Hey, paranoid. I'm glad this site is helping you. It was such a relief to me, too, when I found out I wasn't alone in having paruresis and parcopresis.

This is my first post here, but I feel I have to say this because I am at a university, so I can answer your question.

This year, I live in an apartment-style dorm with private bathrooms that 6 guys (my suitemates) use. It's not the best situation for me, but last year I lived in a smaller dorm with community bathrooms! I always wonder how I ever made it in that place.

Last year, what usually happen was while my roommate was out of the room, I would feel safe enough and the urge to go #1 or #2 would arise. I would then semi-rush to the bathroom before I lost the urge, and go if there was no one in there (which surprisingly happened a lot). If there WAS someone in the bathroom, I would just go in a stall and wait until they left.

This year, I have to do basically the same thing, because I can usually hear people in the living room, and I usually can't get the urge to go unless my roommate is not in the room with me. It sucks sometimes, but you will make it, as I have. None of this has really helped me get over paruresis or parcopresis, but I can generally deal with it.

Also, I stay up later than everyone in the suite, and that helps too.

I hope you find this reply useful! I'm glad you're not letting the fear prevent you from going to college! That's a step towards recovery, if you ask me! Good luck!!