It might also have to do with how long someone tends to take. I tend to have a pretty slow metabolism and only need to defecate a couple times a week (to preempt any armchair diagnoses from people who think this is weirdly infrequent, every doctor I've had has always said this isn't a huge deal), so when I do, it tends to be in larger amounts. I've also found that it's better for me to take it slow and not strain as much, so sometimes I end up being on the toilet for more than just a couple minutes, which means that having something to do is nice.

That said, I do also have ADHD, so maybe people who are "longer and slower" toiler-sitters like me without ADHD might be fine without a distraction.

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bitmasher9 2 hours ago | parent [-]

The healthy range of frequency is roughly 3/day-0.3/day.

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throwup238 an hour ago | parent | next [-]

And depending on the person it can also change depending on diet and mixing microbiomes. Back when I lived with roommates my frequency changed based on who I lived with to some extent, matching closer to their frequency without changing diet (since I was weight training my diet was controlled and I didn’t eat their food).

Now living permanently with a spouse it has settled on a higher frequency than I remember before moving out on my own. Weird stuff.

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saghm an hour ago | parent [-]

That's wild, my frequency has remained pretty consistent through my life, although I did have a couple years where somehow one of the days each week I'd do it would always be Monday, and I never had any explanation for why that was the case.

	▲	justsomehnguy an hour ago \| parent [-]
		Not really a constipation but if out of nowhere I notice what I didn't #2 in a while what means I have a quite severe cold incoming - but yet without symptoms. > one of the days each week I'd do it would always be Monday, and I never had any explanation for why that was the case. Social functions, a specific food or beverages (Friday drinking night? Not to the Monday though...) on some days, travel for some.

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saghm an hour ago | parent | prev [-]

Sounds like I'm still in the range then! Interesting that it varies so much. I've heard some people say (or I guess imply) that they do it daily, and it's so different from my experience that I've always wondered which way is more "normal". I guess both are!

	▲	rrgok 29 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		you are full of shit /s