TikTok users have been speaking about needing to poo whenever they are in a bookshop or, as it is known to some, ābook bowelsā. According to users, the sudden urge to poo happens to them as soon as they walk into bookshops or libraries and while this isnāt a defined syndrome, itās also something that people have described experiencing for decades!
The Mariko Aoki Phenomenon
So, way back in 1985, an otherwise unknown writer called Mariko Aoki wrote an essay for Hon no Zasshi (book magazine) about her realisation that walking around a bookshop inevitably made her need to go to the toilet. Strange as this story may seem, the editors received reports from other readers who had experienced the exact same sensation and it was eventually named āThe Mariko Aoki Phenomenonā. While we personally wouldnāt be thrilled to be named after a toilet habit, itās pretty incredible that this essay led to a collective acknowledgement of such a strange condition.
So, What Causes This?
Speaking to Menās Health magazine, Dr. Sameer Islam, MD, a Texas-based gastroenterologist and professor of medicine at Texas Tech university said, āItās a purely psychological problem. Now, the people who experience this arenāt crazy or nuts. Thereās a real connection between the gut and the braināitās called the gut-brain axis. What we feel mentally will affect our bowels. Thatās why when youāre nervous, like taking a test or giving a public speech, you have butterflies in your stomach. Itās the nervousness you feel that corresponds to the butterfly feeling in your gut. For others, that nervousness will cause diarrhoea and bowel issues to occur. Itās a common manifestation of conditions like irritable bowel syndrome.ā
He also added that this can be experienced in parks and museums as the wealth of information you receive in museums and the peace you feel in gardens can trigger an automatic response in your gut.
Of course, many public places have limited access to public toilets and if you are aware of not being near a toilet, you may cause increased sensitivity in your bowels leading to needing to go!
Finally, Dr Islam didnāt completely poo-poo the idea that your posture in bookshops can also get your bowels moving. Squatting, crouching, stooping - all of these can be similar to your positions on the toilet and can indicate to your body that you need to empty your bowels.