Phobia Of Public Restrooms - How To Overcome Bladder Shyness, Toilet Phobia Cure br br . Shy bladder syndrome, or parauresis, simply refers to the inability - or reduced ability - to urinate in public, in the company of others. In milder cases, a man might have trouble using a public urinal in a busy venue - such as a sports arena - while in more severe cases, men might be so limited that social events and even long plane rides are out of the question.