In the northwestern Australian state of Queensland, authorities are concerned about the well-being of their workers. In the broadest and most complex sense of the term. So instead of focusing on preventing stress, neck and vision problems that can arise during the workday, or accidents that can occur while driving, their latest campaign focuses on a much less discussed but equally relevant issue: no defecation complexes in the office. Their slogan resonates: “It’s OK to shit at work.”

It is too early to know whether the initiative will help relax the sphincters of workers in Queensland state, but for now it can boast of unexpected visibility inside and outside Australia.

“Do you poop at work?” I know it’s not a very common question, but that’s what the Queensland Health Department in Australia asked its approximately 146,000 followers on Instagram a few days ago. It did something similar on its Facebook account, where it has over 940,000 followers.

As if the question itself wasn’t intriguing enough, it was accompanied by a psychedelic video featuring dolphins, unicorns, rainbows, and a catchy slogan: “Pooping at work is not a problem” (“Pooping at work is OK”), a message was posted featuring a smiling poop emoticon.

What about this question? Simple. To break taboos. And help the population, not the small population that has difficulty urinating in public toilets where they spend most of the day, or in the office, shop or warehouse. The Queensland state health department says: “Many people have trouble pooping in public toilets, but we’re here to tell you that it’s OK to poo at work!” The subject may be a bit uncomfortable, but it’s not trivial.

The ministry warns that “continuously ignoring” your body and holding back the urge to defecate can lead to serious health consequences, such as stool retention that becomes hard and dry, or hemorrhoids, among other “serious problems.” “It is better to let them out without holding them back,” it advises.

Beware of paropresisWith their campaign, Queensland authorities, which has a population of more than five million, not only want to raise awareness and break taboos, but also to make visible a less well-known condition: parcopresis, or “shy bowel syndrome”, which is when you have difficulty defecating in a different environment than normal, including offices or restaurants.

In an article published in the journal in 2019 Australian Journal of General Practice It has been suggested that the problem may be more common than thought. Its authors acknowledged that there were no census records of parcopresis, but recalled that it was often associated with paruresis, the “shy bladder syndrome,” which has a prevalence of between 2.8% and 16.4%.

Studies also show that around two in five people suffer from gut-brain disorder, which includes conditions like irritable bowel syndrome or functional constipation.

Purpose: to make your job easierWith its open question and video of dolphins and unicorns, Queensland aims to bring more visibility to parcopresis and share the ordeal that visiting a public toilet entails for people who suffer from it. “They have a fear of being judged by others because of the sounds or smells of their stool. As a result, they may experience symptoms such as increased heart rate, sweating or nausea,” she explains.

If this is work we’re talking about, explains clinical psychologist Simon Robert Knowles, Guard This anxiety is exacerbated by the fear that a partner is nearby. “Some people go to extremes, such as not going to the bathroom at work at all, or leaving work and going somewhere else, such as a shopping mall or somewhere with access to a bathroom,” he adds. There are extreme cases where the affected person uses medication to avoid going to the bathroom.

So how to avoid this? Talking about the problem is good. Offering advice on how to deal with it is better. And that’s what Queensland health officials have done with a series of recommendations that have provoked a wave of comments as intense as, if not more intense than, the music video featuring dolphins, rainbows and unicorns.

Why? In addition to recommending using scented sprays, avoiding foods and drinks that could make you sick, or doing meditation exercises to relax on the toilet, the health department also leaves its own specific guideline: “Remember that everyone poops. Picture a celebrity in the bathroom. Like Taylor Swift.”

Of course, it didn’t take long for the ironic comments to come: “Did the government just sneak an image of Taylor Swift pooping into my brain?” If none of these rules work, the body suggests going to the doctor.

Images by Jas Min (Unsplash) and Queensland Health (Instagram)

At Xataka we already know how much we Spanish masturbate at work (and more importantly: which communities are winning)