new here...showering question

Hi Ian
I too have this problem, as many others have stated.
I could easily go over a week or more without a good shower/clean - instead I choose to drown myself in deo and body spray.
I get to a stage where I think "What's the point anyway? Will anyone really notice I haven't washed? Will it make front page news?"
Sometimes I skip a washes because I've lots to do. Other times it's because I'm depressed and find it hard enough to clamber out of bed, let alone have a shower.
I do feel slightly ashamed and dirty once the manic/depressed episode is by because my cleanliness has drastically slipped; but I've learned now that it isn't my fault that I sometimes struggle to function, like everyone else on here

S x

Same here. I usually shower once or twice a week because of church, but last week I went 5 days without. Showering is such a bother. I always feel better after a shower, but getting in is the hardest part. On the upside of not showering every day or other day, I have long dark brown hair, and my scalp is used to not being washed everyday so it produces less oil, and my hair doesn't look very greasy at all. After the 4th day it starts to look worse, but still nothing that a ponytail won't hide

Oh the effort it requires.... Ugh! And if I'm "UP", then it's a bother because it slows me down. I hate it! If I lived alone, I'd shower even less often.

Hi Mindykay

I've long hair too and thankfully it's quite bushy and dry normally, so doesn't go too greasy easily either. I love the invention of dry shampoo btw! Ditto, a ponytail or bun after a few days unwashed and you're cooking with gas

S x

When I'm depressed I have the same issues, I will be sitting there trying to remember the last time I showered only to realize its been days and days. I have the same problem with everything with taking care of myself, whether it is laundry and its easier just to go buy new clothes because I don't want to take the time to turn on the washer. Or maybe where I have had to wash a load of clothes 4-5 times because I didn't bother moving them to the drier until they started to smell bad. The one plus for me is I shave my hair very short and throw on a ball cap so the hair isn't a give away for me.

I honestly shower maybe 2-3 times a week. I never really connected it with bipolar, but it makes sense. If it wasn't for the fact that I don't smell, and my hair grows very slowly, I would probably bathe frequently.

Hi Lyric.
I too have this problem. I've had this problem my entire life. I can easily go a week without showering, and 3 or 4 days without changing clothes if I'm not going anywhere special. In fact, I lost my last boyfriend in large part because of these things.
I, like most everyone else, can't be bothered with it, and in fact there is a sense of dread at the thought of having to get a shower.
I feel ashamed, yet unable to change.

Lyric,
Hi! I TOTALLY relate. When I am depressed, I have a hard time showering... a lack of energy/motivation thing for me. I always shower before having to go somewhere public even when depressed (am great at faking to the world that I am ok)... except when going to the pdoc and counselor because they know what's going on with me and my BP and I always try to show them my real mood state no matter what to help them help me more.

Funny thing... I was at the counselor today (depressed and unshowered...haha) and she said that she can ALWAYS *see* her BP patients' mood state by their appearance. She said it's almost a telltale sign of BP for her... hypo/manic state patients are always dressed fairly well for them and depressed ones are always less kept than their usual.

Koshka69 wrote:Funny thing... I was at the counselor today (depressed and unshowered...haha) and she said that she can ALWAYS *see* her BP patients' mood state by their appearance. She said it's almost a telltale sign of BP for her... hypo/manic state patients are always dressed fairly well for them and depressed ones are always less kept than their usual.

I'm sure my mood state could be seen as well by my appearance. I remember back in depressive episodes, I walked around with a huge gray ripped up guy's sweatshirt with slippers on, dirty hair, no make-up.. I showed up outside like that and to my therapists office. Hypomanic I wear bright colours, tight shirts, high heels, bright stockings.. haha. In my normal state, I just dress like a normal person, attractive and clean, but not attention-grabbing.

But to the topic of showering, yes, when depressed I find it very difficult to do so. Showering, putting on clean clothes, brushing teeth.. I find it difficult to do any of it, and it often doesn't even cross my mind, I'm so lost and out of touch with things. I would say to help with it, would be to set a specific time to get a shower and try to abide by it strictly. Never say you'll get one when you feel like it, because you'll never feel like it. Make it part of a strict routine.

- EGD.

EarlGreyDregs wrote:Showering, putting on clean clothes, brushing teeth.. I find it difficult to do any of it, and it often doesn't even cross my mind, I'm so lost and out of touch with things.

Oh god. I'm right there with you, Early Grey. And I feel disgusting/lazy for doing so. But it just seems strenuous. If I'm at home, and don't intend on going anywhere for awhile, I will stay in the same pajamas for more than a day. And I have gotten bad about not brushing my teeth :/ A schedule might be the best route. I'm going to try that.

OMG Audrey... you captured what goes on with me perfectly... great adjective..."strenuous." That is ABSOLUTELY how I feel about taking care of myself when down. I can muster the energy if I hafta go out in public, but I swear it drains me like I've run a race or something!

I, too, will wear the same jammies for days on end and, yep, my poor teeth need to see a dentist soon cuz I totally ignore them when I am depressed. When I spring back to an "up" state, I hafta do a bunch of whitening and scrubbing to undo all non-brushing I've gone thru. Geezuz, if I would just take care of myself all the time I wouldn't have so much maintenance to do when I feel better!