# why does running water make you want to pee

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-running-water-make-you-want-to-pee/52850>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 2, 2001, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-running-water-make-you-want-to-pee/52850 "2001-02-02T12:07:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Friday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dec6dc/32.png) [@Friday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Friday)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-running-water-make-you-want-to-pee/52850/1 "2001-02-02T12:07:53Z")

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Why does running water make you want to pee or does it really? If it does, is it physical or psychological? It must be psychological because you supposedly outgrow this urge. I remember turning on the faucet while trying to get my kids to pee during potty training days, and being able to resist somewhat.

Also, does just thinking about things like Niagra Falls, Victoria Falls, showers running, toilets flushi… oops gotta go.

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**Author:** ![mongrel\_8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@mongrel\_8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mongrel_8)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-running-water-make-you-want-to-pee/52850/2 "2001-02-02T23:12:34Z")

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I would have to say that it is definately phycological. But as to why putting your hand in warm water makes you want to go pee, I am stumped.

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**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-running-water-make-you-want-to-pee/52850/3 "2001-02-02T23:30:38Z")

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A lot of psychological factors make you want to urinate. Running water is just one of them. After I was woken up by the Northridge Earthquake in 1994, I think I peed about 10-15 times over the next 4 hours.

You can talk about needing to pee, I will likely have to go pee.

Excuse me now. I have to …

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**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2001, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-running-water-make-you-want-to-pee/52850/4 "2001-02-03T01:47:16Z")

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Sympathetic magic. Almost as basic as the Laws of Contagion.

I thought everyone knew that…