Recent commercials by satellite television provider DirecTV have faced harsh criticism from one advocacy group claiming the ad depicts suffers of a serious condition in a negative way.
The ad in question features Rob Lowe and a self-described socially awkward version of himself with a variety of problems, including not being able to go to the bathroom in front of other people. Lowe tells consumers not to be a loser like his alter ego and to use DirecTV.
Members of the International Paruresis Association, an advocacy group that aims to educate and offer support to those who suffer from shy bladder syndrome, have taken issue with the ad and called on DirecTV to remove it.
“Our beef with it is that its making fun of people who have this disorder and is implying that we don’t have a life and that our status in society is like that of second rate citizens,” said Dr. Steven Soifer, nominal CEO and co-founder of the association and professor and chair in the department of social work at the University of Memphis.
DirecTV has responded with a statement from spokesperson Darris Gringeri, saying the ads have been well received by most viewers and they do not intend to remove them.
Lowe also responded on Twitter, calling his bladder “gregarious” and said that some people need to “lighten-up.”
Soifer acknowledges that there are some funny skits that are considered classics in the paruresis community, including one from Stephen Colbert and the opening parody commercial for the 35th season of Saturday Night Live, but the DirecTV ad was not done in the same tasteful manner.
“There are some funny things out there about shy bladder,” Soifer said. “What happened with this ad is that it went beyond the pale.”
Paruresis is a social anxiety disorder that renders the sufferer unable to urinate when others are around. There are roughly 20 million people in the United States and approximately 220 million people with the disorder worldwide, Soifer said.
“The problem with paruresis is it has a physiological component,” explained Soifer. “The bladder muscles lock up so people just really physically can’t go, but it’s not a physical problem per se.”
Soifer described paruresis as a spectrum disorder, meaning that it can vary in severity from person to person. Some suffers only have occasional issues in extremely crowded locations, like ballparks. Others have trouble urinating at home with their family there.
There is no “magic pill,” but Soifer said some medications that help with anxiety can be helpful with this disorder as well.
The disorder is best treated with cognitive behavioral therapy, Soifer said, through a method called gradual exposure.
“It’s a technique that’s used over and over again for people who suffer phobias,” he said. “You just gradually introduce the person to the feared situation.”
Soifer treats individuals and he and other members of his organization hold weekend workshops across the globe to help those that suffer from paruresis. The organization’s website also offers a forum where people can give support to each other and get advice.
