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I got asked about my Personal Hygeine yesterday


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Yesterday I was asked about my Personal Hygeine my odour by my health support worker.I didn't feel anything bad towards it really but I have to say it's perhaps mostly embarrassment&shame really.I know he had to raise this with me and he did in the very most nicest possible way& I totally understood that.In very recent times taking care of myself has been a fairly big struggle for me as it was such a difficult problem in the past.I've struggled quite a fair bit with bathing&showering mostly which has been one of my biggest worries&concerns.I knew this problem and had been fearing if I was coming off badly also with my odour.I did feel fairly down with the situation of my odour but nothing untowards my health worker I think it's the fact that me smelling&others obviously noticing which made me feel quite down really :sad: .

Only until recently I've improved with shaving for e.g doing it much more regularly than what i had been.I'd been struggling with showering/bathing for a very long time now due to motivation,feeling pretty depressed.perhaps some it it linked to washing my hair as it is a bit long for e.g & being a bit reluctant to cut it due to my BDD a lot also.Ashamingly I have to admite Saturday was the first time I showered in at least maybe even close to two weeks.I've tried on many occasions to bathe myself but so often it's been virtually impossible to even get in the shower/into the bath tub etc etc as much as I obviously enjoy washing,keeping clean etc etc.

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Guest LauraMac

This is something that can be common in people suffering from depression. The inability and/or lack of will to wash when suffering from depression. In some cases people just don't care enough about themselves to do it too. So you're not alone. In your case I'm wondering if to keep you going between showers perhaps you could try washing under your arms just in the sink. I know some people that do this between showers and it keeps them fresh. It's a lot less effort than a shower/bath too.

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I can understand the connection between being depressed and not wanting to have a shower. The reverse is also true. If you force yourself to have a shower, you are likely to feel better and be a little less depressed.

The way out of depression is action. It's not easy. It's the last thing you want to do. But it's the way out. The more you actively push yourself to do positive things the better you will feel. (Little bits at a time.)

Good luck ACE.

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Thanks very much for your comments Laura&PB very much appreciated as ever :original: .This is obviously a fair bit of an embarrassing and sensitive sort of area to talk about.Yes mainly it's been the lack of motivation&interest in showering/bathing as much as I know I should have it done I hope that doesn't sound too confusing.I would change my underwear&socks usually but even that at times I didn't do often enough.Last night I actually came home after going to trivia with friends&took a bath so that was quite nice actually.I know I've struggled pretty badly in the later years due to the severity of the depression,the OCD,BDD&Anxiety as well have no doubt I think contributed to all this as well I do think.

I think it's slowly getting easier as I know I usually shave at least twice a week if I can where in the past I would go weeks without doing that also :original: .

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Try to get into a routine and it will probably make you feel better. Glad you enjoyed your bath- a bath can be relaxing as you can soak for a while without the frantic washing of a shower can bring. You can also add calming bath wash to the water to make it quite therapeutic.

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Hi Ace,

I never thanked you for your reply to my last post, I really meant to I'm sorry. :)

I wonder if although it feels a bit embarrassing it might be good if any of your therapy team can offer some advice about how to get around your issues with showering. I had to talk to my therapist about compulsions that I do with bottles of shampoo and things while I'm in the shower.

One of my teachers used to tell my class to wash under our arms with soap and a flannel/face cloth and put a good anti-perspirant deodorant on each morning and try to get in the bath/shower at night. I think the sink wash is a good idea if you cannot face showering.

Maybe make some targets for showering- so this week you've managed a shower and a bath already, which is great because you'd want to aim for at least 2 or 3 showers/baths a week and a few under arm washes in the mornings.

Perhaps write a list of all the issues that showering/bathing poses and try to think of solutions!

I hope you are okay! don't feel embarrassed we all have some difficulties connected to our OCD, BDD or depression that are embarrassing but it's good to face them!

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Thanks very much for both your replies Shan&AB I really appreciate them very much so.I did feel quite a bit down from this and maybe still a bit down but I'm trying I guess to make the changes&can understand it all and know that it wasn't brought up certainlyu to upset me :original: .

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Having a bath/shower every day is quite a 'modern' thing.

I am 50, and when we were growing up a weekly bath sufficed. Sink washes inbetween. And that carried through into adulthood. Then people started having showers installed - and then a shower a day became the expected norm.

We would also wear the same clothes for a number of days.

If you can sink wash, then just wash the areas that are going to smell if you don't wash them ie. armpits, feet, personal bits, hair [and hair only needs washing maybe every 3rd day, depending on hair type]. Use a good deoderant [i don't know if you can mention brands on this website, but Mitchum is a brand that lasts 24-48 hours per application.

A good idea to brain storm with any carers about how to navigate your routines, if showering/bathing triggers them.

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Thanks very much for your reply Sal much appreciated I've been trying to get more of a regular routine in washing,changing my clothes,bathing etc etc.I always have deodorant on it's mainly been the washing&the regularly shaving as well as even changing my clothes regularly in the most recent years which have been the biggest problems for me.I know much has been due to the Depression&OCD also the anxiety and BDD has contributed to this.I've been working on this with my Dr,Psychologist&now also my health support worker I hope it can get much easier as time goes by :original: .

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