The Power of a Shower.

Days go by with me avoiding a shower. My max is 4.
Even if I live indoors with climate control, the 4th day I literally stink. And I know it.

Yesterday I wanted to go to a NAMI meeting, which I have skipped for two weeks because of a bad back, and was on the 4th no shower day.
The meeting starts a 3:00PM. It's 1:30. I'm hungry, dirty and unshaven.
Ah, the hell with the meeting.

Then I mentioned here that I was going. So I have my word now in the middle of the meeting , the hunger and the shower.

I had lunch 1st. Hunger makes me edgy. Then went to the bathroom.
The correct order of things calls for a shower.
I use a little trick. If you open the faucet, graduate the temperature and get a little wet doing this, you take a shower.

While I'm showering I notice that I'm moving, scrubbing, flexing, getting my reflexes sharp or I'll fall down, or hit myself. It exercise!!. And I'm having FUN!!!

Sharp reflexes are necessary to shave. Specially taking lithium.
Hand tremors are a problem with anything precision.
I don't think I can hit a watermelon 10 feet away with a .50 cal.

Finally shaved. Not too well, but didn't cut myself either.
Got dressed and away I went. Haven't driven in three weeks, but it's like riding a bicycle. I made it two minutes early. I'M A WINNER!!!.

Today I'm taking a shower too. I'm "clean" but I'm going out again. Just 'cuz.

The add of "a body in movement yada yada yada" is true.

Take a shower. If posibble with a friend. It saves water.

This is encouraging! I try to do every other day and didn't yesterday. Maybe in a bit I will grab a slice of pizza from the fridge and then get in the shower. Actually, I -will- do this.

No plans to go anywhere (that was yesterday), but I will feel proud rather than ashamed being clean and dressed when my spouse gets back home.

I take a shower one day and then do not the next. If I am not leaving the house, I don't shower until I'm leaving. I usually go somewhere about every two days. So my most is 3-4 days.
I have a thing about washing my hair. It seems like so much effort to dry it. I think that is why I hate showers.
I also don't like to look at myself naked. It's not a pretty picture. That may contribute to the shower aversion also.

I relate. I have to make myself shower. I hate the cold air hitting my wet skin and all the energy it takes. The trick I use is to stay with the whole horrible thing second by second. I tell myself what I am doing such as, now I am washing my hair, now I am stepping onto the mat, now I am dryng my arm etc. It seems to make it more tolerable.

Well since we're all being honest here...I hate showering and letting my hair dry. Don't even ask me when I last shaved my legs either lol! When I was working and keeping up my hair and makeup I showered more often. But lately I've been a basket case so whatever! And to top it off... I smoke and start to smell it on myself a lot. Yea, I even gross myself out in this department

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I finished my shower and I'm dressed.

Things that help me are always doing the shower tasks in the same order. I wash my face, then my hair, then use my acne soap on my torso, then shave if I need/choose to, then use regular soap on the rest of my body.

Also I play music so I don't get bored in there and quit halfway through.

I swim in the sea. So I must shower.
On my no swim days, I take my sonic care electric toothbrush in with me.
It's not too hard here. In CA a little harder. Have to go up the stairs. Ha

Bump
I need to bump it so I take today's shower. Don't think it's easy for me either.

The sooner you do it, the sooner you won't have to worry about it anymore!

I like to wear yesterday's clothes when I'm not working. So showering on days off aren't really necessary, but I'll still do my facial routine. My hairdresser said not to wash my hair more than once or twice a week. I don't mind showers, but on low energy days a shower feels like f o r e v e r.

This is so inspiring and helpful. I'll take one tomorrow!

Need I also mention the clothes I choose to wear everyday and don't change unless I do shower??? Sweat pants and t-shirt...every...day. I have two PJ drawers Im one hot mess!

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You know as I think about it, I think part of the reason that showers are not as enjoyable as they used to be is my new bathroom. I moved here in August of 2014. The bathroom in the master bedroom is tiny, it's a shower stall and not much room to move around. So that's annoying. And as others have mentioned, the whole washing the hair thing...I hate my hair right now, so dealing with it after a wash is sometimes a nightmare.

I love the water so I usually shower everyday.
If I am really depressed I will go 2 or 3 days without one but
thats usually when I am in the black hole type depression.

I usually shower everyday but my bad habit is ill wear the same clothes 4-5 days in a row. Then I notice I smell.

I have the shower problems too. The winter is worse because the cold in the room with the hot water feels sickening and painful. Too hot a shower and I feel faint. Baths used to be very nice but it's so hard getting in and out without help. I spend most time in bed due to sickness and pain. My hair is too long again and it matts to my head so bad and my husband has had to help gets the tangles out. No fun, I'm getting it cut and getting a special brush. I'm saving water, send it to the kids who need it for drinking.

I love the shower. It's the only peace I get in my house.

love this thread!
I have to force myself to take a shower.
usually it is 4-5 days.
I do change all of my clothes everyday though and apply deodorant daily.
I wash my hair then so it is 1-2 a week.
That is usually when I take a shower is when I can't stand my hair any more!

there should be a diagnosis for this aversion.
lol
bizi

When I'm anxious, I'll take a shower... sometimes twice a day. I do it because showers relax me, not because I think I'm dirty.

When I'm in a good mood, I'll take one once every 1-2 days.

When I'm depressed, every 3 days. (After 3 days, my hair gets greasy!)

I know it's disgusting but when I'm depressed I have gone as long as 2 weeks without showering or changing my clothes. I have to start showering more since summer is almost upon us with it's 30+ (Celsius) and the smell of sweat builds up quick and make the whole house stink.

I really don't know why I don't shower more often since I love the feeling of being clean and wearing clean clothes so much, but as you know depression really sucks and showering and brushing my teeth are the first signs my depression is very deep.

I also avoid showering when unwell. It feels like it is some grand mission to get myself in the shower, washed and dried. Not sure why I hate showering so much as it really is a simple task. When well I enjoy my showers and shower almost daily. When unwell I can go many days without showering and can't even recall when I last showered. Thanks for the reminder though. Think I will shower tonight

i find this hard, because i live alone, and 9 times out of 10, i don't see anyone anyway

so i take the attitude.. you know, who really cares. no one's gonna see me or notice if i look like i've been dragged through a forest, to hell with it.

and then when i want to i don't find the energy or the motivation- for the exact same reason, no one's their to really apreciate my effert

i have been trying more though, not really because i like showers, but the enclosed space and the darkness give me more room to think

I think you just read my mind. These are my exact thoughts. It's just me here, so who cares. But I'm going to try and do better.

I did it! I took my shower and left the house. And I even got my hair done...I feel pretty!

You go Regina.