Random Question: Why don't WE want to shower?

I've seen the aversion to shower many many times on this board. I personally have the issue even when "stable". I'll eventually take a shower and love it, but never want to do it and it's an entire ordeal to get in there!!!

I'm bringing it up wondering if anyone else has gotten to the bottom of it. It makes sense that in the depths of depression you just don't wanna. But what about after, in stability, or even when manic?!?! Do others still have this issue then and do you have any idea why?

THANKS!

I came to this forum in 2011 with exactly that issue, saying that I could not bring myself to shower, brush my teeth, etc., even though I was at that time not even depressed. Lots of people had the same troubles, and threads about it get started again and again, each acquiring lots of posts. And a shower taken is a victory - see that long thread in bipolar success stories.

It is so common that I wonder why it is not in the DSM.

I have not been able to get to the root of it, but I have been able to solve the problem in part. Wanna hear about my solution?

Ugh I'm just so tired - I can only shower early am or night during the week. Both times I'm just like nah I wanna go to sleep. So I just wash my hair. I shower on the weekend when hubby watches my son.

I really think that's all there is to it for me.

Yes! Tell me your solution.

I don't want to shower because we had a chemical spill that contaminated our tap water and the chemical is an irritant and I don't want to get it in my eyes.

Yoda that makes sense. I have no logical reason for my aversion.

I have thought about it. Sometimes I fear the shower. Like I get near it and just don't want to go in it. Then there is the whole ordeal with washing my hair. Its so dam weird.

It doesn't even feel like a victory when I do shower. Well to me anyway. I wish I knew the reason for this too. Does it only happen to bipolar people? I wonder......

I don't want to shower because its very overwhelming to have millions of drops crash down hard on every inch of my body, I hate it everyday!!!! Well unless you have a mist setting on your showerhead, I learned recently that this is softer on my skin and therefore not as overwhelming.

Bathing is much more pleasant for me.

I have the exact same issue. I don't shower often and it's so hard to convince myself to shower, but when I do I love it and will take a extremely long shower. I don't understand this logic and I can't get over it. My boyfriend has to help coax me into doing my personal hygiene.

Our chemical spill worries me but im back to drinking the water and showering because we're right out side the infected area. Though I started getting migraines so ill stop drinking the water again. Though normally when stable I take a shower every other day like dermatologists. I use up all the hot water so the other 5 ppeople in the house have to wait. When depressed I take a shower 3 or more times a day so I can cry in peace and look fine. I probably look more put together when depressed then when stable. Now days are running together i only shower when crying or my husband tells me. When (hypo) manic I have to rely on my husband to throw me in the shower.

I am so thankful I ran across this thread! I also have always had difficulty getting myself to get showered and brush my teeth even though I feel so much better afterwards. I have felt ashamed and embarrassed about it so I try to hide that I don't shower by just washing my hair and using perfume/lots of deodorant. It feels like a chore in my mind. I have came up with all kinds of reasons for not showering...I'm tired, I have to wash clothes first, etc. Lately it has been because I like long warm showers and I run out of warm before I get done. Although I do have bipolar my showering or aversion to showering clusters around my routine and view on the cleanliness of the shower area, thus making me think it is related to the fact that I also have OCD. I get really upset and anxious if my shower routine is disrupted and so I make sure that I will be undisturbed when it comes to showering...almost like the timing has to be perfect. I don't know if this is making sense-hopefully it is.

Hey all I've had this oroblem for a long time. I don't want to shower but once I commit to it I feel great during and it overflows for a few hours after. Is it the struggle of making a decision? Is it that we want to steep in our bipolar moods? Mine is that I just don't want to. Just like what was said earlier I have to talk myself into it and the timing has to be right and it's usually on Saturday that I do take one bc I'm going to church next day and don't want people to see the way I'm really feeling so I shower the night before so I don't stand out in the crowd of people I do know at church but after its right back to the couch covered up with the blanket pulled over my head. But I shower every 2 days bc I stink if I don't. But it does put me in a better mood for at least 2 hours after. That's when I try to get most of my hygiene in.

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I shower every day unless I'm depressed. It's hot here so if I don't I'll stink.
When I'm depressed it's too much trouble so I start missing days and just sleeping instead. Brushing teeth and taking meds are hard too.

So refreshing to read these stories. I thought it was just me. I have no logical explanation and dry shampoo is a god send.

This does seem to be a bipolar thing. But, I never had the problem until the last few years. I kind of wonder if it's that we have so much going on and it's such work just to get through the day that it seems like showering is just another "have to" that's a pain. I still feel silly though. It's like I'm a four year old who never wants to get in the bath

I hate showering too and prefer sponge baths. I also miss my old shower head where I could adjust the settings to lighter flow. I glad I'm not the only one with these feelings.

I sometimes "forget" to shower (like, the idea just doesn't occur to me or I get distracted or lose track of time) but that's because I have schizophrenia and I think that's either a negative symptom or a disorganized symptom...

Well I only shower once a week on Fridays because I just get sweaty again at work during the week anyways.

I used to have issues with brushing teeth too. But after the last bit of dentist work I had done, I've since been trying to floss and brush after every meal.

I guess it's the depression/energy/ motivation issue for me.

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Thank YOU. I've long wondered about that myself, because I have the same problem! I used to take showers daily, now it's once or twice a week, and it doesn't matter where I'm at on the mood spectrum. Weird.

I think we should all co-sign a letter to whatever committee will publish the next edition of the DSM, because these self-care difficulties are so common, they should be listed as a symptom.

"Pervasive difficulties with self-care, such as basic personal hygiene, present in-between episodes and exacerbated during depressive episodes."

It may be an anxiety thing as well? I have a friend who has shared the same sentiment and she struggles with anxiety/depression.

I think it's the choice thing and also the effort/commitment? Because you can't really halfway take a shower. You have to take off your clothes, run the water, get in, soap, rinse, get out, dry off, put clothes back on. I also don't like it because I've forgotten to do it until it's quite late and then I get anxious about not getting to bed on time.

I am going to try this tonight: just get the water running for a bit and not commit to anything else. If I can start just one part of it, maybe it will be easier to coax myself into the rest. And if not I can just turn it off again.

Wow I didn't know so many other people had this issue ! I think part of the reason I avoid showers is that I feel claustrophic, but I really don't know other than that . I usually feel better afterwards though .
I've always been to embarrassed to bring this up to a T.
Maybe if I paint my bathroom a pretty color, it would help. Lol it sounds silly but pretty colors really soothe me.

different bottles of shower gel, in different colors, look nice. I also got colorful bar soap and it feels nice washing my hands the old fashioned way. I still have liquid soap, but I don't use it, because it looks kind of institutional to me. And, I have bought a bright green wastebasket - since I rent and cannot paint the walls, I add color in those small ways.

If you own your place, go for it. What shades soothe you the best?

More reasons I didn't like to shower before we had contaminated water. I have electrical shorts in my wiring in the bathrooom so I can only see to shower when the sun is bright and I am a night person so there's that. Then the part of how I bought only a 40 gallon water heater intended for a mobile home and should have installed a bigger one so my showers don't go cold before I am done. And one more reason I don't shower is the
'organizer' took down my old shower doors and replaced it with a tension rod and it keeps falling down so I need someone to install a shower rod that screws into the wood. Seems simple but I am not mechanically incline. Son could probably do it though. And one more reason I don't shower is I am simply not motivated. I don't work, don't volunteer, don't interact with anyone except my son most days I don't give a sh-- unless I have a doctor's appt. I also don't have enough clean clothes because my washer and dryer broke and I have to drive roundtrip 40 miles to my mom's house or a laundromat. Okay I am done.