have to wait and hold it before I get home. But when it CANNOT wait. I pee in the corner or the little garbage in the stall.

One time when I was 10 I pooped in a piece of toilet paper and stick it in a garbage bin. Gross, I know. I am really satisfied that I am not the only person that is afraid of these EVIL sensored toilets.

If you are reading this and have this fear. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

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23 years old...still scared
by: Anonymous

Wow I’m 23 and still have this. Desensitisation is the way though. Same story for me - when I was at nursery, someone flushed the toilet when I was still on it when I was four years old and since then I have been terrified of automatic things and loud noises in toilets.

at uni they had the loos that flush when you move away from them, they freak me out the most. The red light is just evil and unnecessary, I mean, who thought that was a good idea? But over a year of being exposed to them I felt comfortable and proud. But now I haven’t used one for 2 years and I’m currently in Hong Kong airport terrified to use them and scrolling through this forum to make me feel better. Hopefully gonna build myself up to it, stand there and figure out how it flushes for a bit, and try my best.

I’ve been to therapists but they have never helped. I think exposure is the only way.
We really should name this phobia!! Hate telling people ‘I have a phobia of automatic toilets.’ How about autoloophobia? Hehe. Or evilredeyetoiletphobia.

Too scared to go near it so I can’t put loo roll on the sensor. But we shall overcome!!

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Feer
by: Seth Renne

I hate flushing and I'm 13 so I don't go in bathrooms I'm also scared of the locks of toilets

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.-.
by: Someone that agrees with this

Im glad im not the only one.. when i needed to aks my friend to flush the toilet that was the most embarresing moment im my life >~< im fliping scared of flushing toilets and im 13

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Our simple solution
by: Anonymous

My 10 year old has a major issue with this. generally I will go into the bathroom stall with her and stand directly in front of her so the sensor focuses on me. As she is getting older and seeking more independence we started carrying dark colored hankies and bandaids everywhere. We cover the sensors before she goes into a stall. A lot of family restrooms and handicap stalls still have manual flush even if the rest of the stalls are electric eye.

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Hate these
by: Anonymous

Oh my god I absolutely hate these things! Whenever I’m out in public and I see them, I try to avoid them at all costs, and since they’re becoming a little more relevant, I’m sad because I don’t. like. using. them.

I’m in high school, and I swear they used to have manual flushing toilets, but now they have automatic sensor toilets, so now I am terrified to go to the bathroom at school, so that means I limit my drinking, and if I have to go I will simply just hold it.

I’ve had this problem for YEARS and I’ve talked to a therapist, they did say I would grow out of it. Never did. People think it’s weird, but it isn’t just a silly joke, it’s a legitimate fear and I hate it! I wonder if we’ll ever get over it one day?

I hope, and I wish you all the best <3

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22 and still scared
by: Anonymous

I’m 22, for as long as I can remember I have been scared of flushing toilets, manual and automatic. I decided to google the issue today after a toilet automatically flushed as I was pulling my pants up, I didn’t notice it had an infrared sensor as this is unusual in the UK. Fair to say I screamed shit and was shakin for a good hour or so after the incident of being trapped in a cubicle with the toilet flushing, I managed to get close to it and close the lid but this only added to the trauma.

I’m glad I’m not the only person with an issue, the idea of desensitisation sound really scary but I may have to give it a try, I’m sick of being scared to go to the toilet.

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How I got over my phobia off auto flushing toilets
by: Anonymous

I am with you all on this one - and I didn’t get over it until I was 22....it held me back from social situations, travel, all of it. It was truly awful...I wouldn’t go anywhere new with friends without asking what the toilets were like. And when I did go somewhere new I wouldn’t drink anything until I checked the toilets.

Finally I decided this was enough. My friend who was into psychology and interested in my phobia helped me. She worked at a store where the toilets were automatic. She held my hand as I was trembling, and we started desensitization. I flushed it with the button over and over and over until my brain could look at it like a toilet without an eye or mind of its own. Then I was able to do that without her in the stall. Then I could stand in front of it and move away and have it flush on its own. Then I actually peed on it and was ok! She couldn’t believe it and neither could I - I was finally liberated.

Until this day I still will flush these using the button at least once when I go into the stall until I feel in control then I can use it. Not as relaxed as I can on a manual toilet but I can at least use them and enjoy travel, social events, and new places!

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Traumatizing Toilets
by: Anonymous

When i was 2, i went to the mall with my mom and had to use the restroom. it was my first time using an automatic potty and it flushed on me, it was TERRIFYING! i used to not use them at all, but i use them if my moms hand it covering the sensor.

i’m 13 now and i used one on my own when on a field trip in sixth grade because i really had to go but i was shaking the whole time. i’ve used them a couple of other times on my own (without anyone covering the sensor) but my mom was in the stall with me. my siblings make fun of me for it but you can’t easily get rid of a fear that you’ve had since you were 2.

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My Parents Don’t Approve!
by: :/

I am twelve and I’m afraid of automatic toilets. My mom and dad always get mad at me when I refuse to go and force me to. Sticky notes and toilet paper don’t work. I never want to go to Disneyland, the mall or the movies because of their toilets. This phobia is really holding me back. I also don’t like black toilets, dark restrooms, loud restrooms from some sort of machine, dirty restrooms, small restrooms, tall toilets as air hand dryers and loud toilets. Help! I hate gettzing in trouble but can’t control it! My parents are always like, " You’ve got to be kidding me." Just because I’m older doesn’t mean I can control my anxiety!!!! SOS!

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I hate them
by: Anonymous

I'm 17 almost 18, I've been afraid of them since I was probably 4. Me and my grandma went to a Cracker Barrel bathroom and I went to use the bathroom and cried because it flushed on me.

Now whenever my family goes on the road to Pennsylvania, I try to hold it in for 10 hours. Sticky notes don't really help me anymore and I have to force myself to use them. I try to go in there with my headphones and phone and try to turn the volume to max on a song so I don't hear the cursed flushing. But even after having my phone, they still kind of vibrate when they flush and that scary red eye terrifies me even in my dreams.

Those things try to suck me up in them like some kind of monster in my dreams. I wish it wasn't as extreme as this, but it's good to know that I'm not alone with this humiliating phobia.

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I'm not alone!!!
by: Anonymous

Here the thing, ever since I was 4 I have sensitive hearing, and a fear of toilets. Later I got over that fear until they have a thing called sensor toilets that flush if you move. Im 14 and I can't use the public toilet if it is not sensored. In my opinion why can't there be a readable pressure plate that says flush that you walk across to flush it if people are to lazy to press the handle. It beats creepy sensor that gives me a panic attack.

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I am still terrified
by: Anonymous

I am a 16 year old girl who has been scared of automatic flushing toilets since i was pretty much potty trained. My entire life, ive sort of just had this unexplainable fear that just never went away.

i remember when i was little, like 2-6 years old, i would always have "accidents" in public because i was too scared to use the automatic flushers.

one time, when i was 6, i went to go see a broadway show with my grandma. i told her i needed to go to the bathroom, so when she took me, i saw the toilet and immediately started crying, i kept saying "i dont have to" and "no its too scary." she was trying her best, pleading with me, covering the sensor, nothing worked. eventually, i had an accident on the seat in the theater.

when i was in 2nd grade, they installed new automatic flushing toilets. once i needed to use the bathroom and found out, i totally freaked out and had no idea what to do. i said i didnt feel well, and went to the nurse, where there was a manual flushing toilet. i went home that day and told my parents about it, and that i was too embarrassed to tell the teacher that i was scared of the toilet. they told me to carry around a pack of sticky notes to put on the sensor so it doesnt flush, but i was too scared and it didnt work. so they called the school and they let me use the faculty bathroom, which again had manual flushing toilets. i did that for 3 years until i left that school in 5th grade.

this fear or phobia is something that has affected me my entire life. my parents always used to tell me that i would be over it by time im a "big girl", but i am 16 years old now, i have a job, i drive, and i am still terrified of automatic flushers. so if there is anyone out there, struggling with the same problem, just know that you are not alone.

i still have no idea what to do. can anyone help me?

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I'm not alone
by: Anonymous

I thought I was the only one with this fear. I have extreme... toilet phobia? Just standing in the stall looking at the toilets and trying to get the courage to go sometimes terrifies me and I'll pee myself a little. There was one time just a year ago that I finally worked up the courage to go in the big stall... it flushed on me and I jumped away because I was terrified and ended up peeing all over the floor. I found myself trembling so bad I didn't know what to do. I wiped myself as best I could with toilet paper and, since there was nobody in there, I just left because I had no idea how to clean up that much urine I guess the janitor's just really unlucky.

Later my mom went to the bathroom at the same place. I did not go with her and when she came back she didn't say anything about it, but later in the car she did. She asked if it was me and I confessed to her. She apologized that I have to deal with this and I shared my fears that when I'm an adult I'll still have this fear.

Another time after I ran a 5k I had to pee really bad and the toilets were automatic and I couldn't make myself go so I literally tried to pee in an empty plastic water bottle. It didn't work. I realize I probably should have found a decent size cup. I wiped up the little bit of urine with toilet paper and held it in. There wasn't anyone in this bathroom either so I took the plastic bottle to the trash. Luckily I had gotten rid of enough urine in the bottle that I could hold it in until I got home.

I feel like I'm the only one who's ever peed on the floor because of this and I'm afraid I'll never be able to truly live like a normal person.

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<3
by: imScared

ive been scared for automatic toilets for YEARS and im also super scared for toilets on flights. i thought i was stupid and ppl made fun of me. im always scared when im going to a toilet that it might be automatic or flushes like it does on flights.

its a relief knowing that other ppl are going through the same as me.

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Why??
by: Anonymous

I have been scared of automatic toilets since I was 3. One time when I was 3 I needed to go to the bathroom, so I went and it had an automatic toilet. I was fine with it then so I went on it and since I was so small it flushed on me and pulled my butt in a little. And I think ever since then I have been terryfied of them.

Other people think its stupid and I'm like no its real. I am so glad I am not the only one. Even my parents make fun of me for it. I wont go on one unless I can cover the red light sensor with toilet paper.

I am 13 and I still make my sister or my mom put there hand over the red sensor so it doesn't flush. I think I will be scared of it forever. I really want to know what this fear or phobia is called so I can tell people I have that and make it sound more real than saying "I'm scared of automatic toilets"😂

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Confessions
by: Anonymous

I am not scared of it flushing on me, I'm scared of the scary robot looking screen on the top of the toilet. I am now 28 years old and still do not use the restroom in public if there is an automatic toilet. Got a urinary track infection when I was 12. Still have not learned my lesson.

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You're-ine trouble
by: Anonymous

Hi... This is a phobia that can affect anyone and everyone. Even one of my closest friends.

One day she was fine and we were having a lovely day... and then... we went to the restroom. I thought she was okay. She'd never had a problem before. We were waiting in line having a lovely chat like the good ol' days. I thought everything was dandy: we finally got to the front of the line, a cubicle came free for me, I waved her goodbye, locked the door and settled myself onto my throne.

Happily scrolling through my phone I thought I was having a jolly good time until I heard a scream - a blood-curdling, hair raising scream. I recognised it as hers and quickly finished my business only to run out to find her curled in a ball quivering with fear under the door of the cubicle. I couldn't tell what was happening, she'd never told me about it before. She could barely whisper 'the flush... the automatic flush...'.

I didn't understand, but I got her cleaned up and took her home - I knew it was best for her to be in a safe environment.

We talked it over and she fully confided in me. Together, we sought out help. She's in therapy now, but she still can't go out in public for longer than a 2-3hr period in case she feels she has to... go.

My advice is share your fear with your closest friends so that they are not blinded sided like I was on that day. We are now so much closer than we were before and we can tell each other anything. I support her in her decision, but I know she finds it difficult to tell even her own mother.

I wish happiness and uneventful toilet times for all who are on this site looking for support.

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Automatic Stupid Toilets
by: Anonymous

I am 19yrs old and still to this very day I am afraid of automatic toilets, and urinals. I also hate the fact when I go to sit down on one its starts to flush. It never hesitates. Then later on I will be doing my business and it will flush again and cause all the other toilets and urinals to flush. I hate those things.

I first had a fear of toilets when I was Only 6yrs old. I am now only afraid of the actual toilets. Not so much the urinals because I will flush them before and after I am done.

I am slowly getting over this fear. I found that peace of crap toilet that first scared me. I got this rage that it did this to me. I am doing my best everyday to try to over come this fear once in for all.

Thank you to all of these people who are honest about this fear. I'm glade I am not alone. We will stand against these foul crappy toilets.

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How to get of the fear of automatic toilets
by: Stay confident

I have a fear of automatic toilets.

It all started when I was in daycare around 1 or 2 years old. My mom brought me home and asked me if I wanted to use the potty (I was potty training at the time) and I didn't go near it. I screamed and cried.

I was about 3 and a half by the time I was officially potty trained.

Here are my three scary toilet stories:

- one time at Walmart, my sister had to use the washroom and my mom wanted me to go in a small stall with them. She told me to stand right next to the toilet... You know where this goes

- another time at Walmart, same deal, my sister needed to go and we went into the big stall this time. It was still pretty scary for a 4 year old.

-this last story takes place at an amusement park. We were getting read to drive 3 hours back home. My mom pushed me to use the bathroom. I was crammed in a small stall with her and an automatic toilet. Since I refused so much to the point where she got angry, she picked me up and sat me down on the toilet mid flush. It was so scary!!😱

I can't use portable toilets, airplane restrooms or train restrooms either. I just stand as far from the toilet as possible and sometimes cry with my pants at my ankles.😅

I have joined a swim team a couple years ago and it really helped with my anxiety and fear of toilets. My very first swim meat was the most stressful for me. That night I was throwing up.

That morning when I got to the pool, I realized that the girls washroom was not normal. There was a men's washroom and a men's "change room". The girls had the change room. There were only 4 toilets in the change room and several urinals. That made me very uncomfortable.

Tips while using and automatic toilet:

-use the handicapped stall. If the toilet flushes, you can get away from it

-cover the sensor with sticky notes or a band aid if it's in the wall

- if the sensor sticks out of the wall, grab a long piece of toilet paper, fold it a few times, wet it down using water or saliva and stick it on top of the sensor

- if your comfortable with this, squat down over top of the toilet and don't sit on it

- once you get used to doing all of this, flush the toilet at your house and stand close to it. Each time you flush, get a little closer to the toilet. Whenever your comfortable, flush the toilet while siting on it. Do this at relatives houses so you can get more familiar with different toilets. Use a small stall in public with a manual toilet. Stand in the doorway and flush it with your foot. Try getting closer each time you use the toilet and it doesn't have to be the same toilet.

Stay confident.

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Yay,.I'm not alone
by: Anonymous

The way they look and sound are the main things that give me anxiety, I'm in college now and I wanna get over this fear but i just cant, the bigger the sensor, the worse my anxiety is.

Its gotten to the point where I will hold my pee all day or I'll drive out of my way to get to a normal bathroom. Maybe if the light were green, or a less intimidating color, it wouldnt be so scary but I doubt it.

Also the flush is so loud! Even with normal toilets i have that problem, ever since i was young ive had the instinct to cover my ears. and curl up to lessen the noise, i wouldnt say i have sensory processing disorder because i dont wanna diagnose myself with something without a doctor first but i could have a hint of it.

I thought i was all alone in this, i really want to stop this before it takes over my adult life.

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Afraid
by: Afraid at 4

It's absolutely horrible. I didn't know I had a disorder and I see that other ppl are afraid and it makes me feel better I use sticky notes and I still am scared of the way they look sound and just etc! I'm 13 now and I can't even use public toilets that are Manuel cause I'm afraid and it can cause infections and ppl laugh but now I know ppl are here and they go thru the same

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We are not alone.
by: Bernice Chan Hin Wing

I have feared the fleshing tolite since I was 4.When my mother took me to the airportas tolite it flesh eight behind my.The water splashed on my butt.I was panicked.I cried loudly and told my mama to take me out of the tolite.She did.

After this experience,I started to fear the fleshing tolite.When ever I go to a tolite with fleshing,I will tell my mama to go with me even going to Disney(all of them are fleshing g tolite).I think that I was the only one who fear the fleshing tolite.

I think that I am strange.But after I read you guys comments,I find out that I am not only one who fear it.There are tons of you guys fear it too!Thx for the ways that you guys provide!I think I can handle it myself now!Guys you can do it too!Never give up trying!Recover your fear!You cab success!

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Good trick
by: Anonymous

I am so scared odd automatic toilets but a good trick I've found is to grab some toilet paper fold it twice and put it over the bar of the toilet. I am so glad that other people have the same phobia as me.

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Automatic 😕
by: Anonymous

I literally thought I was the only one. I'm 16 almost 17 and like so afraid of automatic flushers. When I was little i had really sensitive ears and hated loud noises and I think that's where is started. I never used to go if they were automatic always held it or my mom or sister would go in there with me and hold it and my hand so it wouldn't do anything but now I'm older it's more difficult so I just don't use them. even if I look at them I start panicking and having an anxiety attack 😪 But I'm glad I'm not alone and hopefully we can all overcome this fear.

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Adult and still scared
by: Anonymous

I'm 18 and I'm still scared of automatic toliets. I was little when I feared all toliets. Now its just automatic. I'm an adult I'm scared of something so silly. What do i do?

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Scared at 14
by: Girl

I'm 14 and I'm still scared of automatic toilets so y'all not alone I can't use it unless I can put toilet paper over it because then it won't flush but if it is in the wall or something I can't use the bathroom

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Still Scared
by: Anonymous

I just turned 14 and have a huge fear of automatic toilets. My mom is always concerned when I don't go but still need to. It isn't going to turn out well next year because the toilets are automatic. Many people have told me I could get a bladder infection. One time I hid in the bathroom so my family would think I went, but I didn't. I had to go and I thought I could do it but opened the door and it flushed and ran out of the bathroom.

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Thank you!
by: Anonymous...

Thanks so much for this page! I'm almost 13 and I've been afraid of toilets since I was 4. I still go to the bathroom with my mom and it's really embarrassing. At least I'm not afraid of black toilets any more than white ones anymore. But I'm afraid I'll never get over my fear. Thank you for understanding because this isn't funny. It's a real thing.

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Not alone
by: 13 and scared

I am 13 and I have a huge fear of automatic toilets.

It doesn't help that my schools only has the evil self flushers my fear is to the extent where I went in a trash can because I was so scared (I know it's nasty) but my fears took over.

After reading threw a few comments I feel a lot better I have never been able to figure out why but now I know . I am not afraid of normal toilets because I CAN CONTROL WHEN THEY FLUSH. Sounds crazy but I am bothered by the sound of toilets .

I have no known disablitys towards noises but I always cover my ears before flushing but with automatic toilets I can cover my ears or know when it flushes that is the worst part also Leona forget the evil drips of water. I don't feel alone thanks guys

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long haul flight for our granddaughter and fear of all toilets except her own
by: Anonymous

Our granddaughter was born at 24.6 weeks, now at three she is in good health but has an extreme fear of toilets other than her own, I am sure it is the noise and closed cubicle.

Today she goes on a long 26 hour flight. Last week we bought headphones for her. Not sure if this will help but we hope so. I wonder if any others posting here have hypersensitive hearing and was a prem birth.

She finds loud noises frightening. She has been out of nappies for six months but they have talked to her about her wearing one, my fear is she will just hold on. For others I would suggest using headphones, we tried them with our granddaughter when we put the coffee grinder on and it worked well for that. hoping it works for airport toilets, I don't they will even attempt the plane toilets

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I'm scared to flush toilets and to use public toilets
by: Anonymous

Ok so right now I'm 13 I've always been scared to use public toilets for some reason and I have always been scared to flush a toilet

When I was younger I use to open to door b4 I flushed so I could run away after and sadly I still do it I think in scared its going to over fill and in going to get stuck in the bathroom or something ( I hate to think about me touching toilet water) like even if it is just my toe I would still probably vomit.

Is this just me or do others think that as well?

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13 and scared
by: Anonymous

Don't worry, I'm 13 and almost extremely scared of anything automatic. I never go to the toilet if it's not mine, especially automatic toilets. Ever since I was about 5 or 6 I would run away after I flush or wash hands.

The most embarrassing story is when I went to Seaworld and absolutely refused to go poo in a public area. So, when I came back home a day later, I ran to the bathroom and almost clogged it. When my mom used to work at a software company, they had automatic everything! When I needed to pee, I would go to the bathroom and do whatever I could to not pee myself. The last thing is that whenever I look at a toilet, I start getting very nervous. Just toilets in general scare me so bad.

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Glad I'm not alone
by: Anonymous

I hate flushing toilets. I always overflow them and it's embrassing. This is a real thing though and not just some joke. I came across this page and was so relieved to see that lots of other people understand what I'm going through.

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20 Years old... Doesn't get better
by: Anonymous

I am a 20 year old female that has been afraid all toilets my entire life. Even porta-potties. I have discovered that it it all plumbing though. The machines scare me to death. Its so bad that I have deficated outside and peed in sinks and showers. My mother still has to go to the bathroom with me everywhere. I have to check to see if the toilet is stable before I sit down so thatb it won't wobble. I get deathly afraid when it overflows too. Flushing though is the worst. I flush and run. Even in my own house.

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I'm still ashamed because I'm 18 and still cant quite get over it..
by: Anonymous

I'm 18 years old and it's more than just the toilets at rest areas or big stores... I'm terrified of those security lights outside the house with the motion sensors too, and the paper towel dispensers, the worst hell was when I was 11, on the road with my dad and he took me out of state to a rest stop where the bathroom had automatic everything, right down to the soap dispenser; I ended up relieving into my pants because I refused to go in the stall once I saw the toilet.

Any and every time we went to a rest area with automatic toilets and such I ended up waiting too long or not going fast enough... I've been in fear since I was 9, but I cope by using my earphones on blast when I go.. it helps a little bit when I'm not looking at the toilet...

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SO GLAD ITS NOT JUST ME
by: Anonymous

Ok. I went to a new church for VBS and I had to go to the bathroom. Turns out, they just installed a new auto flush toilet and urinal. I was about four at the time and I had never seen one before. I wasn't even three feet with in it and the dumb thing flushed. It echoed and it scared the pee out of me... Literally.

Then when it stopped and I was calm and I stepped closer to it and it flushed again! Then the urinal went off too! Ever since that experience, I've been completely PETRIFIED! I will go no where near them and I'm always afraid of going somewhere new or far away because there may be a chance of them being there.

I'm a teenager now and it is getting ridiculously annoying and I will wait until I get home to go. They don't bother me that much any more, but I will try to avoid any contact I have with them.

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So glad I'm not the only one
by: Anonymous

Omg I'm so glad I'm not the only one! I'm 15 years old and I am terrified by self flush toilets! It all started when my dad took me into an airplane bathroom when I was an infant and then had the bright idea of going to the bathroom and flushing while I was there! Since then, automatic flush and airplane bathrooms terrify me!

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Terrified of them!!
by: Anonymous

So I'm terrified on Sensor Flushes and I'm 13. I've had it for years and will not go anywhere near one unless my mum is near me. A few months ago I was on a plane and there was a sensor there so she had to come in with me but unfortunately it went off several times and I was full on screaming. The only time I went in one buy myself was on a school trip when we were forced to go but I nearly passed out. I pressed myself against the door so hard and closed my eyes so tight and I was nearly in tears. It is getting stupid now and I have no clue how to cure this

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OMG! Glad I'm not alone but wish none of us had it.
by: Anonymous

Hi I literally copied and pasted someone else. OMG! That's my story right down to the Italy experience ....I am 37 years old and still afraid of public restrooms all together. Auto flush is an absolute no!!!!!!!I travel around the world and I have to say I worry about bathroom breaks and nothing else about being in a whole new country. This is crazy! I always go on the plane before getting off in hopes of traveling to my hotel and finding acceptable toilets/bathrooms. Italy has toilets with bade's in them and I ended up peeing in the shower with the door open to the hotel room. This is really embarassing, but I don't know what to do. Dark bathrooms creep me out...black toilets....forget it! Conditions of a old standard bathroom work for me. Me me me to the top! So afraid

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Phobia
by: Anonymous

I am so glad I am not the only one that has a horrible fear of self flushing toilets...I'm 25 years old and I just can not break myself of this phobia. I can't even be near the stall door in fear that the censor will trigger and the toilet will flush. :(

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Reply to the previous post
by: Rhubar

I love that you have managed to deal with it by just being so tired of being scared. Gets old, hey?

I manage the airplane toilets, but like you I have to block my ears because it is so loud. It's quite startling. I close the lid, flush and block me ears really quickly. I am quite terrified the whole time, but what choice do I have? I have just come to deal with the fact that for a few seconds I will be terrified, and then it will be over.

I tried the post-it note trick for the first time recently! Well, not a post-it note, but there was a shelf behind the toilet above the sensor. I hung some toilet paper down over it and put a book on it on the shelf to hold it in place. Love feeling in control of the flushing again. Hooray! Thanks to those on this forum who suggested the post-it thing. <3

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Good I'm not Alone
by: Anonymous

Haha, I used to be afraid of them to. I've gotten too old to remember if this actually happened or it was just a dream, but when I was a toddler one time it flushed for no reason and I almost fell in. It's gotten to the point where I'm not necessarily scared of auto flushing ones anymore, but just them in general. It's actually how loud they are that freaks me out.

I don't have any suggestions, but what eventually happened to me was that I just became tired of being afraid because they were everywhere and my parents weren't going to be there for me after the 5th grade. For loud toilets I plug my ears or look away. Good luck!

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To the previous post:
by: Rhubarb

I don't think you are ridiculous. Supporting your child in this could make a huge difference to how she develops with it. Maybe get her to put the post-it note on with you, and just be in the room/cubicle, but get her bit by bit to do pretty much everything herself, but give her the support of your presence. Hopefully then when she one day finds herself in a situation where she has to use a toilet like this and you are not there, she will be able to step up.

I'm not expert. Just my thoughts.

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Terrified of auto flushing toilets
by: Anonymous

My daughter is almost 6 and is still terrified of toilets. I support her and go with her and even hide the automatic sensor with my purse or a sweater in public places. My husband thinks I'm ridiculous. Do you think I should let her go on her own?

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new school😖
by: Anonymous

I am so happy iam not the only one.Iam 14 and school starts soon,i dont know if the school i am going to has them or not,i have heard about post it note,but i have never tried it.i hope they dont have them.

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Adult, you are not alone! His is not just a phobia in a child, this is an adult phobia as well.
by: Anonymous

I want to react to the last comment here. I'm 39 and have exactly the same phobia since I wa about for. Especially when I see pipes visible in a bathroom I refuse to go in. NOTHING, not even a million in cash, can convince me. The thought that I need to flush a toilet which is so noisy that I think the room is coming down, is beyond the biggest fear I have ever known.

So I want to tell you, you're not alone.

I do remember that I screamed at age 4 as a scared toddler and my mother's conservative reaction was insulting me (yes as a toddler!) and raising her voice. This was the opposite to what should have been done. I have always felt ashamed about it, thought I was the only adult in the world, but it seems I'm not alone.

What DOES help is the correct lightning in the cubicle (the more modern the better, a window, no noise of pipes or airco and the biggest help of all .... People around me. In a big shopping center I have no problems. In an obscure restaurant out of hours, I'd rather die than using the bathroom, to the point of getting sick.

So I have decided to go into anxiety therapy even though I fear having to be confronted with my worst nightmares.

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58 and still afraid
by: Anonymous

I have been afraid as long as I can remember and now it is getting worse. If the toilet flushes while I am using it, I freak out. Happened to me this weekend and I was scared to use any toilet. Even thought about going in the yard rather than use one. I was using one and the toilet next to me flushed and mine started making gurgling noises. That freaked me out to because I thought mine was going to over flow. Anyone I tell thinks it is so funny. Not funny to me.

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...
by: Anonymous

I'm 15 years old and have always been afraid. Glad I'm not alone. Everytime I flush I run out as fast as I can.

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12 and need advice
by: Anonymous

I am 12 years old and i still havent gotten over my fear of Automatic Toilets. I start to cry when i'm forced to use them until my sister covera the sensor. She is much older now and refuses to cover the sensor for me.:( I need advice as to get over the fear on my own. Please Help!

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Fear of auto flushing toliets.
by: Anonymous

I am 11 now but i still am afraid. I dont know what to do.my cousins somtimes laughed at me. It all started when i was 3 years old. I was ok. I was sitting on the toliet and then suddenly it flushed. I was so scared. But now after i saw this website i realised that i am not the only one eho is scared.

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Add a pStyle female urination device (if you are a woman, of course)
by: Rhubarb

There is the sticky note solutions others have suggested. As well as this, I have a pStyle (a "female urination device" that allows women to pee while standing up - there are many types, but I have a pStyle and I adore it!). I find that using a device that allows me to stand up while peeing helps, since it means I don't have to turn my back on the toilet, or put my body too close to it. Couple this with a sticky note and I find I can manage much better.

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Phobia
by: PhobiaStar23

I'm 14 and I am so scared to use auto toilets that I need to Bring sticky notes every time I go to cover up that stupid awful sensor😞

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stupid toilets
by: Anonymous

I am scared of automatic toilets. I didn't think anyone else afraid of them. I'm 13 and don't know where it comes from. I didn't have a traumatic experience and I'm not scared of being sucked in or anything. when I was little, and there was an automatic toilet, my mom or sister would have to put their hand over it so it wouldn't flush when I wasn't ready. when I got older, I couldn't have them come in the stalls with me anymore, so most of the time I had to hold it. I think I have used an automatic toilet by myself two or three times. I tried to use one yesterday, but I couldn't. this fear is getting inconveniant.

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I don't know what to do.
by: Anonymous

I'm glad I'm not alone. I felt like I was the only one. I used to have to force myself hold my pee for the longest until I got home. I would walk around until I found "safe" toilets and even those sometimes creep me out. I can't explain what it is. But it's annoys me. I also have to use the same stall, like if there's multiple stalls in the a restroom, I have to use the same one each time I go. Also I'm afraid if the toilet floods. I start a new job tomorrow and I'm afraid that all the toilets are gonna be automatic. I'm 20 years old and have the most embarrassing fear. I wish there was a cure or something.

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Successful treatment approach
by: Anonymous

My daughter has had this since she was about 3 or 4. When she was 7 we worked with a psychologist who specialized in phobias and he guided me in a desensitization approach which involved gradually increasing exposure to the feared toilet(s) in a way that did not further traumatize my daughter. For example, the first step might be for her to peek into the stall, the second step to look at it for 10 seconds, the third to walk closer and stand for 20 seconds, and so on.

After each step I would ask her to rate her fear on a scale of 1-10. If the level was lower than 6 we would progress to something slightly more challenging. If it was a 7 or 8, we would repeat the step we just did. If it was higher, we would go to an earlier step.

She enjoyed drawing, so she would name the toilets and draw them with kind faces on them so they were less scary. She enjoyed videotaping, so she would videotape the toilets. I would videotape them flushing and she would watch it to become more accustomed and less afraid of the flushing. All this worked very well for manual flushing toilets that were not peculiar in appearance. She was fairly quickly cured of her fear of those. But foreign toilets and auto-flush toilets are still a problem.

We spent several hours doing the desensitization approach with auto-flush toilets, and I am very proud of her courage during that ordeal, but she is still afraid to use them. Can we just ban them and stop traumatizing children?

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fear of toilets
by: nancy

so I am afraid of the toilets flush I always close my ears when I hear the overwhelming and loud sound of the flush, I guess im not the only one with this fear !

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Fear
by: Anonymous

Every since I could remember I've been afraid of toilets I'm 22 years old so we didn't even have auto flushing toilets I just hold it I am so afraid

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Loud toilets hurt my ears
by: Anonymous

I wish there were volume buttons on the auto toilets to make them quiet while they flush so that way four year olds or anyone else don`t get scared.

Once when I was visiting my daddy, we ate at a Burger King in my state, I felt sick and I had too many snacks and a milkshake that day. Once I got to the restroom, I didn't throw up like I thought I would. When I got up from the toilet, I realised it was an auto toilet and it flushed really loud and it made me jump.

RIP daddy, I love you and I miss you lots.

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Little girl afraid of toilet
by: iheartpupppies

I think she should just have someone come in with her to the bathroom in public. i was like that wen i was 4, What is her name? thanks.

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Toilets
by: Anonymous

Damn I thought I was alone, I was/still kinda am afraid of toilets in general, ever since an incident that happened when I was younger, I never felt "safe" around a strang toilet. I'm older and my fear had gotten better, I can use toilets in public, but I still need to plug my ears when I'm on one. I got a bit better by just forcing myself to use it and trying not to put much thought in it, or just distracting myself so I feel better.

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Loud toilets hurt my ears.
by: Anonymous

I don`t really have a fear of auto toilets but they make me jump when they flush loud like at a mcdonalds in my state has two toilets with two kinds of flushers on them (regular handle and sensor) made me jump when it flushed. I do have a fear of black toilets though. I think it`s because I can`t see the hole before I go. One time my mom and I were in the gas station restroom and once she was out of the stall, the toilet flushed twice, that was funny. Also once when I was at my local mall with my friend, when I went to wash my hands all of the auto sinks were clogged and soap dispensers weren't` working and were making an awful sound. Disgusting.

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I'm not alone
by: Anonymous

I'm so glad that there are others like me when it comes to automatic toilets. Every sense I was little I been afraid of them bcuz one day I was in the bathroom and the lights went off and the toilet flushed and now it still haunts me but I'm ad I'm not the only one

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I'm glad I'm not the only one
by: Anonymous

I am 22, almost 23, and I am terrified of automatic toilets. I refuse to use one. I have used them a handful of times and my anxiety skyrockets when I do. I have had one flush on me while I was peeing. I'm so glad others have this fear too. My parents thought I would get over my fear and I have yet to do that.

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Not the Only one
by: Anonymous

I'm glad I'm not the only one! Ever since the movie "Flushed Away" I have been scared of ALL toilets. . . especially the big stalls and if the toilet seat is up I will close my eyes and bring it down with my foot. I will also cover my ears and close my eyes as the toilet flushes. I don't go to any toilet especially not at hospitals, the big toilets and automatic toilets scare me so much!
*Thanks alot Flushed Away😳*

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FINALLY SOMEONE ELSE!
by: Anonymous girl

I am 11 years old and I have a fear of toilets. Mostly the flush, it scares me. My parents have been saying since I was 4 that I'll get over it but there are no signs to cure my fear. I still have to go in the bathroom with one of my parents. They are worried about me and want to help me but I just can't get over it. I even cover my ears while I use it. I hate my fear mostly because it's embarrasing to go to the bathroom with one of your parents when your already 11 years old. A lot of my friends tease me. Help me get over this fear?

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Horrible!
by: Anonymous

I have also so a fear of toilets. Not just self flushing ones but any kind. Porta potties, plane toilets etc. It's ok at home and school because I am used to the types of toilets. But traveling is horrible. I can never go anywhere in a plane over 3-4 hours because I refuse to use a plane toilet and I dont want to make myself un-well by not eating or drinking so that I don't have to use one. I'm so glad to see others share my fears!!

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welcome to our life
by: Anonymous

Well im sitting in my car now after a very embarrassing experiemce i had left class to go to the bathroom cause i just couldn't hold it mind you i usually hold it cause i hate toilets especially automatic ones anyway i walked in there i checked all stalls trying to find a manual one and there were none so i paced the bathroom floor for 20 min repeating "it's just a toilet it can't hurt you" after getting the courage or what im calling "trusting the toilet" i bent over it so close to the edge of it my legs shaking heart pounding and half the pee getting on the floor it flushed in the midst of me peeing and i jumped up(still peeing wetting my pants) so now km just sitting in the car trying to calm down. Im 20 now a full time college student and no one seems to understand my grandma says i always been this way i always wondered of there was any type of therapy you can go through to try to make life a bit easier plus i dont want the stress of having to tell my future husband that hey i have a fear of toilets hahaha

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Shaking
by: Anonymous

Im 14, I'm still afraid and its really embarrassing. Auto toilets in big stalls? I will run out of the room. Really high flushers? I will run out of the room. Metal on the walls? I will start shaking. So glad to hear I am not alone. I refuse to go to the bathroom in restaurants. In many bathrooms I will shake. How should I get over this?

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Ugg
by: Anonymous

Totally same I have been afraid of toilets for a super long time. Not sure how to get over it. Was on a cruise and found out that the toilets were autos peed my pants right there.been scared of them always. I HATE IT!!!!!!!!!!!

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Thank God Im Not Alone!!
by: Anonymous

I can't necessarily call it a fear still but I have a ritual I do when I have to use them, or the shower. When I was like 5 or so I went to walmart with my mum. I told her I had to pee so she took me to the bathroom. As she was going in to help me because that's usually still the age that parents have to help their kids with that type of stuff, I told her "nope, I got this. Imma big girl now!" So I went in and when I was done I hadn't quit gotten off of the seat because I also didn't know you weren't supposed to sit on them. It started flushing and I got scared and fell in. IT. KEPT. FLUSHING. I freaked out so much, started screaming and I was for sure stuck. She couldn't get me out either. So now when I go to flush any toilet, or turn on the shower I plug one ear, and turn my head away. Sucks man.

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Still scared
by: Anonymous

I'm 18 years old and i'm still scared of automatic flushing toilets. The flush before i'm even done. Its very hard to get over this fear. Happy to know i'm not the only one with this fear.

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22 with SPD, theres hope
by: Anonymous

I was afraid of automatic toilets. I still am but I have to use them every day! I used to refuse to use an automatic toilet. It was the look, the sound and the unknown flush. I over time I realized that technology has improved and they aren't as senstive as I used to be. I now understand that I won't get flushed down. I still have that worry but it has subsided. When I was little my mom would sing to me when I would use them. As I got older she explained that a small toilet can't flush me down. My fear of automatic toilets didn't subside until I was a teenager. But everybody is different.

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Glad I'm not the only one
by: Anonymous

I feel super awkward admitting this, but I've had a fear of flushing toilets ever since my 2nd grade teacher told me she flushed her fish thinking it was dead but that it had actually still been alive but she was too late. Ever since, I am nearly paralyzed when I hear a toilet flush. I am worried that, like my teacher, I will accidentally flush something important. I cannot carry my valuables in to the bathroom stall because of my fear of them being flushed. I have a friend hold them or leave them somewhere else. I clutch at my pockets when I go so that nothing in my pockets falls into the bowl. With automatic toilets it is even worse.

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They are annoying
by: Anonymous

Yea auto toilets can be extremely irritating, my college has these in all the buildings, and since I have IBS when I have to go I have to go. The last thing I need or want is my poo splashing back on my butt. Especially since one time I accidentally used a faulted one and it was clogged and overflowed. Worst thing ever. I don't mind autos as long as they arent loud and flush correctly but there are times its flushed before I'm done and didnt flush when I had to do more than just pee and what I left behind was nasty and it didnt flush. I just hope any major corp that reads this, please dont install them, more trouble than they are worth...

Even the ones they are putting in homes are faulty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioJIGGWMyzE

Lots of people that bought that says it triggers by itself forever in a day.Manuals all the way! Lol

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Still scared
by: Anonymous

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I'm 20 and I still have a fear of automatic toilets. My work has them and I secretly will pee in the sink. And what's worse is that it's a TIMED one. Where if you take too long it will flush while your still sitting on it. I hate it I'm shaking just thinking about it!

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to the 43 yr old
by: Anonymous

I dont believe cruise ships have auto flush toilets. You may be safe there. I'm now 26 and I still cant use them after an incident long ago.

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So scary
by: Anonymous

At 17, I'm finally starting to get over my fear of automatic toilets. What I do is I take the largest stall and 'hover' above the toilet plugging my ears with my fingers while I go. As soon as I'm done I run to the far corner of the stall still covering my ears and eyes until I hear the toilet flush in the background. Then I carefully get toilet paper and that usually works out. Hardly getting over it, I know, but at least I can use them now. Here's an embarrassing story. One time when I was younger (but still way too old to have done this) I was so scared that I peed on the bathroom floor at Target.

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always been afraid, im 43
by: Anonymous

My fear started when I was a small child. My cousin Marie took me to the restroom to use it, I needed her help getting on it, and when i was peeing she held me on it, started flushing it over and over while screaming "its going to eat you!!! It's gonna suck u in and ur gonna die!!!" I feel like she has totally ruined my life. Everything is an inconvenience. I have IBS and this is so difficult to deal with. I've seeked out "safe" toilets in the areas I go. Like the mall, I know the jc penny bathroom doesn't have auto toilets. Toilets that are colored, like black seats or metal toilets, is an absolute NO! I feel so ridiculous and inadequate! I didn't realize there were so many people with this fear. My mother used to tell me I was ridiculous and over acting. I hated her for this. Thank GOD I was able to control this issue so well around my son. He isn't afraid!!!! Yes!!!! Thank GOD!!! He is 17 and knows about my fear. I tell people that see me refuse to use a bathroom that "its not clean enough for me". My friend wants us to go on a cruise. Omg I want to throw up!! Kill me now. She doesn't know. :(

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13 and still have it.
by: Toilet hater

I'm thirteen, and still have it. It started when I was four and I had a dream I was on my toilet at home. I got flushed in, and I've had that fear ever since. It's not gonna go away, so try to cope with it best you can. Wear headphones and play music.

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I dont understand
by: Anonymous

I'm 14 and I've had a fear of automated toilets since I was about 4 years old. I went to the bathroom with my mom and I dind't know it was automated, so when I was using it, it flushed REALLY LOUDLY and I freaked out. Since then I've had a huge fear and my heart beats really fast when I need to use a toilet and I'm not at home. I have read some of the other comments and I dont have dreams about toilets, its not that extreme, however i seem to have developed a new fear of very old toilets. I have those end-of-the-world toilets where the bathroom is extremely small and dark and rusty, UGH! i seem to prefer using stalls since it has space on the bottom and top, because I am also claustrophobic. Can someone please help?

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yikes
by: Anonymous

I too hate colored toilets I dont like how they look. I tried going to the bathroom at the rock pizza and the bathrooms were to dark and the toilets were black. No thank you. I'll just hold it. Its such a weird fear being afraid of auto and different colored toilets. Its hard to explain to people and they don't seem to understand why it freaks me out. Other than the fact of being trapped against the back of a bathroom stall door and the toilet flushing constantly by itself when I was little. And loud noises in bathrooms bother me. I just dont like it.

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36 and still scared
by: Anonymous

Hi....I am 36 years old and still afraid of public restrooms all together. Auto flush is an absolute no!!!!!!!I travel around the world and I have to say I worry about bathroom breaks and nothing else about being in a whole new country. This is crazy! I always go on the plane before getting off in hopes of traveling to my hotel and finding acceptable toilets/bathrooms. Italy has toilets with bade's in them and I ended up peeing in the shower with the door open to the hotel room. This is really embarassing, but I don't know what to do. Dark bathrooms creep me out...black toilets....forget it! Conditions of a old standard bathroom work for me.

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I am 12 and afraid of this damn silly fear of damn toilets
by: Haruhatsu Nakashima

Hi i am Haruhatsu Nakashima and i am 12 i have a fear of toilets it all started when i was little in a dream and my mom was brushing her hair i was sitting on a toilet and then i called me mother because i did not know how to clean me self so i called me mom and i fell in and no one cared they flushed me and i woke up and ate some yummy food

it is silly but scary i cant enjoy fun places and i only feel safe with the one at home but now im moving to another home new toilets i like them i always make funny comics about them but i am scared i am not alone it is time we take back what we need to do force yourself into doing it i know i will maybe i still need me parents to help me use another toilets hopes this ends soon because i wanna live a happy life with me family and get married have kids and have fun ! ;) work together well get through this pobia

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Big Stalls
by: Anonymous

Is anyone else scared to death of those big unistall handicap bathrooms?

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Glad I'm not alone
by: Beth

I'm 16 years old and have been terrified by these awful things ever since I can remember. I frequently have dreams about them attacking me or just constantly flushing so loudly I can't hear. I'm glad I'm not the only one. Once, I had a panic attack when my parents told me we were going to Disneyland because I knew the toilets were automatic. (I had been there before) I mean, for crying out loud, the happiest place on Earth and I can't enjoy it because I'm worrying about the next time I'll have to use the bathroom. I finally told my mom after so many years that I was still scared of them. She said she would try to help me out, which I really appreciated. I tried using one I thought was broken; the second I stood up, it flushed and I could never trust "broken ones" again. I've tried covering the sensor and I still shake abd almost throw-up. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know.

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Those dang toilets!
by: Aquaman

I have such a fear of toilets that when I am finished I have to have somebody come in the stall and cover the sensor so i can walk out. Occasionally I have to have strangers help me out, especially at places like Walmart, when i am alone. I've had this fear since I was a little kid, when my older brother gave me a Swirly whenever my mom got mad at us.

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They flush before you're done!
by: Star

I am autistic and am scared of auto flush toilets. It's not the noise, it's the fact that they flush before you stand up. (I'm wheelchair bound.) My school has most auto flush toilets, (Not all toilets in the bathroom are automatic, thank GOD!) And the manual toilets are handicap accessible, YAY!

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Fix the auto flush fear
by: Anonymous

I'm 48 and extremely fearful of auto flush toilets and it was started to effect my life where I didn't want to go anywhere far in fear that my only choice was to use one. I accually went to therapy and you have to force yourself to use them and you will be able to handle it better. First take a friend with you for support. Then make them start backing away. It will work. I use a thick panty liner to put over thr sensor. You have to have it ready and do it right away before it detects movement. It will not flush. Then when you are done, first open the door and then pull it off so you can get out before it can scare you. Bunch the pad in your hand and no one in the bathroom will know what you just did. They still scare me but at least I can cope with it better. We also bought a RV with my own bathroom in it and that works too. Haha! Hope this helps everyone!

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is it weird
by: Christa

I am happy to finally see that i am not 1 in a million that has a strange fear of toilets.i am 24 and I am not fond of automatics. The worst bathrooms are in the airplanes because the room is so tiny. I have read that a person had a weird toilet dream and they are not alone. Every time a toilet shows up in my dream they are found in old abandoned locations. They are dirty and secluded and most of the time over flowing with water. They are found in dark areas too and this is how they appear in every dream I have of them.

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Recovering from the fear
by: Mallory

This fear is real. I have it and I feel like no one I know understands. People think it's funny but it's not. I mean I haven't told anyone recently because I want people to think it was just a childhood thing. I'm 15 and I just recently used an automatic toilet (1week ago). I haven't since I was like 4 or 5 because one time at the airport, when I went into the stall alone, it went off when I was sitting on the toilet and I freaked out. Ever since I haven't been able to use one and it sucks because I have gotten 3 uti's (urinary track infections) from 2nd- 5th grade from holding my pee in. There has been several times when I had to go so bad but I couldn't cause every bathroom had only automatic toilets. So last week I was at school and I'd had a ice coffee that morning so I had to pee really bad. It was so bad my stomach was hurting and I had accidentally let some out. Finally I couldn't take it and I knew if I didn't go to the bathroom i would pee my pants. So what did was find the biggest stall in the bathroom, then I put headphones to block out the sound, then I put a post it note on the sensor and went. I was so scary and I was trembling but I felt so much better afterwards. Hopefully we all can get over this fear. I still have a long way to go but I'm getting there slowly.

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Automatic Toilets, NOOO!
by: Anonymous

I'm 16. When I was younger (6-9) I had a crazy toilet dream. There was this bathroom, filled with automatic toilets. The ones with the black bottom. The walls were greenish-blue. Different sized toilets, all bigger than the last. Bigger then me. They were all flushing, and some were over flowing. Overflowing with blood. I tried to use one, and it tried to 'eat' me. I didn't think people had this fear. I am so glad I came across this site. Now I don't feel so alone, in this 'irrational fear'as my mother says. I seem to be not as fearful of the water saving automatic toilets. I suppose they have a quieter flush sound. I hate that it can go off, even when I don't expect it. Or even if I'm not done doing my business. I guess it's the sound, but still. Self flushing toilets scare me.

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the devils thrown
by: Anonymous

I cant tell you how terrified I am of auto toilets. I still have to have someone in the stall with me if I can get brave enough to use it. I'm 25 going on 26 this year. Traumatized as a small child by these satanic stupid inventions that I cant tolerate to save my life. It affects me and because of my passed problem running's with auto flushing toilets. I have to pick and choose places I can go with my husband in fear I may have to encounter one. If the inventor was smart, they would have placed a timer on the toilets that allows you to choose how much time you need before it can flush or make the toilets with toilet lids on them that block the sensor so it cant flush until its placed back down..maybe even ask congress to pass a law that makes every business have at least one non auto flush toilet. I'm sure if they got enough complaints they may do it.

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I'm afraid of the sound of automatic toilets
by: Anonymous

I'm so glad I came a cross this site, I thought I was weird. I'm not afraid of automatic toilets, just the unexpected of when that toilet is going to flush. Gosh they're so freeking loud and scary. I cover my ears everytime it flushes, and I know I sound like a little kid, but it helps. Another thing I'm afraid of is old and dimmed lighted public restrooms. I guess I have a phobia, currently 22 years of age. This will never go away.

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toilets are so LOUD!!!!
by: Anonymous

im glad im not alone either but me when i flush i run back to my room as fast as possible before the NOISE MAKER TOILET!(before i hear the loud noise of the toilet) at school i rarely ever go only 2 times will i go 1 is we are doing something i either can't figure out or realllllly don't like and i need to go at least a little bit. or i need to go so bad I'm gonna expload! but self flushing toilets HATE EM i was sitting on the toilet and then the toilet flushed on meh! i was at an airport my mom was there with me and told my aunt all about it... and i hate automatic sinks to THERE NOT AUTOMATIC IF THEY ONLY LAST FOR 5 SECONDS AND HALF THE TIME THERE BROKEN I MEAN SRSLY AUTOMATIC SINKS TOILETS ARE STUPID! AND WHY ARE TOILETS SO LOUD AND WELL SCARRY and why is there so many myths about the bathroom those myths made me scared oh mirrors in bathrooms for goodness sack. i can't even step in the bathroom without something that plays videos. or else when i flush the toilet i will think there are souls ghosts spirits evil ones trying to come in my room i slam the door... BTW 10 years old so don't judge

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Fear of Automatic Toliets
by: Anonymous

I absolutely hate automatics. I'm so happy to know I'm not alone. I was little when this happen I say 4,5,or 6. My mother and I were out running errands I told her I needed to poop and asked me if I could hold till we got home I said no. We were at the mall I use the bathroom after I finish I'm looking for where u flush didn't see anything then it flushed and since then I've always been scare. I'm 24! Every time I go in a bathroom and I see automatic sinks I'm already bothered then I check to see if I can. Only way I'll use it is if there are people in there or someone by the door. I will constantly look at the sensor so when I see green IMMEDIATELY stand up. I've held my pee for hours when I see a toliet automatic. At a gas station I use the trash can thankfully no one came in to notice so I could put it back. I've had my mother hold my hand as I would pee in this stall and she would make toliet sounds to scare me. Idk if I'll ever get over my fear but I hate those damn Toliets!!!!!!

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Scared
by: Secret

I am 11 and still scared of flushing. If tried many times. I start trembling shaking. I'm mostly scared at plane toilets

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I Just Dont Get Why!
by: Anonymous

I am 10 and am really scared of flushing the loo when im in the cubicle and of airplane loos I had a nightmare about an automatic airplane loo... Omg! Sticky notes don't work for the ones in Disneyworld and I jumped and ran to hug my mum coming out of the cubicle! Theese toilets are taking over USA and will soo be in houses and everywhere I tried hypnotism and getting my mum to come in cubicles with me but its just so scary I need help. Glad im not the only one!

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serious fear
by: Sav

These automatic toilets are like the exorcism. Such a damn horror to deal with. As soon as I walk into a stall I inspect to make sure it's not automatic. From the time I see a light and that creepy ass shape I run and hold in my pee. I honestly cannot get over this fear and I'm 22. My first experience happened when I was 9 and was going to New York. We had stopped to get refreshments and also use the bathroom and that time my mom and I would go into a stall. After my mom covered the seat and I sat down i waited to pee .. all of a sudden it flushes on me I jumped off . My mom told me ok that's odd it's probably broken let's try another one. Boom same thing again. Since then I'm terrified I would rather pee in the bushes or in a cup then to use those things. They are so freaky and I feel violated and so unsafe around them. It's like robots are watching me and omg those loud flushing noises are ridiculously scary ! These creeps seem to be taking over every possible location .. malls airports schools hospitals I give up. I will never get over this fear and I don't trust blocking the sensor . I feel like I'll have to invest in pampers again or depends.

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Hate them!
by: Anonymous

I have hated automatic toilets since about 10 years ago and I'm now 48! I went into one in France with my two young children and before we had a chance to move towards the toilet basin, the lights went out and the door locked. Then we heard loads of water rushing and it covered our feet. At the same time the toilet flushed. This electric loo cleaned the floor and the toilet. It was horrendous! I was scared out of my wits but had to hug my two children and pretend all was ok . They clung to me. When the water stopped the door clicked and I could actually open it. Needless to say none of us wanted the loo after that. I'd rather go behind a bush!! Since then I refuse to go in them. Just no way!

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Fear Since I was 10
by: Anonymous

I thought I was the only one who had this fear. I first came across an automatic toilet at Disney when I was 10 years old. It was already bad enough I hate how tiny the stalls were but then the toilets flush when you aren't ready. I am 28 years old and I swear the feeling is still going strong today. I got a new job and the whole entire building was automatic toilets. I swear I almost died that day I realized there were no normal toilets. I discovered that if you use a business card or fold an index card in half and tape it you are good. I always keep a card and a thing of pop up tape with me. That way if I come up on a place that has automatic toilets I have my solution. :)

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14 with a serious fear
by: Anonymous

Up until the point when I actually realized I had a phobia, I thought I was completely alone and there was something extremely wrong with me. Whenever I go to a popular, crowded, public place, I panic while I stand in line, fearing that the toilet will be automatic.

But it's not just automatic toilets in general: it's a lot of things about toilets. I always get panicky and scared to go into any public bathroom that I know has been used a lot, somehow I fear that the toilets will be disgusting or have something wrong with them.

I'm 14, and I still have this fear, just as bad as when it started. When I was little I would only go if my mom held her hand over the sensor. It was so embarrassing! Now, I'm basically screwed if I'm caught with an automatic toilet. Those darn things flush before you're even done! My fear is that soon they will replace all normal toilets. I sinserely hope that will never happen! 😫

This coming month, our school is going on a 1 week trip and I'm almost positive that there will be automatic toilets everywhere. I am scared to death and can't stop thinking about it.

I'm going to try to confront my fear and get over it, though. I hope that by using automatic toilets more, even though they scare the living daylights out of me, that I will eventually be okay with using them.

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Mother of 4 year old
by: Anonymous

My daughter is 4 years old and started pre school this year. She is very afraid of the auto toilets. Not just toilets in general but she doesn't like anything that is really loud, for example Vaccums. I'm not sure how I can help her get over this fear and I don't want her to be afraid or get picked on because she refuses to use the bathroom. I feel so bad because I feel like its my fault for maybe babying her so much. She never uses the restroom by herself other than when she is at home. When we eat out at restaurants i always go into the stall with her. I have tried to get her to use the toilets when we're out but she refuses ans she will hold it as long as she can until she finally goes on herself. She wasn't potty trained until she was 3 1/2 years old because3 she was afraid of all toilets. But finally her fear was gone and she never had an accident till 2 months ago. That's when this fear of electronic toilets started. If someone could please help me I would really appreciate it

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18 and scared
by: Anonymous

Ever since I was in kindergarten iv been scared of the automatic flushing toilets. But its getting better but I still cover up the sensor with toilet paper and I have to force myself to go when its the ones in the wall and I cant cover them. High school is bad sometimes just because of the toilets but im slowly starting to get over my fear.

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Agreed
by: Anonymous

I'm so glad I found this! I thought I was crazy! I'm 15 and I'm so scared of automatic toilets. I almost threw up from fear when my parents said we were going to Disneyland. This is supposed to be the happiest place on Earth! I've been like this since I can remember. I used to fight my mom when she made me use one. She eventually had to shove me in the stall and hold the door closed until I was done. As I got older and I was still scared, my mom realized I wasn't just scared because I was a little kid, this was a major phobia. After that, if I told her "I don't need to go," she understood. I'm just glad to know I'm not alone.

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12 and afraid
by: Anonymous

I don't know why I started being afraid! They just really creep me out!Whenever I go out to eat or shop with my family, I'll have to go pee. So I go in, and there automatic! I refuse to go, so we end up going to like a bunch of different places! I'm just glad I'm not alone!

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My fear
by: Anonymous

I am 12 years old and I'm trying to get over this fear.When I was little I had to use the bathroom at the store and when I reached for the toilet paper it flushed and I ran out of the stall with toilet paper hanging out of my pants... I've been afraid as long as I can remember. I tried to use the bathroom in the nurses office and put a bandaid over the sensor but it took me a while to work up the courage to do it and it would make me late for my classes so I stopped trying. Now I can't do clubs or any after school activities. But I am going to see a professional for help and I hope that will work

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AHHH
by: Anonymous

I am so scared of auto toilets! I will NOT ever use one as long as they exist! I think I need therapy or something! I even have creepy dreams about them! I am freaked out by that little red light and the shape of those creepy toilets!!!!!

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Thanks a lot disney
by: Anonymous

I am very very scared of automatic toilets I call them autos ugh. It all started at disney world I at a lot of ice cream and it was late and I was tired so I had to go on a huge(I was like 5 it seemed huge to me) black auto with a big dipped bowl and the sensor was a scary red glowing light . My mom thought I was rediculus so I couldn't go in it but I had to so badly... I peed in the sink... Sounds gross but I had to! I completely refused to go on it now I'm 13 and I have to go to the theater with my good friend and her sister and I try not to drink liquids or eat a whole lot so I won't have to go. My mom thinks im over it but it takes a lot of times on one to get me used to them then that disappears and I'm scared again😒oh well wish me luck!but it's ok your NOT alone!!!!! It restricts my ability to go to theme parks with my friends or certain grocery stores!!

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14
by: Anonymous

I'm 14 and this fear for me began when I was 4 because of a dream I had.

I'm a very short skinny person so I dreamed that I would get sucked into the toilet when it was flushing. Though I know that it is not true im still scared of these toilets

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Plugging My Ears
by: Anonymous

I'm 14 and I'm pretty sure my fear started early. I lived in Japan for 5 years and there the toilets are really scary (even for people without this fear). The only early memory I have that may have caused it is imagining that the sensor was a camera when I was 3ish. It's getting better but the problem is that every sensor is different.I only tried covering the sensor once(a circle one). I tried to wrap toilet paper around it and it flushed while I was doing it. I ran out of there. It's driving me insane. Usually I have to plug one ear with one hand and cover my other ear with my shoulder(so I can reach the TP with my hand:) I'm really glad that these comments are here because my family just thinks I'm weird. Definitely glad I'm not the only one out there.

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16 years and counting
by: Anonymous

I'm 16 years old. I've always been afraid of these toilets. At 12 and 13, I even asked my friends to stand in the stall with me. At my school, we have auto toilets that supposedly don't flush, but one time it did for me.

Often, I pee on the floor because I anticipate the flush. I've also peed on my own pants because of the angle I was at to escape the toilet.

I don't even know if I could trust a pantyliner or post-it note. The flush-stopper isn't even available for purchase.

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Auto flush fear
by: Anonymous

I'm 47 years old and still have the auto flush fear. I went to talk to someone professional to help me get over this. It did help but I still struggle. I take a panty liner (as I always have them in my purse) and put it over the sensor. At first I was afraid to trust it so I had my friends go in there first. It will not flush and I feel like I have a piece of my life back. I only issue I still have, the bathroom has to have other people around because being alone with it still scares me too much. As I force myself to use these bathrooms it's get a little easier. Keep taking baby steps like I did to use these bathrooms and it will get easier. It won't happen overnight but it will happen.

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Phobia for 18 years
by: :)

Hey Everyone!!!

It makes me feel better to know that I am not alone. I am have been terrified for 18 years! It started when I was 4 years old. We were at the airport dropping my Nana and my I wanted to be a big girl and use the restroom by myself. My mom had no idea at the time that there was a such thing as an automatic toilet, so when I was all done I stood up it flushed and my mom said I came out screaming. She went to see what I was talking about because all I was saying was toilet flushed toilet flushed and that was the beginning of my phobia.

From then on I never used an automatic toilet; however, we went to Disneyland and it changed. The last time I used an automatic toilet was during 4th grade at Disneyland. My mom made me go and she took me in there. I remember the restrooms like it was yesterday. There were automatic sinks at the very front and there was toilets on each side of the room. I remember just standing there in fear and crying. That day really made my fear worse.

Being almost 22 and having this phobia has made my life difficult. I feel at times I can't be normal because I limit what I drink because I know what my bladder can hold. When I go shopping or even camping I will literally take hours of looking for a toilet to use. I can't use anything automatic except for the doors. I can't use the toilets, sinks, hand dryers, soap dispensers and towel dispensers.

Not a lot of people know about my fear because I am embarrassed but I feel that I have no control. I can't even go into a bathroom that has anything automatic. I am just glad I am not alone and one day I hope to go to therapy to get help.

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ME TOO
by: Remyionna

I'm the same age as you and I have the same problem! Your not alone on that one. I've tried putting stickers on the sensor, but nothing works! When I turned 8, I had my teacher putting her hand over the sensor! How embarrassing! I don't know how to solve this problem though... I've had this fear ever since the first ones came out.

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11 been scared since 5
by: Anonymous

I am 11 years old and have been scared of auto flushers since I was 5 at the airport my mom was using one and it flushed on her I started screaming and my mom told me to shut up. Because it was public and other people herd. I am going to seventh grade and the toilets are normal. But one time I was at the movie theater and had to hold it for two hours because they were the loudest scariest toilets then I had to hold it for a bother hour at Walmart . After like 2 other places 6 hours I felt like I was going to explode my mom forced me to use this discussing normal toilet.

I refuse to use them and my mom thinks its stupid I'm just scared by the time I'm a adult they'll be in houses and normal toilets won't exists. Also I'm going to a open house for the magnet high school I wanna go to and it is a really nice new med high school so I'm really scared it will have auto flushing toilets. I'm so glad that I'm not alone in this phobia :)

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the toleits
by: Anonymous

OMG!!! I'm so afraid of automatic toilets, and just ugly toilets in general. I'm 15 years old and I've been afraid of toilets forever. When I was little I had nightmares that the toilet would flush me When I tell my friends they think I'm crazy most of them just goof around with it but now there in my school! and I have to overcome the fear because there are no non automatic toilets on the 10th grade floor. If anyone knows how to overcome this fear please help, but I'm so glad to see I'm not the only one!!

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what do I do?
by: Anonymous

I'M 21 and I feel like sticky notes and covering it dont work, when ian getting ready to sit i look back the whole time. But when iam dont i back out of the stall, to keep a eye on that toilet. i know iam goin to be a sceared for ever. This it soo stupid, i dont want to be afraid.

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still scared of automatic toliets nd 23!!!
by: Anonymous

Embarrassing to say but OMG it freaks me out! I even hate toilets I have to flush and they are xtra loud. I have to have the door loos,e flush and run to the sink. My best friend thinks my fear is stupid, it feels good to know im not the only one.

My fear came when I was in 2nd grade.We went to a dolphin show. On our way there we had drinks and snacks. So seeing all that water and the splashing made me anxious. I told my teacher I had to go bad. She made me wait a lil longer. I was the 1st to go in. So im using the bathroom the next thing I know I hear the toilets across from start yo flush one after another. I thought my ears were trippin...next thing I know the toilet next me then mine! !! O I barely finished. I jumped up screamed! So scared I climbed under the stall instead of opening the door. I ran to my teacher with tears in my eyes crying that the toilet flushed on me...she made me go back in and come out right. Still today I avoid automatic toilets. I feel like im too old to be afraid but I dnot know how to get over it!!

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14 and still scared
by: Anonymous

I'm fourteen and I've been scared to death of them for as long as I can remember although I don't know what started it. It's gotten to the point where I can't even use any public restrooms without shaking. I want to get hypnotized but I don't know if that will work. And sticky notes won't help enough I'm way too scared even if the sensor is covered. It's super embarrassing if I go to a restroom look at a stall and then see its automatic and I have to leave. My family and most close friends know but they don't understand it's as severe as it is and that I can't even go in a stall with one. I can't avoid them my entire life but there's nothing I can do. Therapy could be expensive and I don't know if my mom would let me do it.

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Toilet flushing automaticly phobias
by: Anonymous

I am 12 and I live in England where luckily there are very
few auto toilets! I remember I was 6 or 7 and I went to
Disney world and we had just arived and we had to pick up
our rental car! I told my mother I needed to use the
bathroom and she took me! When I saw it was an auto toilet
I refused to go! My mother got annoyed at the fuss I was
making as there was only one bathroom and lots of others
waiting. In the end my mum had to put her hand over the
sensor then I went! I don't know what causes this phobia
but I hate it! I use post it notes to cover the sensor now!
My best friends know and my family do too. My boyfriend
knows also! My new senior school has just rebuilt and thank
God there are no auto toilets! You're not alone! Hope this
helps! ???

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18 and still afraid
by: Anynomous

Ever since I was 5 years old I've been terrified of self flushing toilets. It started when I had a birthday party at McDonald's and had to go to the bathroom. When I bent down to pull up my pants the toilet flushed loudly and scared me. I couldn't get out fast enough! To this day, I'm embarrassed to say, I avoid using automatic toilets. I'll hold it for hours just to avoid using them and refuse to go to the bathroom at Walmart, McDonald's, the mall or any other place that has them. I feel embarrassed that I'm 18 and still afraid and only my mom, and my fiancee know. My fiancee thinks teases me about my fear but I can't help it. my childhood experience made me afraid for life. Any ideas to deal with this very real but very embarrassing problem?

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Scared
by: Katie

Well i'm 10 years old and i'm afraid of auto-flushing toilets. I remember back when I was 4 years old I was at Disney Land and I literally waited until we got back to the hotel to pee in a manual flushing toilet. Anyways, a few years back, my mom was driving me to my friend's house and I said "Mom, I really have to go pee badly." So we stopped at the McDonald's and my mom helped me into the big handicap stall w(because they're really big)and was an auto flusher and I was only 6 then. I seemed to have used it fine without no problem. But I just picked up a fear of automatic flushing toilets. I will be entering 6th grade this year and i'm nervous about what type the toilets are going to be. What? 8 hours? Over a silly auto toilet? Yes, if you escort me near one I will go ballistic.

Also last year, at 9 years old, I used a toilet not even knowing it was an automatic flusher and i like to shift on the seat because I am nervous and jumpy. Well it flushed and I ran out of the stall screaming bloody murder (Catching attention to all of the people in the women's room and catching some dirty looks and a few sneers along the way.) I just wanted to run all the way home and jump under my covers in my bed and hide there. I had just made a fool of myself there in public. I just got over my fear of any toilet # 1 and 2. But think again if I will use one in walmart or the airport and such. To this day I was thinking about stuffing some stickies in my purse to cover the sensor. It's embarrassing having my mom come in the stall with me when i'm 10. I should be capable of using any bathroom. Yuck! What if nasty water with wet poop and pee and such spits up all over me? TOILETS THAT ARE AUTO FLUSHERS MUST DIE. Stupid idea, especially for the little ones who are ready to take on the whooshing monster at public restrooms.

I started therapy about a year ago and i've been slowly getting over my fear of auto monsters

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HORRIFIED!!!!
by: Anonymous

Knowing this a disorder makes it even worse. but i'm 11 going into middle school and the toilets there are automatic! OMG one time i was at Disney world i was still 11, my mom didn't know i was afriad, she thought i was just being bratty and didn't want to go because i wouldn't tell her (can't blame her...) and she was trying to make me go so i wouldn't be SOOO miserable. i walked in and said quietly "i can do it! this isn't why i'm so miserable! i mean it!" she still made me go and i thought and thought IT'S JUST A TOILET" but when i heard how loud they were i wouldn't even walk in the stall and i was standing there staring at it and i eventually started screaming! everyone started staring at me and i bet they were all thinking what's wrong with her!? when we walked out of there we all started talking about how ridiculous that was. the fear gets worse every time i see a toilet clog or overflow...

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I'm not alone!!
by: Anonymous

I thought I was the only one afraid of automatic toilets... I'm 12 and I have always had a fear/phobia of public restrooms, due some cartoons I saw when I was younger, a bad experience when I was 6 or 7, and just not trusting them. I will hesitantly use them if they're not automatic, but I'm shaking while doing so. Also, We're traveling this coming weekend, and I'm almost positive I'll have to use one! I thought the sticky note thing was a good idea, or using toilet paper to cover the sencor.

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23 and afraid
by: Anne Jolena

Its gotten progressively worse so much so that I am now entirely afraid of public restrooms. The noise of the flush itself scares me. I was even reduced to peeing in a trash can at one point.

The only way I can use a toilet is if I know I am not alone in the restroom. Only in rare instances are there restrooms that I can use, the conditions have to be there:

*Location right in the midst of a busy area
*Lots of lighting
*Big giant handicap stall so I can move away and pull up my pants.
*Handicap stall has to be the closest to the exit.

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scared!
by: Anonymous

I was EXTREMELY always scared of going to the bathroom in public up until last year. i am 14 but im not as scared anymore. Most of the time i STILL bring my little sister into the bathroom with me. i now put toilet paper over the sencor, but if theres no way i can cover it, i refuse to go. I dont know what it qas, but when i was little like 3, i had a horrifying experience, and years after that, i was peeing myself everytime i knew i had to go in public. My parents didnt know what was robg with me. once i actualaly was in the bathroom so long and scared that my friends mom came in and i was crying so she came in with me. this was when i was 11. SOO embarassing!

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I'm screwed!!!!!
by: Anonymous

Ever sense I was in first grade I had a terrible fear of automatic toilets. And now I'm fourteen and still afraid. I've gotten a little better. I can use toilets in public if there not automatic and there is nobody else using the bathroom. I'm screwed because I'm going on a trip to D.C and new York. I have never been on the east coast and I'm terrified if I have to go to the bathroom and it's a automatic toilet. I heard that you can use sticky notes but I'm terrified to even go near a automatic toilet. I'm just going to try to desensitize myself so I can at least get near a automatic toilet. Crap!!!!!!!!!!!!

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19 and still sceared
by: Anonymous

my mom and sister knows that iam scared but they dont understand how freaked out i am....when i tell them i cant use the bathroom is certain place my mom will just say get over it, iam like ma i cant do it because you tell me to, there is some psychology wrong with my brain.

One time I was in borders and they have automatic toilets and I have to pee so bad, and I just peeed on the floor. Sadly that how freaked out iam.

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in college 18 and still scared
by: Anonymous

my college dorm has automatic toilets and i have to climb up and down 3 flights of stairs to the basement to use the toilet to avoid the automatic ones

ever since i was little ive feared going to new places because i didnt know what types of toilets there are going to be

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still afraid
by: Anonymous

I'm fourteen and haven't been able to use an auto-flush toilet in 3 years. Soooo scary!

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Seventeen and frightened!
by: Anonymous

I'm seventeen years old and I'm still terrified of automatic toilets. :c

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Automatic toilets
by: Bobbi

i am still afraid of them and its gotten out of hand. one time i had 2 pee and i help it in for 13 hrs. i had to go so bad! i almost peed myself. i need help. im scared of auto toilets. its embarrassing.

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Saved by Sticky Notes
by: Nancy

Carry a pad of sticky notes in your purse, and let your child put one over the sensor before sitting down. This "puts the potty to sleep" as we say in our house. Then, when your child is ready, he or she can take it off (or you can) and tell the toilet to flush. Putting your child in charge of the toilet flush makes a big difference- takes the surprise out of it!

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Self flushing toilet
by: Bobbi

Hi I'm Bobbi and I'm 11. Sad to say, when I was potty training, I was so afraid of toilets, that I would scream and cry for hours. Sadly, I am still afraid of automatic toilets. There so scary! I will tell my mom that I need to use the bathroom and I will go into a restaurants restroom and see that there is a automatic toilet and not go and say that I did. I will hold it for hours. My mom sorta knows about my problem but I'm to embarrassed to tell her and my family. What do I do? someone please help me!

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I read some GOOD suggestions.
by: Gates

My daughter is ten and she is the same way. Especially automatic toilets. She has gotten better because now she will use a public toilet as long as it is not automatic. When she was potty training it was a nightmare because she was scared of the toilet at home. She said it startles her and the noise hurts her ears. She is also high-functioning autistic.

The suggestions I read about were if you hold a object over the sensory part of the automatic toilet so it won't go off when your child uses the bathroom.

Another was to count to three and flush the toilet and either put your hands over your ears or make a loud humming noise. Also you could sing a song real loud while you are flushing the toilet. Headphones could work too if possible.

Those were all I could remember. I hope these suggestions will help.

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MABEY
by: Anonymous

CHEERIOS GAME IN RESTROOM,FEAR OF TOILETS MY SON HAD,IT TOOK YEARS TO OVERCOME,HIS WAS HE WAS AFRAID SOMETHING WAS COMING OUT OF THE TOILET.TRY SEEING HOW FAR AWAY YOU NEED TO BE TO GET CHERRIOS TO FLUSH WHEN YOUR IN A PUBLIC RESTROOM ,MAKE IT A GAME GOOD LUCK ,I JUST WAS TRYING TO THINK OF SOMETHING WHILE YOU FIGURE IT OUT,YOU WILL ,IT IS JUST TIME ,JUST A MOM GOOD LUCK

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😬
by: M.K

I'm really scared of automatic flushing toilets like the ones in public restrooms and they have one at my school and I'm really scared to go to school and I have to cover the symptoms 12 so usually when it flashes ice cream I'm already 10 and I don't know what to do. Any Suggestions

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dont like
by: Anonymous

i am still wary of them at 13. my first experience with one was when i was 3 at my nursery school. when i approached it, i knew something was up, because it looked different than all the others i have seen. so i was sitting, and i dent over to get toilet paper, then when it emitted a high pitched squeal/whine, my eyes got huge and when it flushed about 1 second later, i shrieked. since then, mum put post its on it,and in k-7, i put them on myself.

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Hi
by: Anonymous

One time I was on a plane and I flushed the toilet, but I freaked out because I couldn't get out and it was so loud, and I hate loud toilets.

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HOPE YOU GET BETTER
by: Kind of over it

I had the fear since as long as I can remember, but I learned to bring head phones in the bathroom, I usually cover my ears though, I still get scared if I'm not really paying attention, it's the strangest thing because it's JUST the noise. IDK.
°\(><)/°

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I got over my fear but only partially...
by: 18 year old girl

I have been scared of automatic flushing toilets ever since I was 12; at Singapore airport it flushed on me while I was peeing. I think those were the uneconomical ones which flush every 5 mins regardless tho, so maybe I came in before the end of a 5 min cycle and it flushed. I can't imagine how someone could do a dump though in those every-5-min-flush toilets.

Anyways at the Thai airways lounge in Bangkok the toilets are automatic (well at least in 2013), I locked myself in a cubicle and tried to do it but I only stood, worried. I closed the lid and kind of test sat down and my back was so close to the wall and it FLUSHED (the lid was on but that meant the toilet = unsuitable since it's so close to the wall which has the sensor so my back triggers it) so the toilet failed my test! I just got out of there and held it in instead... The problem is that my flight was in the evening and we had come there in the morning, there was 5 hours left... When I could no longer bear it (2 hours before flight) I walked out of the lounge and I saw airport toilets - THANK GOD they were non-auto and clean! argh I should've ventured out earlier.

Relieved of my bladder, I strolled around VERY HAPPY lol. At auckland airport, when I arrive from flights, I NEVER use their toilets since they're ALL auto. In 2012 there was ONE non-auto at the back of the airport, but now even that's upgraded. So I just wait until the 30 min journey home and then go, not a problem.

Okay fast forward to 2016: at my local mall there are auto toilets but they're different but I never realised that before. As a result I would go after school at my school before walking over to the mall/hold it in until I got home/use the library toilet. The library toilet is unisex and is always DISGUSTING because of the boys that use it. I can't afford to always throw away my shoes, and woe betide slipping, or wearing open-toed shoes like jandals! I would use the cinema toilets but the staff got mad when I did it for the 10th time (she chatted to her co-worker saying "why is that girl always using our toilets, she's not a customer"), making me feel embarrassed so I went back to library toilets.

One day I could no longer bear the messiness so I went to the clean auto toilets. Turns out the "auto" button isn't really auto, you literally have to touch it so it flushes and your back can't touch it. These toilets don't have lids and they have an EXTREMELY loud flush, but i only get slightly jumpy. I have my backpack off the hook and onto my back, I open the stall door and THEN tap the auto button and quickly turn away and run out coz I don't want micro germs to be sprayed in the air to my face! But these toilets aren't sensitive to touch so I'm not scared. It was the library that drove me crazy. Screw unisex toilets, guys are pigs. I still am scared of the airport and lounge ones.

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Suck it up
by: Anonymous Boy

I am a 14 nearly 15 year old boy, and I am better than all of you wimps. Sorry, but the best way to get over this fear is to suck it up and JUST DO IT!!! I had this fear since I messed my pants in the 2nd grade, and only recovered a few years ago. I was able to do this by making myself only use the automatic toilets if given an option. Again, sorry, but this is the absolute BEST way to get over this phobia.

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This fear is getting annoying :(
by: Anonymous

My fear extends to toilet bowls as well!! Apparently my mom saw me climbing onto a toilet bowl in daycare when I was 2 and she can't remember what happened after that, but apparently I must've fallen in because I am absolutely terrified of toilet bowls, ESPECIALLY those stupid self-flush toilets! Looking at pictures of them makes me feel freaked out. I've gone through the most extreme measures just to stop the stupid thing from flushing — I didn't lock the door and practically pressed my shoulder against the sensor. My heart was beating so loud and I literally flew out of the door once I was done. It started getting better when I went to Europe last year. So glad I am not alone in this fear :))

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I hate these things..
by: Poohfan1

I really hate these toilets. They are loud and scary. One time when I was nine I went to sit down on one in Lowe's in Alton, IL and before I was done it flushed. LOUDLY!! Ever since then I have been scared of these things.The ones that I hate most are Kohler Highcrest and American Standard Madera. I have to go in every public restroom with my ears covered. A lot of people stare at me like I am retarded. I really hate the ones that are in the wall because of the red light thing. Those scare me the most. I am 15 now and still dealing with it. And the Teletubbies? Wasps? Super powered hand dryers? DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED!!!!

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