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Legendary Wise Elder
Member Since Oct 2017
Location: Limsa Lominsa
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#1
When I was younger, I showered every day and took care of myself. I didn't think about it. I just did it. Since going on disability and suffering from depression, I have to plan out my hygiene. Often, I don't have the energy. And recently (the past few years), I'm in pain when standing. So to brush my teeth and wash my face takes two trips to the washroom instead of one. I have to break in between.
Showering is very difficult. Most of the time, I don't want to do it. I have a chair so I can sit, which makes it much easier on my back. But still, I dread the shower. I get anxious. I usually shower once a week. I do wash up during the week. I have rinseless shampoo and body foam. Some weeks go well and sometimes it's traumatic to take care of myself. How is it for you? __________________ ‘Live for now,’ ‘This too shall pass,’ ‘Everything is happening for my good.’ |
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*Beth*, Discombobulated, mote.of.soul, possum220, Rose76
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Member Since Apr 2021
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#2
Set a reward for each shower (something that you like, could be chocolate or anything) and perhaps you'll gain dopamine from the activity and continue to do so effortlessly
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Deilla
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*Beth*, possum220
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Legendary Wise Elder
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#3
I used to be great at showering first thing in the morning whether I had work or not. Since March 2020 I’ve gotten really lazy and I’ll go every other day or I’ll take a shower at a random time of day. Yesterday I took one at 10AM. I’ll probably take one in a few minutes.
Brushing my teeth has been really difficult. Again I was doing it everyday when I was working. Since the pandemic it’s been difficult remembering every day. __________________ Ridin' with Biden |
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Deilla, Discombobulated, Rose76
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Location: United States
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#4
I have been bad about showering since I work from home. I tend to sleep in as well.
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Deilla, Discombobulated
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Location: Ontario, Canada
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#5
Quote:
I have difficulty standing, too, so I keep a kitchen chair in the bathroom to sit on to brush my teeth, wash in the sink etc. It sure beats the pain of standing or the risk of collapsing from the pain. |
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Deilla
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Legendary Wise Elder
Member Since Oct 2004
Location: Kentucky, USA
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#6
I shower when I am going somewhere unless running quick errands. It is because I usually go up to the barn several times a day & muck stalls. It's like why shower just to get all dirty (really dirty) again.....sometimes I am so exhausted when I get into my house I crash in my chair & don't even make it up to my bedroom. I can't really call it lazy. I really love it when I have the time & am not so exhausted I would just fall asleep in the shower
__________________ Leo's favorite place was in the passenger seat of my truck. We went everywhere together like this. Leo my soulmate will live in my heart FOREVER Nov 1, 2002 - Dec 16, 2018 |
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AliceKate, Deilla, Skeezyks
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#7
This is something I really struggle with as well. I only shower when I'm going out. It was better when I had a room mate, but I haven't had one for months now.
Remembering to brush my teeth is also hard. |
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Deilla
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Legendary Wise Elder
Member Since Oct 2017
Location: Limsa Lominsa
Posts: 29,401
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#8
I've been a bit better since setting up a daily routine where I take my meds, insulin, feed the cats, brush my teeth and wash my face. I always congratulate myself for doing that much and then give myself a reward by ordering take-out or playing a game. I tell my therapist too. She knows I struggle. So it feels good to tell someone who cares. It's really great when I do get my shower. I want to dance in the streets. But how can someone get so excited about accomplishing that? I just do. I guess cause it's so hard. My goal tomorrow is to get a shower. I've been washing up at the sink, which helps me feel better. But I really want that shower. I have to remind myself of how good it will feel. What tricks do you use? I know someone mentioned rewards. They do seem to help.
__________________ ‘Live for now,’ ‘This too shall pass,’ ‘Everything is happening for my good.’ |
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Skeezyks
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#9
I have a major daily personal grooming routine. I won't even go into it all. But it has become something of a grounding technique for me I think. Besides, I don't have a lot else to do most of the time. But even when I do have other things to do, they get worked around my personal grooming time.
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Deilla, eskielover
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#10
at school, it became a bit of an issue with some of the teachers (I don't know why, some of theirs was just as bad). I used to be told time after time that I needed to shower or I'll lose the right to this, or the right to that, etc etc, yep: that's how bad it got at times
ditto my teeth, though to be fair, when I was younger, I took a lot better care of them when I do now my number one rule though: never wear the same clothes twice in a row. it's always been like that, and if for some reason I can't do my laundry, I get really frustrated now with my incontinence, I really need to try to make more of an effert- though the thing that I struggle with is apart from smelling nice and self care, why bother? I'm going to get in to the shower, do what needs to be done, than sit on the sofa and watch tv- so who really cares what I look like?. I've no one to judge me it changes if I'm going to my therapist or something, I want to be clean for her. but that's the only acception. most times I can't be bothered |
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Deilla
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#11
I do like my lemon soap, and that sometimes motivates me. it's a nice smell, but a vanilla one or a mint one would be even better
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Deilla
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Member Since Jan 2021
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#12
I shower every 2-3 days. Now that I go jogging again (20min taday, I am slowly trying to get to 30 again, though right now I walk a lot in between stretches of jogging), I guess I have to shower every 2 days. I can smell myself today, but honesty, I'm not sure if I will bother today. I am always a bit anxious in the shower
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Deilla
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Legendary Wise Elder
Member Since Oct 2017
Location: Limsa Lominsa
Posts: 29,401
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6 49.2k hugs
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#13
I hate being in the shower. With my chair, it's really cramped in there. I had those suction cup holders for shampoo up, but knocked them down the other day. And other bottles along the sides tumbled to the bottom. I didn't pick them up. They'll just fall back down again. I really need a place with a walk-in shower, but that's only in my dreams. I didn't get my shower today. And I won't either. I deserve a day when I don't have to be tortured.
__________________ ‘Live for now,’ ‘This too shall pass,’ ‘Everything is happening for my good.’ |
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Legendary Wise Elder
Member Since Oct 2004
Location: Kentucky, USA
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#14
I drove an hour to go pick up a load of hay for my horse, then an hour home. Unloaded & stacked 15 bales of hay into the barn. Was exhausted by the end of the day & crashed, thinking I would wake up early & take a shower before sunrise service at church but work up with just enough time to get dressed & spray on a little perfume
Such is life. If there were more hours in the day it still wouldn't help. I would either work more or sleep more __________________ Leo's favorite place was in the passenger seat of my truck. We went everywhere together like this. Leo my soulmate will live in my heart FOREVER Nov 1, 2002 - Dec 16, 2018 |
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AliceKate, Deilla
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#15
Quote:
that might motivate me if I can smell myself. but I'm pretty sure I've done that and still not done anything about it before... |
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Deilla
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#16
Quote:
I need a higher shower chair. one that I can actually sit down on without doing too much damage to my body |
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Deilla
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#17
I read about the colleration between mental illness with poor hygiene and lack of personal care. Furthermore, poor hygiene is the sign of lack of self-love, the symbol of self-neglect, or something like that. Reading this thread, I think that is true.
Anyway, do you have any favorite soap? Sometimes I love to smell my favorite body wash, maybe it could motivate you to take a shower. |
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Deilla
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Legendary Wise Elder
Member Since Oct 2017
Location: Limsa Lominsa
Posts: 29,401
(SuperPoster!)
6 49.2k hugs
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#18
The chair is nice, even though it takes up most of the shower. It makes it possible for me to shower. I think I just need to organize better in there. I also need more variety in body washes. I've read that having nicely scented stuff helps. Do you like to try out different scented washes?
__________________ ‘Live for now,’ ‘This too shall pass,’ ‘Everything is happening for my good.’ |
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Legendary Wise Elder
Member Since Oct 2017
Location: Limsa Lominsa
Posts: 29,401
(SuperPoster!)
6 49.2k hugs
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#19
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__________________ ‘Live for now,’ ‘This too shall pass,’ ‘Everything is happening for my good.’ |
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Turtle_Rider
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Legendary Wise Elder
Member Since Oct 2017
Location: Limsa Lominsa
Posts: 29,401
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#20
Sometimes I wish I could go through a carwash to get clean. Leave my clothes on and then get air-dried. That way I don't have to worry about getting undressed and dressed again. Dressing is really hard for me. I think it has to do with my size. I just don't want my human body anymore. I want to take my brain and implant it in a robot so that I'm a cyborg without the need for hygiene. Maybe by the year 2030.
__________________ ‘Live for now,’ ‘This too shall pass,’ ‘Everything is happening for my good.’ |
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