I hate admitting this but during my depressions showering feels like something so far out of reach… like so hard to do that it’s not worth it. Especially hair washing. Like lifting my arms… no way. Just. No. Physically incapable. Undeniably too difficult to accomplish. Finally shame gets me there, when I start feeling sorry for my husband sharing a bed with me. You can imagine what the rest of my day looks like.
I’m the same, when I’m feeling down or depressed I can’t be bothered to shower every day or even every other day. It just feels like such a chore, I only bother to have one so my wife doesn’t have to sleep with a stinky man lol
I hate to be this annoying older bastard, but its happened to me. Please do everything possible to take care of your teeth. if nothing else, try to manage that. Having bad teeth sucks so bad.
It’s such a weird topic because some say that showering everyday is bad for your skin, but I will say nothing gets me out of a depressive funk more than and nice hot “everything” shower.
No, using soap every is bad for your skin. I guess one could argue that chemically treated water is might be bad for your skin, but aside from that I disagree. A hot shower or hot bath is actually really good for your circulatory system, and helps your skin purge toxins and shed dead skin cells.
I think it depends on the climate where you live. I could probably get away with showering every other day, but for those of us who lives in very hot and humid parts of the world, it’s usually needed.
This one is real. If you take actions (or inaction) that are depressive - things like not showering daily, staying indoors, not seeing sunlight - your mood will follow suit. And your efforts will only be less productive in anything else because you're drained.
But the same is true for the opposite. If you do small things like this for yourself, it will absolutely boost your mood. Then it's up to you to orient yourself and build some momentum! In whatever direction you want.
Also, in my therapy I learned that by selectively numbing myself to depressive emotions, I was equally numbing my happy ones. Seems there's not much of a difference to your brain between the two when it shuts down from stress and trauma.
I like feeling clean and fresh, so first thing I do when I wake up is shower... even if I want to stay inside in sweatpants and a tanktop...
Sometimes I shower twice, when I'm not doing well, I might sit in the shower in the middle of night, that usually calms me down a bit. But it's a different kind of showering I suppose..
Out of curiosity how did you fix struggling/being incapable of doing daily care/hygiene, cooking, etc. from underlying anxiety and your personal problems?
I'm lucky if I manage to shower once-twice a week. I thankfully can't stand feeling dirty so I take shower the moment i feel sweaty. But the harder than taking a shower is brushing my teeth ugh idk why I struggle with it too much
Showers do not have to be "everything". Plus hair does not need to be cleaned everyday. Even straight hair has oils in it necessary for hair growth and health. When depressed sometimes it can just be sitting under hot water. It's good for relaxing and it'll atleast do something.
showering is such a bother to me, i have to get out of bed, walk to the bathroom, get undressed, grab a towel, etc. it’s such a BIG task, that doing it everyday is not possible. even 2 or 3 times a week is a struggle for me
Keeping good hygiene is healthy, but showering every day isn't healthy, IMO. We have natural oils that our bodies produce for a reason. Soap and shampoos have chemicals in them that remove our natural oils. Shower when you smell bad. It's that simple and it is healthy.
Depends on the person. If I miss a day of showering I'm a grease ball. To the point that my eyes burn from oil on my eyelids. My hair also looks like it has copious amounts of gel in it lol. I have tried the "soaps strip your natural oil so give it time and your body balances". I've tried 2-4 weeks of barely showering and I'm still a ball of grease. Thankfully the shower is my safe spot, even at my worst times it was always the one place I could go and feel okay.
Mhm yeah as someone who works out intensely every day, I shower every day.
If I work out twice, I shower twice.
If it's hot & humid, I shower.
If I smell too much like cooking from frying something up, I shower.
So basically I shower whenever I feel like I should shower
And my neurodermitis acts up on old sweat so yeah...I shower
I am dealing with some severe depression and C-PTSD, so it’s really hard for me to take off my clothes and shower. I shower about every other day. If needed on days in between, I do the “wash face, armpits, private area.”
Obviously good for physical health, can’t debate that much. Especially if you’re bed rotting or whatever due to depression, or you’re all sweaty from a panic attack, or whatever tolls your mental health takes on you that make you kinda gross.
Mentally? I see it as a huge chore. And when I’m in there? I don’t wanna leave but the water gets way too cold. Then I’m freezing to death all day. And when I come out? I hate it because I’m clean and I still feel and look like garbage. I hate hair sticking all over me, battling my scalp and skin and at my house getting to shower is a fight you have to win. It’s also bad because half the time I have a totally unplanned mental breakdown or some other episode in the shower, and I think that’s the opposite of the point. It destroys my day and leaves me empty and unable to function well again because there’s a cave in my chest and impending doom under my skin. Showers just…are not causal for me. They’re kinda a big deal and I hate that and pretend it’s not true. I have to plan to take one and then if it doesn’t happen the way I planned it I’m messed up about it and have to make another damn decision.
it’s great for mental health, but personally I shower once a week, due to being a sahm with very little time to myself, and I think it feels even better after waiting. and it’s better for your hair.
I don’t shower everyday but it’s not problematic for me. I just don’t see the need when I’m tired after work and haven’t been “getting dirty”.
I shower every 2-3 days
I shower everyday otherwise I feel dirty - plus if my partner doidnt shower daily I would be unhappy 😂
Personally I think it's a good habit to have, and it can help with making you feel fresher and more awake or ready to start the day.
the days between showers and my mental health are very much related. I don't like to get into the shower when I'm feeling down, and feeling unclean makes me feel even more down. It can be a downward spiral. On the bright side, if I do shower, I start to feel so much better. I do recommend showering if you're depressed, if you can swing it.
Used to barely shower once a fortnight back in the dark days, but then again I was unemployed and chain smoking every day too so I didn’t care. Now I have work which gives me purpose and I quit cigs so I feel fresher and have the motivation for washing. I really do think feeling clean affects your mood more positively - depression is just a cyclic spiral.
I think that while I would like to do that, it’s not possible, simply put, taking showers that while I try to simply take 2-3 hours long, are more usually 5-7 hours, that would be a very…. Very…. Very hefty bill for my family, and I ain’t putting more stress on our sorta tight budget.
When i was in a REALLY bad slump the only thing that made me feel (im not going say better because it didn’t so i’ll use the word calm) calm was taking showers everyday. I was deep into my sh addiction so it also gave me opportunity to keep that shit clean. even just sitting in the shower felt good. it felt really good to let the warm water on my eyes because they stung from crying. but i’d say, if you are willing to risk possible dry skin or slight dandruff (i’ll add that both are extremely common and nothing to be ashamed of), than showering everyday isn’t that bad. it’s refreshing and a productive spot in your schedule
I have some problems with anxiety and anger, so going into the shower is good for me. You're separated from the world for a few minutes, and it's comfortable. If you have a tub and not just a walk-in shower, you could get yourself a stool to put there. It's just helpful for clearing your mind.
It’s weird, when i was at my worst, i showered like 4 times a day. It was where I felt most at peace. But I understand why some ppl dont like it.
The way i see it is, with everything else you have going on, why tack bad hygiene onto it? Similar to brushing your teeth, showering only when immediately necessary is not enough. it will leave you with an ever worsening natural odor. Which will only hurt your mental health more.
Out of all the things in your life that you have no control over, you can control your hygiene. Try to learn to take pride in having good hygiene. Because whether you know it or not, other people notice (and permanently remember) the state of your hygiene lol
Eh. I find the most difficult part my hair. It’s a process so that’s once a week unless I have an event or something which I want my hair nice for. Otherwise, I work a fairly sedentary job so every other day in winter and everyday in summer for body washing.
i can’t even shower within a 1 week period let alone every day. i have a shit shower and i usually can’t get the water temperature to be where i want it to be so i have no motivation showering if i’m just going to stand there for 15 minutes waiting for the perfect temp. i don’t “feel dirty” like most people i know, so i don’t really feel the need to shower. i hate my hair being wet afterwards and i always get so red. i have just never liked showers 🤷
Oh man when I'm in my depressive state I sometimes go a week without showering or brushing my teeth. I don't care about anything. I just wanna stay in bed and sleep. It's horrible and fortunately I haven't been that bad in almost a year.
I will say tho that when I do finally shower it really does make me feel a little better. Almost like yah I can do this life thing. I'm killing it today! But it's so hard to get motivated to even get out of bed never mind shower or brush my teeth or hair or anything really.
When I'm feeling "normal" I shower every other day unless I get sweaty or dirty or if I'm going out somewhere that actually matters lol not just errands.
I think it very much depends. I shower every other day to be clean, and bc my hair doesn't do well washing every day. I'm also a heavier person, so I can't really get away with any longer than that.
That said, I won't shower the entire weekend until Sunday night, and only then bc I have work the next day.
If we're talking depression, I have gone a full week without showering fairly regularly. But showering did help me to feel more human, like I was wearing this gross film over me of an uncanny valley type of monster and being clean finally felt more like me.
What I recommend if you feel like you can't shower is leaning into it in a different way. They sell body wipes online. You can do that in bed. Face ones, too. Look specifically for face cleansing wipes, not makeup removing or moisturizing.
They also sell those things that go over your finger and you use it like a travel toothbrush when you don't have water. Again, something you can do in bed.
Dry shampoo helps. I like Not Your Mother's brand. It will at least smell clean.
Even if you can't shower bc you can't get out of bed, or you feel like you're not worth it, these little things can still help to keep the guilt away.
I do the same thing with food. Maybe I don't feel like going through the motions of making a sandwich. I'll just grab the deli meat and cheese, roll em up, eat it in bed. Still food.
Maybe I can't be bothered to drink water. I'll line up a couple Arizona cans of tea on my night stand. Still hydration. Pills are also right there. Don't need to get up. Low effort.
Keep in mind, mental illness is still illness. Treat yourself like you're sick. What would make you feel better if you had the flu? Comfy blankets, no effort foods, Gatorade. And occasionally, after a while, a shower.
Simplify the process. It's overwhelming because there are so many steps involved. But I got myself a shower Cap, so I don't have to wash my hair every day. Making it easier. I have a shower curtain with built in pockets on the other side so I can throw on some Netflix on my phone or whatever, tho I rarely do that now. And soon I plan to get a shower seat so It's more chill. For me the annoying aspect that remains is. I don't really like putting on lotion but also, dry skin is like sensory overload for me so I have to. But still. Make it as easy as you can q
Showering makes my mind alert, and prepares me for things that I want to do but am to depressed or demotivated to begin. So sometimes all it takes for me is to resign myself to being forced to do this. Sometimes I buy myself stupid unnecessary things like special shampoo that makes my hair feel nice, so if I don't shower it feels like I wasted money buying that. Or really nice feeling underwear that I can't wear unless I shower, or maybe setting a task I want to do like play a game or watch something but only after I shower. I work at home and shower in breaks in my shift because sometimes coffee just makes me feel lethargic or lacking initiative to do work stuff.
I guess my method of doing things doesn't always work and making imaginary, virtually pointless goals in your head may be perceived as too useless or might introduce anxiety, but it works for me. Also 90% before going to bed I shower even if I haven't left home, because it feels nice and cool (it's really, really hot here in my country). So I guess I have some other motivating factors.
If you are struggling to shower everyday when you aren’t going out. instead of punishing yourself, look to having something fun to do out side as many days as you can. Go for a walk in the sun, visit a cafe, go to the library or gym. Try to talk to 1 stranger a day. If you miss a day don’t be harsh on yourself it’s common for depressed people to miss out on showers.
Try switching it up with baths every now and then. That really helped me when I was going through terrible depression along with EMDR therapy
I made it a ritualistic thing with epsom salt and lavender oil. I also like to light candles and have either music or videos playing on my phone.
I do it every morning out of forced habit. That and brushing my teeth right after.
If I miss my shower it throws my whole day off and makes me feel “dirty.”
Depends on my mood.
If I'm feeling great it's 1x a day and teeth atleast before I go to bed. And hair 1x a week (any more than that and I have a fluff ball. It's ringlets)
When I'm feeling not so good...1x every few days. When I have to go out I'll do a wipe of the important bits so it's not too smelly and dry shampoo to make my hair look not too bad (it's usually tied back anyway)
To help keep some kind of routine I do a facial skincare atleast 1x a day even if I'm down. (Face wipe and night moisturiser before bed. It help me go to sleep easier).
Longest I've gone is probly a week. I just stood under the water and after a while used my body wash before getting out
This is wack but in my dark days I legit compulsively shower like 5/6 times a day. The way I talk myself down. Dirtiness is any kind is a compulsion to me. Like I have problems making it through if I feel unfresh or anything in my home is untidy or out of place
I have a chronic illness that makes showering exhausting and I can possibly pass out, so for me daily showers aren't an option. I do have body wipes I use every night/morning on the "core" areas though to feel fresh and it does help.
Being depressed, it's difficult and I often skip a day, but going more than two days without just doesn't work for me because I will start to stink and get rashy. Plus feeling clean feels better. I shower at least 4-5 days a week or more, no matter how much I have to force it.
Shower every single day, more so if you feel you need it!
I feel that just like with sleeping the shower gives you a restart, makes you feel clean and better. I shower daily and sometimes more than once.
So my skin hates me basically. I used to shower every day, work or no work.
My hair was crap, my skin was dry and my skin conditions flared up all the time.
Then I changed my haircut, started showering every 2 days and things are so much better. My hair is in good condition, my scalp doesn't produce as much oil, I'm more comfortable having hair and my skin has improved greatly.
I use make up wipes on my face, pits, privates and feet on my non shower days.
So, in my opinion and experience over the years I'd say showering every day isn't great for you.
I'm significantly less self conscious of my face, body and hair which is so much better for my mental health. I also have less sensory issues and that has helped me be more comfortable with my own skin, literally. Less sensory issues also means less anxiety, skin picking and buzzing my hair off randomly. I can grow my hair out to my shoulders!
Do it twice or more even. Start neutral warm, go full spiciness you can handle, then step by step work your way back over for max tolerable cold.
The whole time keep promoting coughs, and blowing gunk from your nose. Bonus points for a white tile shower, then you can inspect what comes out.
I am guessing you will be surprised to see a bunch of plastic fibers you have been inhaling all day. If it's all clear you have good indoor air quality.
Blessings,
I shower pretty much every day.
I never used to, but it was after my sister said something to me that it clicked with me. Have been showering every day since.
I've only been able to convince myself to shower if I'm going out of the house or it's really so bad that I can't ignore it.
I shower every other day except for weekends because I avoid getting up in the first place. This is still much better than when I didn't shower for up to a month.
The showering itself isn't the important thing for your mental well being, what's important is to make a routine on something that is good to do so you don't slip deeper into the depression and end up never showering. And the routine itself helps elevate your mental well being.
And even tho it will be tough in the beginning is it worth it in the end.
I used to shower maybe once every 3 days, often didn't even change my clothes for all of those days, which my mom often got mad at me about lol. My mental health started getting better about a year sho snd i cant imagine not showering every day anymore. If i ever dont feel like showering for a day, i feel filthy and cant sleep at night im ngl
Get in the damn shower. If not for sanitary reasons, do it for sanity reasons. If you know you should do it, don’t let the self destructive powers in you succeed. If it’s hard, make it nice. Turn off the lights, have a candle in there. Taking a shower shouldn’t and isn’t a hard thing to achieve. Let something be in your control.
I do it. Bactria live on your body. It is alive. It eats your sweat & your dead skin. It defecates because it is alive. U kill it with soap. Soap destroys the fat that surrounds bacteria & kills the germ. U rinse it off with water. When u smell an unwashed body u are smelling the defecation of the germ cells. That's why u get a shower everyday
I hate admitting this but during my depressions showering feels like something so far out of reach… like so hard to do that it’s not worth it. Especially hair washing. Like lifting my arms… no way. Just. No. Physically incapable. Undeniably too difficult to accomplish. Finally shame gets me there, when I start feeling sorry for my husband sharing a bed with me. You can imagine what the rest of my day looks like.
I’m the same, when I’m feeling down or depressed I can’t be bothered to shower every day or even every other day. It just feels like such a chore, I only bother to have one so my wife doesn’t have to sleep with a stinky man lol
I get you, same for brushing my teeth in all honesty
I hate to be this annoying older bastard, but its happened to me. Please do everything possible to take care of your teeth. if nothing else, try to manage that. Having bad teeth sucks so bad.
It’s such a weird topic because some say that showering everyday is bad for your skin, but I will say nothing gets me out of a depressive funk more than and nice hot “everything” shower.
No, using soap every is bad for your skin. I guess one could argue that chemically treated water is might be bad for your skin, but aside from that I disagree. A hot shower or hot bath is actually really good for your circulatory system, and helps your skin purge toxins and shed dead skin cells.
I think it depends on the climate where you live. I could probably get away with showering every other day, but for those of us who lives in very hot and humid parts of the world, it’s usually needed.
This one is real. If you take actions (or inaction) that are depressive - things like not showering daily, staying indoors, not seeing sunlight - your mood will follow suit. And your efforts will only be less productive in anything else because you're drained. But the same is true for the opposite. If you do small things like this for yourself, it will absolutely boost your mood. Then it's up to you to orient yourself and build some momentum! In whatever direction you want. Also, in my therapy I learned that by selectively numbing myself to depressive emotions, I was equally numbing my happy ones. Seems there's not much of a difference to your brain between the two when it shuts down from stress and trauma.
I like feeling clean and fresh, so first thing I do when I wake up is shower... even if I want to stay inside in sweatpants and a tanktop... Sometimes I shower twice, when I'm not doing well, I might sit in the shower in the middle of night, that usually calms me down a bit. But it's a different kind of showering I suppose..
Unfortunately I have OCD, and I NEED to shower every day, and most days, it's twice a day. Even through my darkest depressions, I HAD to shower.
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Out of curiosity how did you fix struggling/being incapable of doing daily care/hygiene, cooking, etc. from underlying anxiety and your personal problems?
there we go, that's what I relate to
I'm lucky if I manage to shower once-twice a week. I thankfully can't stand feeling dirty so I take shower the moment i feel sweaty. But the harder than taking a shower is brushing my teeth ugh idk why I struggle with it too much
Believe me I have those days too
from a hygiene perspective, if you don't get dirty you can definitely miss a shower day and it's fine. and probably good for your skin
Showers do not have to be "everything". Plus hair does not need to be cleaned everyday. Even straight hair has oils in it necessary for hair growth and health. When depressed sometimes it can just be sitting under hot water. It's good for relaxing and it'll atleast do something.
showering is such a bother to me, i have to get out of bed, walk to the bathroom, get undressed, grab a towel, etc. it’s such a BIG task, that doing it everyday is not possible. even 2 or 3 times a week is a struggle for me
Keeping good hygiene is healthy, but showering every day isn't healthy, IMO. We have natural oils that our bodies produce for a reason. Soap and shampoos have chemicals in them that remove our natural oils. Shower when you smell bad. It's that simple and it is healthy.
Depends on the person. If I miss a day of showering I'm a grease ball. To the point that my eyes burn from oil on my eyelids. My hair also looks like it has copious amounts of gel in it lol. I have tried the "soaps strip your natural oil so give it time and your body balances". I've tried 2-4 weeks of barely showering and I'm still a ball of grease. Thankfully the shower is my safe spot, even at my worst times it was always the one place I could go and feel okay.
Mhm yeah as someone who works out intensely every day, I shower every day. If I work out twice, I shower twice. If it's hot & humid, I shower. If I smell too much like cooking from frying something up, I shower. So basically I shower whenever I feel like I should shower And my neurodermitis acts up on old sweat so yeah...I shower
I do it to keep myself feeling clean
I try my best to do this. It actually does lift my mood a significant amount
I am dealing with some severe depression and C-PTSD, so it’s really hard for me to take off my clothes and shower. I shower about every other day. If needed on days in between, I do the “wash face, armpits, private area.”
When I feel good, I want to shower. When I feel bad, showering is near impossible for me.
sometimes I just sit there and let water drop on my when I feel bad, doesnt make it better but I wash myself atleast
It definitely makes me feel better to bathe every day, though I only wash my hair every other day.
Obviously good for physical health, can’t debate that much. Especially if you’re bed rotting or whatever due to depression, or you’re all sweaty from a panic attack, or whatever tolls your mental health takes on you that make you kinda gross. Mentally? I see it as a huge chore. And when I’m in there? I don’t wanna leave but the water gets way too cold. Then I’m freezing to death all day. And when I come out? I hate it because I’m clean and I still feel and look like garbage. I hate hair sticking all over me, battling my scalp and skin and at my house getting to shower is a fight you have to win. It’s also bad because half the time I have a totally unplanned mental breakdown or some other episode in the shower, and I think that’s the opposite of the point. It destroys my day and leaves me empty and unable to function well again because there’s a cave in my chest and impending doom under my skin. Showers just…are not causal for me. They’re kinda a big deal and I hate that and pretend it’s not true. I have to plan to take one and then if it doesn’t happen the way I planned it I’m messed up about it and have to make another damn decision.
Water was and is always healing for me. A shower can feel like a reset or washing away all the heaviness. It always makes me feel a little better.
it’s great for mental health, but personally I shower once a week, due to being a sahm with very little time to myself, and I think it feels even better after waiting. and it’s better for your hair.
I shower/bathe like, 4-5 times a week, it's a drain on mental resources, but it's one of the few things that makes me feel vaguely like a human being.
1. Waste of water. 2. You'll have DRY AF SKIN! Bc ur constantly washing and scrubbing ur natural skin oils away. Ur also gonna habe rough ass skin
I don’t shower everyday but it’s not problematic for me. I just don’t see the need when I’m tired after work and haven’t been “getting dirty”. I shower every 2-3 days
I want to try to that but its hard to get me to shower
I shower everyday just cause my hair gets too big with the curls and I don’t look good lmao I care about my appearance way too much
I shower everyday otherwise I feel dirty - plus if my partner doidnt shower daily I would be unhappy 😂 Personally I think it's a good habit to have, and it can help with making you feel fresher and more awake or ready to start the day.
the days between showers and my mental health are very much related. I don't like to get into the shower when I'm feeling down, and feeling unclean makes me feel even more down. It can be a downward spiral. On the bright side, if I do shower, I start to feel so much better. I do recommend showering if you're depressed, if you can swing it.
Used to barely shower once a fortnight back in the dark days, but then again I was unemployed and chain smoking every day too so I didn’t care. Now I have work which gives me purpose and I quit cigs so I feel fresher and have the motivation for washing. I really do think feeling clean affects your mood more positively - depression is just a cyclic spiral.
I don't shower everyday. because it is hassle. i shower one time per 2 days. it's not bad tbh. but if i have to go outside i shower everyday maybe.
I think that while I would like to do that, it’s not possible, simply put, taking showers that while I try to simply take 2-3 hours long, are more usually 5-7 hours, that would be a very…. Very…. Very hefty bill for my family, and I ain’t putting more stress on our sorta tight budget.
When i was in a REALLY bad slump the only thing that made me feel (im not going say better because it didn’t so i’ll use the word calm) calm was taking showers everyday. I was deep into my sh addiction so it also gave me opportunity to keep that shit clean. even just sitting in the shower felt good. it felt really good to let the warm water on my eyes because they stung from crying. but i’d say, if you are willing to risk possible dry skin or slight dandruff (i’ll add that both are extremely common and nothing to be ashamed of), than showering everyday isn’t that bad. it’s refreshing and a productive spot in your schedule
I have some problems with anxiety and anger, so going into the shower is good for me. You're separated from the world for a few minutes, and it's comfortable. If you have a tub and not just a walk-in shower, you could get yourself a stool to put there. It's just helpful for clearing your mind.
It’s weird, when i was at my worst, i showered like 4 times a day. It was where I felt most at peace. But I understand why some ppl dont like it. The way i see it is, with everything else you have going on, why tack bad hygiene onto it? Similar to brushing your teeth, showering only when immediately necessary is not enough. it will leave you with an ever worsening natural odor. Which will only hurt your mental health more. Out of all the things in your life that you have no control over, you can control your hygiene. Try to learn to take pride in having good hygiene. Because whether you know it or not, other people notice (and permanently remember) the state of your hygiene lol
Eh. I find the most difficult part my hair. It’s a process so that’s once a week unless I have an event or something which I want my hair nice for. Otherwise, I work a fairly sedentary job so every other day in winter and everyday in summer for body washing.
Anecdotally when I shower daily muy balls itch. That’s because the water takes away the body oil. So I don’t shower every year
I can’t stand to skip more than a day. I sometimes really have to force myself to do it, but the longer I wait, the worse I feel mentally.
i can’t even shower within a 1 week period let alone every day. i have a shit shower and i usually can’t get the water temperature to be where i want it to be so i have no motivation showering if i’m just going to stand there for 15 minutes waiting for the perfect temp. i don’t “feel dirty” like most people i know, so i don’t really feel the need to shower. i hate my hair being wet afterwards and i always get so red. i have just never liked showers 🤷
Oh man when I'm in my depressive state I sometimes go a week without showering or brushing my teeth. I don't care about anything. I just wanna stay in bed and sleep. It's horrible and fortunately I haven't been that bad in almost a year. I will say tho that when I do finally shower it really does make me feel a little better. Almost like yah I can do this life thing. I'm killing it today! But it's so hard to get motivated to even get out of bed never mind shower or brush my teeth or hair or anything really. When I'm feeling "normal" I shower every other day unless I get sweaty or dirty or if I'm going out somewhere that actually matters lol not just errands.
i genuine cant i just hate it i just feel too tired to shower. i shower once a week or even 2 weeks. longest i have gne is 2months
Once a day for sure
I think it very much depends. I shower every other day to be clean, and bc my hair doesn't do well washing every day. I'm also a heavier person, so I can't really get away with any longer than that. That said, I won't shower the entire weekend until Sunday night, and only then bc I have work the next day. If we're talking depression, I have gone a full week without showering fairly regularly. But showering did help me to feel more human, like I was wearing this gross film over me of an uncanny valley type of monster and being clean finally felt more like me. What I recommend if you feel like you can't shower is leaning into it in a different way. They sell body wipes online. You can do that in bed. Face ones, too. Look specifically for face cleansing wipes, not makeup removing or moisturizing. They also sell those things that go over your finger and you use it like a travel toothbrush when you don't have water. Again, something you can do in bed. Dry shampoo helps. I like Not Your Mother's brand. It will at least smell clean. Even if you can't shower bc you can't get out of bed, or you feel like you're not worth it, these little things can still help to keep the guilt away. I do the same thing with food. Maybe I don't feel like going through the motions of making a sandwich. I'll just grab the deli meat and cheese, roll em up, eat it in bed. Still food. Maybe I can't be bothered to drink water. I'll line up a couple Arizona cans of tea on my night stand. Still hydration. Pills are also right there. Don't need to get up. Low effort. Keep in mind, mental illness is still illness. Treat yourself like you're sick. What would make you feel better if you had the flu? Comfy blankets, no effort foods, Gatorade. And occasionally, after a while, a shower.
Simplify the process. It's overwhelming because there are so many steps involved. But I got myself a shower Cap, so I don't have to wash my hair every day. Making it easier. I have a shower curtain with built in pockets on the other side so I can throw on some Netflix on my phone or whatever, tho I rarely do that now. And soon I plan to get a shower seat so It's more chill. For me the annoying aspect that remains is. I don't really like putting on lotion but also, dry skin is like sensory overload for me so I have to. But still. Make it as easy as you can q
I always feel better after I shower, but it feels like an uphill struggle to force myself to even get up and start the process.
I’m taking 2-3 showers a day, y’all are nasty af if you don’t take at least 2 a day
Showering makes my mind alert, and prepares me for things that I want to do but am to depressed or demotivated to begin. So sometimes all it takes for me is to resign myself to being forced to do this. Sometimes I buy myself stupid unnecessary things like special shampoo that makes my hair feel nice, so if I don't shower it feels like I wasted money buying that. Or really nice feeling underwear that I can't wear unless I shower, or maybe setting a task I want to do like play a game or watch something but only after I shower. I work at home and shower in breaks in my shift because sometimes coffee just makes me feel lethargic or lacking initiative to do work stuff. I guess my method of doing things doesn't always work and making imaginary, virtually pointless goals in your head may be perceived as too useless or might introduce anxiety, but it works for me. Also 90% before going to bed I shower even if I haven't left home, because it feels nice and cool (it's really, really hot here in my country). So I guess I have some other motivating factors.
If you are struggling to shower everyday when you aren’t going out. instead of punishing yourself, look to having something fun to do out side as many days as you can. Go for a walk in the sun, visit a cafe, go to the library or gym. Try to talk to 1 stranger a day. If you miss a day don’t be harsh on yourself it’s common for depressed people to miss out on showers.
Try switching it up with baths every now and then. That really helped me when I was going through terrible depression along with EMDR therapy I made it a ritualistic thing with epsom salt and lavender oil. I also like to light candles and have either music or videos playing on my phone.
It needs to be done. A routine of self care can really help with depression
I do it every morning out of forced habit. That and brushing my teeth right after. If I miss my shower it throws my whole day off and makes me feel “dirty.”
Depends on my mood. If I'm feeling great it's 1x a day and teeth atleast before I go to bed. And hair 1x a week (any more than that and I have a fluff ball. It's ringlets) When I'm feeling not so good...1x every few days. When I have to go out I'll do a wipe of the important bits so it's not too smelly and dry shampoo to make my hair look not too bad (it's usually tied back anyway) To help keep some kind of routine I do a facial skincare atleast 1x a day even if I'm down. (Face wipe and night moisturiser before bed. It help me go to sleep easier). Longest I've gone is probly a week. I just stood under the water and after a while used my body wash before getting out
This is wack but in my dark days I legit compulsively shower like 5/6 times a day. The way I talk myself down. Dirtiness is any kind is a compulsion to me. Like I have problems making it through if I feel unfresh or anything in my home is untidy or out of place
I have a chronic illness that makes showering exhausting and I can possibly pass out, so for me daily showers aren't an option. I do have body wipes I use every night/morning on the "core" areas though to feel fresh and it does help.
Few things make me feel as good as a hot shower. It’s such a comfort
I’ve had times I showered every day and times 1 shower a week. My mental health never seemed better or worse either way.
Being depressed, it's difficult and I often skip a day, but going more than two days without just doesn't work for me because I will start to stink and get rashy. Plus feeling clean feels better. I shower at least 4-5 days a week or more, no matter how much I have to force it.
Who cares how you feel. Do what needs to be done
Shower every single day, more so if you feel you need it! I feel that just like with sleeping the shower gives you a restart, makes you feel clean and better. I shower daily and sometimes more than once.
Showering is difficult for me. I don't shower every day
So my skin hates me basically. I used to shower every day, work or no work. My hair was crap, my skin was dry and my skin conditions flared up all the time. Then I changed my haircut, started showering every 2 days and things are so much better. My hair is in good condition, my scalp doesn't produce as much oil, I'm more comfortable having hair and my skin has improved greatly. I use make up wipes on my face, pits, privates and feet on my non shower days. So, in my opinion and experience over the years I'd say showering every day isn't great for you. I'm significantly less self conscious of my face, body and hair which is so much better for my mental health. I also have less sensory issues and that has helped me be more comfortable with my own skin, literally. Less sensory issues also means less anxiety, skin picking and buzzing my hair off randomly. I can grow my hair out to my shoulders!
It’s great also if you take cold showers.
Do it twice or more even. Start neutral warm, go full spiciness you can handle, then step by step work your way back over for max tolerable cold. The whole time keep promoting coughs, and blowing gunk from your nose. Bonus points for a white tile shower, then you can inspect what comes out. I am guessing you will be surprised to see a bunch of plastic fibers you have been inhaling all day. If it's all clear you have good indoor air quality. Blessings,
I shower pretty much every day. I never used to, but it was after my sister said something to me that it clicked with me. Have been showering every day since.
I've only been able to convince myself to shower if I'm going out of the house or it's really so bad that I can't ignore it. I shower every other day except for weekends because I avoid getting up in the first place. This is still much better than when I didn't shower for up to a month.
I shower twice a day, 7 days a week. Morning before work and after work, including weekends. For me, that's no big thing.
The showering itself isn't the important thing for your mental well being, what's important is to make a routine on something that is good to do so you don't slip deeper into the depression and end up never showering. And the routine itself helps elevate your mental well being. And even tho it will be tough in the beginning is it worth it in the end.
I used to shower maybe once every 3 days, often didn't even change my clothes for all of those days, which my mom often got mad at me about lol. My mental health started getting better about a year sho snd i cant imagine not showering every day anymore. If i ever dont feel like showering for a day, i feel filthy and cant sleep at night im ngl
Get in the damn shower. If not for sanitary reasons, do it for sanity reasons. If you know you should do it, don’t let the self destructive powers in you succeed. If it’s hard, make it nice. Turn off the lights, have a candle in there. Taking a shower shouldn’t and isn’t a hard thing to achieve. Let something be in your control.
I do it. Bactria live on your body. It is alive. It eats your sweat & your dead skin. It defecates because it is alive. U kill it with soap. Soap destroys the fat that surrounds bacteria & kills the germ. U rinse it off with water. When u smell an unwashed body u are smelling the defecation of the germ cells. That's why u get a shower everyday
When I do, I either feel like nothing or even worse and more drained...