Incontinence and how it impacts mental health can be a challenge. For too long both incontinence and mental health have not had the open and transparent discussion they deserve.

Experts highlight that stigma and shame thrive in silence and solitude, which is why coming together as a community is so vital. No one should feel alone as they manage their incontinence and its impact on their mental health.

When it comes to managing challenges in our lives, psychologists have found that significant strength and relief can be found in being supported by trusted friends [1]. Sadly for many, incontinence has been treated as a condition where discussion hasn’t been open.

Experts have found that this reinforces stigma and feeling different, which can lead to people isolating themselves. With isolation and feeling different, many have felt their shame surrounding incontinence increase, worsening their mental health.

A further issue is that with stigma, shame, and retreating into isolation [2], people are cut off from friends, routines and independence that are core elements of a positive mindset. In fact, a recent annual survey we did here at ConfidenceClub found that 81% of people said incontinence negatively affected their social life.

Incontinence and its impact on mental health can happen slowly. Pulling back from social activities because of worries about leakage and shame can mean that many people gradually are cut off from boosts of serotonin, from socialising and doing activities they love [3].

This can lead to a deteriorating mental health, of increased levels of anxiety, depression, confusion and loneliness [4]. However, there are tangible and mental approaches that can be used by anyone to manage incontinence and mental health.

It is helpful to remember you are not alone. Reach out and invest in a ‘village’ around you that wants to understand and manage incontinence together, whether in online or in-person communities. Banding together as a community can have a powerfully supportive effect in moments of worry and shame around incontinence [5].

Be encouraged and confident in talking to friends and loved ones about incontinence. Through having open discussion, psychologists highlight that stigma and shame don’t have the ‘oxygen’ they need to survive.

Use resources like ConfidenceClub, share articles like this one if you find it difficult to speak about it directly. Share and invite your friends and family into the journey of managing incontinence so you don’t feel alone. They can then be a part of the conversation about where you would feel comfortable meeting, the steps you’d like to take in getting back into your full social life.

Meet up with friends. Go to the events you love. Be a part of the groups that bring you joy.
It may be uncomfortable initially but the benefits and kindness of friends and even strangers has long surprised experts when it comes to bolstering mental health [6]. Experts highlight that having a vibrant social life can powerfully help lift a person’s mood, even if they are dealing with an ongoing medical condition.

Having a village around you, and being active, can significantly support a person, with positive chemicals in the brain being released, like serotonin and dopamine, that have numerous benefits to the body and mind.

Additionally, having products at your disposal that you can easily use and trust has meant the world to many people. Being equipped with products that can easily manage incontinence, prevent leaking, reliably and discretely, has re-opened the world for many. Gone can be the worry about checking for leaks.
The right products can mean confidence and calm going out into the day.

Create the space for your loved one or client to openly discuss incontinence, how it makes them feel, any worries and fears they have over it. Calmly and directly facilitate the sharing of their concerns and make a plan. When people feel heard, understood and are able to open up about their fears, experts say there is a great sense of relief and an element of control that is given back to the person.

They are able to voice their concerns, they are heard, and a plan can be made to equip them to live their fullest life.

A vibrant social life, independence to leave the house and the ability to have a routine and freedom can be instrumental in supporting a healthy and a happy mental health landscape.

Having a set of resources ready can help those who may be struggling with incontinence and their mental health. Having an idea, or even a tangibly written down plan to assist can go a long way to providing a sense of support and control.

It is highly recommended that if people are finding it difficult to manage incontinence and its impact on their mental health, they should visit their local doctor. Medical experts encourage seeing mental health as a justified and valid reason to visit the doctor [7].

Lifeline in Australia is an anonymous resource that anyone can use. Calling up at any time of day or night, there are people to kindly, patiently and gently talk through challenges people may be going through.

The Black Dog Institute is also another resource that can be used anonymously to talk to trained personnel.

Having the right products to easily go about your day with confidence and ease is what everyone deserves. That is exactly ConfidenceClub’s mission, to provide excellence in reliability, technology and discretion for those that may need to manage incontinence.

Everyone with incontinence has the right to products that will elevate their confidence to live a full life.

Our large range of products has supported many to enjoy all the activities and friends they’ve always loved, without anything niggling at the back of their minds. With state-of-the art absorption technology and design to prevent leaking, there is something for every level of incontinence.