[BastetsMuse]

I've been having trouble getting myself into the shower on a regular basis, say every other day. I brush my teeth every day (recent change due to meds) and I want to be clean, but a shower just seems like too much sensory input on my skin....seems like a bother to go through all the work, even though it's not really that hard to do.

Am I alone in this? Do others have trouble with this? How do you cope with it?

[gina_re]

How long have you been without a shower?

Yes. I can go 4-5 days between any kind of grooming when depressed. Showers wipe me out. They actually are a lot of effort and I almost feel like I will pass out of my legs will give out when severely depressed. I'm showering daily now.... And brushing my teeth.... But just 2 months back, I bathed twice weekly at best. In my defense, I wasn't doing anything to get too dirty or sweat, but still. Our society pretty much demands a daily shower and I do find a shower makes me feel better, rather than worse on most (but not all) occasion. Wishing you the best and happy showers in the future.

[st0psign]

showers become more than a chore for me when I'm down, you're not alone.

I have a hard time with showering too. It's such a bore. I'm only aiming for every second day as well. My doctor laughed and said i was on the European plan. I'm not clean enough by American standards but i am clean enough by Europeans'. I find once i get in there i might enjoy it or at least just go on automatic-pilot but getting started is tough. No, you're not alone in this. I shower in the evening as it's too unpleasant in the morning. My university roommate did it this way and she gave me the idea. Grr, due for one tonight -- ugh!

[BeyondtheRainbow]

I'm still fighting with this 3 months into being on the clozaril that has made it at least possible to do more than just before I had to go out. Now I'm at every other day and did 2 in a row this weekend. I'm hoping to get 3 in a row soon.

It is a huge effort, one of the hardest things to do for some reason. Once I'm in there I'm generally ok but the motivation is hard to find. My therapist says I'm doing ok and not to worry so much. He's right, I don't stink, but I'd like to follow my old routines. One thing at a time I guess.

[seoultous]

If I can't shower I know I am depressed. It is like a mood marker for me. I start thinking about calling my pdoc for a med adjustment because I am afraid I will sink too low.

[BipolaRNurse]

Showering is a big pain in the butt for me regardless of mood. As an older person I don't need to shower every day, otherwise my skin dries out and gets itchy. But even though I love feeling clean, finding the motivation to shower more than twice a week is tough and I just don't. Between showers I keep up on my deodorant and I'm not above doing a PTA bath when needed. I don't want to stink.

[gina_re]

I'll go up to five. It's possible for me to go longer, but I don't want to offend people when I go to work.
It really does feel like way too much effort. What's the point most of the time. Who is going to see me, who cares.
Plus it saves money and water. My water bill was $10 less this past month!
Oh yea, if I finally do get myself to shower, and if I've been laying in my own filth for so many days, then I'll have to change my sheets too. I can't be clean on dirty sheets. More work...

[gina_re]

Plus my shower sux. The bathroom in my room has a shower stall. With the extra weight, it's not the most comfortable to enjoy a shower anyway. Otherwise I have to use the second bathroom, but then I have to move all my stuff to that bathroom...eh, I'll do it tomorrow.

I have a tiny shower I just started using. But now I'm getting too large to enjoy it. I feel ya Gina. (((Hugs)))

[BastetsMuse]

I don't like my bathroom at all, which adds to the problem....it has a shower door, and I prefer a curtain. Since I rent, taking out the shower door is not going to happen. So I crawl into the shower every few days and do the cleaning thing.

[lilypup]

I only shower every 2-3 days. My skin also gets itchy and I just don't like dealing with my hair. If I am going out in the morning, I shower the night before. If I'm going out at night, I shower early and then let my hair dry. I just touch it up with a blow dryer.
I sniff myself a lot and I don't smell bad.
There is a thread up in the "bipolar success stories" on showering. I think it is a very common problem.

[NoIdeaWhatToDo]

I don't see anything wrong with showering every 2-3 days, as long as you aren't doing heavy workouts or mucking out animals stalls or something between. I tailor my showering to my activity level. If I have a heavy workout, I shower. If not, 2-3 days is totally adequate.

I, too, dislike showering, even when I'm feeling OK. When I'm depressed, it's the biggest chore around. I hate getting wet in general, so that doesn't help - I totally understand the sensory overload part of it. I find it a little easier to shower when I don't have to dry my hair for something right after; it I can air dry my hair, I'm more likely to take the shower with less irritation.

[A Hobbit]

Sometimes I'll take 3 showers a day whether I'm on top of the world, or have spent a month in my room with the black-out curtains drawn.

I'm wondering if I am an anomaly in this regard.

[smallwonderer]

You guys are making me feel almost hygienic . One of my euphoric mania symptoms is that I like showers. Could shower 2x a day. Rest of the time, I shower every other day but sometimes give myself a break on weekends. I don't tend to look greasy when I haven't showered so I could probably stretch it longer.

One thing I do that makes me feel better about showering is I put on my favorite music, sometimes on a small bluetooth speaker. Don't know that I'd want to shower without it... now other things I struggle with: when my hair gets long, I don't like to brush it when it's wet so I will come into work with my hair uncombed then comb it later. Sometimes I forget (!).

[scatterbrained04]

I have to have my shower every day. No skipping here.

Sent from my LGLS990 using Tapatalk

[Travelinglady]

I have an aversion to showering, too. I might take one two times a week. But I bathe or take "bird baths" at least every day or two, unless I am staying at home. I guess showers seem like a lot of work?

[bizi]

Originally Posted by BastetsMuse

I've been having trouble getting myself into the shower on a regular basis, say every other day. I brush my teeth every day (recent change due to meds) and I want to be clean, but a shower just seems like too much sensory input on my skin....seems like a bother to go through all the work, even though it's not really that hard to do.

Am I alone in this? Do others have trouble with this? How do you cope with it?

I have a difficult time showering just in general.
once a week is not uncommon. I usually shower wash my hair twice a week or every 4-5 days. If I did not have to wash my hair lord knows how long I would go with out showering.
gross but true.
once I am in there though I love the hot water and have to hurry as it will run out. now perhaps if I had endless hot water it would be more satisfying of an experience.
It is what it is.
bizi

[fishin fool]

I shower every day unless I am deep in depression and even then I never go more
than two days with out a shower.
It helps that I love the water so showering is not that big a thing for me.
I also find that I can just stand there for a long period of time and just let the warm
water run all over me and I can just meditate for a while and enjoy the peace.

Tbh, I don't think I "avoid" showers when I'm depressed, but I don't take them because I'm usually busy trying to sleep off the depression. Don't know if that makes sense.

The most I've gone without a shower is 2-3 days. I don't like greasy hair.

[BastetsMuse]

I've gone as long as a week between showers. I'm not proud of that, but there it is.

[Tucson]

Originally Posted by BastetsMuse

I've been having trouble getting myself into the shower on a regular basis, say every other day. I brush my teeth every day (recent change due to meds) and I want to be clean, but a shower just seems like too much sensory input on my skin....seems like a bother to go through all the work, even though it's not really that hard to do.

Am I alone in this? Do others have trouble with this? How do you cope with it?

I think there are a couple reasons. The lack of energy that is depression related. I know with myself the shower feels very uncomfortable when I am feeling that way. Also I feel clostrophobic in the shower. Only when I am properly medicated does most, but not all of this, goes away. Then even though I do not particularly like showers, I take them anyways to feel clean. Afterwards, it helps relax me a little bit.

I am with you all. Showering seems like an endless chore. I am single. No one cares.

I will tomorrow because I am seeing a friend. It has been 3 days.

[ThisEndUp]

Aversion to water is a big part of not showering for me.
Yes it's also the claustrophobic shower, the horribly high iron content well water, the tedious labor of actually cleaning myself, seeing and feeling my hair stuck to my body no matter how much I try to avoid it (and wondering if there's more this time), back to more tedious labor doing the "occasional shower task" that because I only shower "occasionally" now means "every shower"...the exfoliating/hair mask/shaving etc that you might as well do since you're already stuck in this craptastic situation...all of that aside; it's the water that is the deeper issue. I don't want it on me, I don't want my hands (or even fingers) getting wet when I rinse a dish, it's a good thing hubby does dishes! I brush my teeth, but once the water drips down to my hands it's hurry up time.
I just don't like it, but I don't know why, I don't remember having this problem "before".