5 yr old scared of bath and potty

My 5 yr old is a very sweet, shy, loving little boy. He is scared to go poop in the bathroom by himself. He used to be scared to go pee but after a year he's finally doing that on his own. He will cry in the hallway and if I don't come he'll go in his pants. He tells me spiders are going to crawl up the toilet and get him. I have no idea where this thought came from, he told me his brain told him. Now he's more scared of baths then ever. He used to be just scared of bubbles. Because he couldn't see the bottom, now to even get him in the bath, or shower, I need to stand in with him and give him a quick scrub while he screams the whole time. He tells me aligators are going to get him in the tub. I don't know what to do. We've tried talking to him about it but it doesn't seem to matter.

[jdtm]

This is anxiety but I really do not see an anxiety disorder.  I would hope that you treat his fears with patience and firmness but do not give in to them.  Expecting him to "do" rather than whine or complain might be a suggestion.  I believe there is a song titled "A little less talk and a lot more action" might be the mantra to follow.  If you google the phrase "anxiety and children" or "how to deal with anxiety in children" or "help for children with anxiety" or similar words/phrases, you might be able to find out more information on the internet.  There are also tons and tons of books in bookstores and libraries on this topic.  I wish you the best ....