| Bottom Talk 2006-03-30, 4:21 pm |
| grapheme <grapheme@schwaspam.com> wrote:
>x-no-archive: yes
>"preesi" <preesi@cumcast.net> wrote in message=20
>news:TQDCH4FY38804.5270949074@reece.net.au...
n[color=darkred]
ck[color=darkred]
ed[color=darkred]
>
>Why use Preesi's name, Foxglove? If you need advice, just take a stool=20
>softener.
Is there a particular one that you use and would recommend, kkkathy?
Don't be shy, share it with us. Here's a little something to help you if
you're too embarassed:
The Last Social Taboo
Written by Psychologist Dr. Donna Dawson, UK
Constipation is a familiar condition for most of us at some time in our
lives: in fact, recent Dulcolax research revealed that one in seven people
suffer from constipation at some stage. Despite being a relatively common
complaint, constipation is probably the last, great social taboo - if it is=
discussed in public at all, it is done in either hushed, confidential
tones, or through a "joke", so as to avoid embarrassment.
So, why is constipation, and talking or dealing with it, still considered
embarrassing?
The Good Old Days
Much of our psychological repression of =91the natural=92 can be traced ba=
ck
to the Victorian era, where talk of sex and bodily functions associated
with =91sexualised=92 body parts, was heartily discouraged and disapproved =
of.
Certainly there was no such embarrassment in early Roman Britain, where
public toilets featured a stick with a sponge attached to its end, left
soaking in a bucket of brine, the equivalent of today's toilet paper!
Toilet Humour
However, times change, and we are now at the stage where the thing that is=
considered =91forbidden=92 or =92taboo=92 (such as bottom talk), has a stra=
nge,
perverse attraction - and the best way to deal with it is through humour.
This process begins at school, probably the first occasion where we are
forced to share toilets with others - and =91humour=92 begins to play a ver=
y
important role in overcoming any embarrassment. Also, school is where we
experience an enforced =91group repression=92 regarding vulgar language,
especially in regards to bodily functions. It is where words like =92poo=92=
and
=92bottoms=92 take on a new excitement, as using them is frowned upon by
adults. Hence, today's fascination with bottoms, and the amusement with
anything bottom-related, and the associated =91dirty=92 jokes!
Men and Their Bottoms
Our bottoms can embarrass us by both sound and smell, and remind us of our=
humbler animal origins. They are not really under our control, being part
of the involuntary nervous system. One way to avoid embarrassment, to
distance ourselves, and to gain some control over the uncontrollable, is to=
use humour again. Men are more adept at using humour to deal with bottom
issues than women: this may be because it has always been more socially
acceptable for men to express their earthier side, especially in a group.
Where men are the more dominant sex in a society, they can acknowledge
their bodily functions without fear of social disapproval or displacement
and even compete with other men - hence, the development of toilet humour!
Women and Their Bottoms
For women, society (especially that of the Victorians) generally expects a=
more constrained and =91ladylike=92 behaviour. This is why, even today, pas=
sing
gas or =91farting=92 in public is excruciatingly embarrassing for women, wh=
ile
most men find their own gas/farting highly amusing! What saves women from
complete neurosis over bowel activity is a better understanding of their
bodies and their health (women's biology, such as menstrual cycles and
child-bearing, ensures this).
Bodily Reactions
Also, (although less so today) there have always been social differences:
the further down the social ladder you were, the less you had to lose by
any social impropriety associated with bowels and bottoms. Since women are
socialised to be more aware of disapproval from others, they tend to
experience more outward signs of embarrassment over issues deemed
=92embarrassing=92 or =91taboo=92, such as constipation, than men. They rea=
ct more
than men by blushing, looking at the floor, touching their body, face or
hair, or walking away. Men tend to use humour more, or to stay silent.
Constipation and Work
When it comes to constipation, the Dulcolax survey revealed that men may
be hiding a deeper insecurity about their bowel habits: men's work
performance is affected twice as much by constipation as women's work
performance, and they avoid the workplace toilet more than women. Men may
joke about such things publicly, but when it affects them directly, they
tend to suffer in silence! It may be the schoolboy pressure to be humorous
that prevents men from truly understanding their bowels and any associated
problems.
Personality and Constipation
The connection between personality and constipation is interesting. Most
of the specialised neurotransmitter chemicals that the brain uses to
transmit information are also produced in the gastro-intestinal tract.
Serotonin is an important transmitter, and is of particular importance in
depression and migraine headaches. Ten times as much serotonin is produced
in the gut as is produced in the brain, and so it is easy to see how a
change in levels of transmitters in the gut can affect the functioning of
the brain! It has often been observed that chronically constipated
individuals tend to be nervous, irritable, rigid, and hard to get along
with. Conversely, people with good bowel function tend to be congenial,
relaxed, and more at ease with themselves.
Relieving Constipation
Whilst diet and lifestyle should not be assumed to be the major
responsible cause of constipation, it is advisable to remain healthy
overall by eating a balanced diet (fresh vegetables, fruit and cereals),
drink enough water (at least eight glasses a day) and take regular exercise=
(e.g. walking). To help avoid symptoms of constipation, you should always
act on any urge to move your bowels. It also helps to set aside time after
breakfast or dinner for undisturbed visits to the toilet. A proven, safe
and effective laxative, Dulcolax, can be taken as a firstline treatment to
help restart your natural rhythm.
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