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Kidney & Urinary HealthLiving with Chronic IllnessMental Health

Tips for living with overactive bladder (OAB)

OAB can hurt your social life, mental health and more. Here's how to cope.

Jan 18, 2026
Home page>Urology>Overactive Bladder Syndrome>Tips for living with overactive bladder (OAB)
Written byKristen Sturt
Medically reviewedbyJoanne Perron, MDin November 2023
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If you have to urinate frequently and without enough warning, there's a chance you may have overactive bladder (OAB). While it's not necessarily a serious health problem, the anxiety, embarrassment and practical obstacles caused by OAB can be detrimental to your relationships, social life, day-to-day work environment—even your mental health.

Here's how OAB can affect six crucial areas of your life, plus tips on how to cope, manage and live boldly.

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