I saw this topic in the Bipolar forum and thought I would ask the same question here. Does anyone else with sza find it difficult to maintain good hygiene and to take showers. I've gotten better. I have gotten myself to finally start showering every other day but it is a battle. I always feel better after a nice long shower too it's just the getting there that is rough. It isn't even an issue only when I am depressed. It's all the time.

[Blue_Bird]

In the middle of last month I decided to start taking better care of myself with my hygiene. I didn't shower often and rarely brushed my teeth. For the past 3 weeks I've showered every other day, and brushed my teeth two times every single day and have gone to the dentist, got my teeth cleaned, a cavity filled, and will get my last two cavities filled tomorrow afternoon.

That's great news Blue Bird! That reminds me, I need to make that dentist appointment lol

I too need to make a dentist appointment. Ive been procrastinating for months.

[jaynedough]

Showering and dental hygiene are definite problems for me. The showering has improved since I moved in to the master bedroom. The tooth brushing deficit has caused a lot of problems, including using my steroid inhaler. I'm supposed to brush & rinse after using the inhaler but I was skipping doses because I didn't want to brush. I made a compromise and usually just rinse. Between meds, health issues & poor dental hygiene, most of my teeth are gone and most of the remaining ones need work. It was really embarrassing trying to explain the not brushing to the last dentist I went to. It's nice to know there are others going thru this; makes me feel less like a loser.

[Angelique67]

Originally Posted by jaynedough

Showering and dental hygiene are definite problems for me. The showering has improved since I moved in to the master bedroom. The tooth brushing deficit has caused a lot of problems, including using my steroid inhaler. I'm supposed to brush & rinse after using the inhaler but I was skipping doses because I didn't want to brush. I made a compromise and usually just rinse. Between meds, health issues & poor dental hygiene, most of my teeth are gone and most of the remaining ones need work. It was really embarrassing trying to explain the not brushing to the last dentist I went to. It's nice to know there are others going thru this; makes me feel less like a loser.

I have exactly the same problems. In fact I have a mild case of thrush from my inhaler.

Originally Posted by jaynedough

Showering and dental hygiene are definite problems for me. The showering has improved since I moved in to the master bedroom. The tooth brushing deficit has caused a lot of problems, including using my steroid inhaler. I'm supposed to brush & rinse after using the inhaler but I was skipping doses because I didn't want to brush. I made a compromise and usually just rinse. Between meds, health issues & poor dental hygiene, most of my teeth are gone and most of the remaining ones need work. It was really embarrassing trying to explain the not brushing to the last dentist I went to. It's nice to know there are others going thru this; makes me feel less like a loser.

I know how you feel. Finding this forum has been a life saver and knowing that others struggle with the same issues as me helps me so much. I guess there are no losers here just the mentally interesting

[dillpickle1983]

for me it is hard. I have to remind myself to take a shower, or sometimes my friend whom I live with reminds me. My hygene is fairly inconsistent and I almost never remember to brush my teeth. I think its the meds honestly. I have trouble remembering things a lot these days.

Originally Posted by dillpickle1983

for me it is hard. I have to remind myself to take a shower, or sometimes my friend whom I live with reminds me. My hygene is fairly inconsistent and I almost never remember to brush my teeth. I think its the meds honestly. I have trouble remembering things a lot these days.

Yeah, my grandmother whom I live with has to remind me to shower more often than I like to admit. I'm really proud of myself today. I showered before going out to see my therapist.

[jaynedough]

Originally Posted by Angelique67

I have exactly the same problems. In fact I have a mild case of thrush from my inhaler.

I like to call it, "Thrush-puppies".

[Angelique67]

Originally Posted by jaynedough

I like to call it, "Thrush-puppies".

Lol at least we can laugh at this stuff, it helps!

Originally Posted by Thehours

I saw this topic in the Bipolar forum and thought I would ask the same question here. Does anyone else with sza find it difficult to maintain good hygiene and to take showers. I've gotten better. I have gotten myself to finally start showering every other day but it is a battle. I always feel better after a nice long shower too it's just the getting there that is rough. It isn't even an issue only when I am depressed. It's all the time.

Yes ..I have this problem if it was not for my husband I would not shower/ bath at all . Unil I feel dirty ,
but like you said once you take the shower /bath it feels so good but I am just not motivated or care to do so.

I just scheduled a dentist appointment for next week. I'm actually looking forward to it, and I am so proud of myself. I've been procrastinating for months haha.

[Blue_Bird]

Originally Posted by Thehours

I just scheduled a dentist appointment for next week. I'm actually looking forward to it, and I am so proud of myself. I've been procrastinating for months haha.

That's great! Congrats, that's a big step

[Secretum]

I'm terrible at remembering to go to the dentist, haha. Haven't been in over a year...as for showering, I'm usually pretty good. I feel really gross if I don't shower at least every other day, and usually I do every day.

[SDarbo]

Within episodes I have had poor hygiene. I can forgo showering when I'm at home by myself to some extent. I do always shower before going out. Too much social anxiety about odor and appearance if I don't. I've got enough anxiety about how I'm coming across in social situations no reason to add another angle to it.

[SillyKitty]

Originally Posted by SDarbo

Within episodes I have had poor hygiene. I can forgo showering when I'm at home by myself to some extent. I do always shower before going out. Too much social anxiety about odor and appearance if I don't. I've got enough anxiety about how I'm coming across in social situations no reason to add another angle to it.

Same here. If I think I can make it without getting out of the car, I'm good, but anything that I have to be out and about, I shower. I have taken to not wearing a bra so much. It's fine except on days like yesterday when I had to surprise take my daughter to the dr. after picking her up from school. Then it's crossed arms city. lol

[Blue_Bird]

How'd the dentist appointment go Thehours?

Originally Posted by Blue_Bird

How'd the dentist appointment go Thehours?

It's coming up on Tuesday.

[frstevlwtch01]

Originally Posted by Anonymous100168

Yes ..I have this problem if it was not for my husband I would not shower/ bath at all . Unil I feel dirty ,
but like you said once you take the shower /bath it feels so good but I am just not motivated or care to do so.

I agree, my husband often has to remind me to shower. I was proud of myself when I started taking two showers a week (Sunday night and Wednesday night). I'm trying to get up to taking one every other day. I also agree that once I'm in the shower, it feels so good scrubbing my body clean that I spend much longer (about 25 minutes) in it than I did when I took daily showers (approximately 7 minutes long). Most of the time though, I just don't have it in me to shower.

[Shmooey]

I shower every other day except when I'm on my cycle and I do every day then but I hate it. What it is about mental illness that affects our hygiene?

Originally Posted by Shmooey

I shower every other day except when I'm on my cycle and I do every day then but I hate it. What it is about mental illness that affects our hygiene?

I know that for me when I'm depressed there's a general lack of self care. So, my hygiene fits right into that lack of self care. But as for times when I'm not depressed...I don't know what it is! Lol but my hygiene is still affected by my mentally interesting issues.

[spincera]

I sometimes forget when I have showered and when I have not. However, within the last week I have showered 4 times and only brushed my teeth in the morning. I have to start brushing twice per day where I am using aa special toothpaste for my nighttime brushing. It is really hard when you see showering or even bathing as a chore. That's the way it feels to me. I often wonder if it would be o.k. just to shower every other day and get away with it.

Originally Posted by spincera

I sometimes forget when I have showered and when I have not. However, within the last week I have showered 4 times and only brushed my teeth in the morning. I have to start brushing twice per day where I am using aa special toothpaste for my nighttime brushing. It is really hard when you see showering or even bathing as a chore. That's the way it feels to me. I often wonder if it would be o.k. just to shower every other day and get away with it.

Oh gosh...teeth brushing. I'm so bad at that. Yeah I need to be better about brushing my teeth as well. I'm with you! Maybe that's part of the reason that I don't shower/bathe as often as I should. It is a chore and sometimes a bore lol.

[insilence]

i would hear the voices yell crazily at me from the running water and was distracted alot otherwise. i started better hygiene after the voices were quiet and i figured out how to push them out of certain frequncies they used.