Hygiene Hacks when You're Struggling with Depression
Struggling with mental health is not glamorous by any means. One of the lesser talked about struggles with severe depression and mental health looks like re-wearing the same clothes because doing the laundry feels like too much, not showering for a week, and needing constant reminders to brush your teeth. The inability to keep up with personal hygiene is a common, but rarely talked about part of struggling with depression.
If you’re struggling with this, don’t be ashamed; you’re absolutely not alone!!
For those unfamiliar with depression, poor hygiene can oftentimes be a sign of poor mental health. Those struggling with depression tend to lose the drive and/or energy to take care of themselves. This is one of the harder conversations around mental health, as it can be highly embarrassing for the person struggling.
Why is it important to keep up with hygiene?
First, you should never feel guilt or shame for struggling with your hygiene as a symptom of your depression.
If depression is causing you to struggle with hygiene, it is important, of course, to try to make improvements simply because good hygiene helps to promote your health, prevent illness, and can also help to improve your mental health.
We’re going to dive deeper into some of the hacks that have personally helped me and many others in up-keeping with hygiene even when it feels draining, exhausting, and simply like hell to accomplish.
What can you do to make taking care of your hygiene easier?
how to brush your teeth when you’re depressed
What tends to get most people caught up with brushing their teeth is all of the “rules” surrounding brushing and the effort that it takes behind following those rules. Doing just a little is actually so much better than doing nothing at all. Here are some of the hacks that can make brushing your teeth easier, many of which dentists also approve as methods!
Brush your teeth in the shower; it helps knock out two birds with one stone when you feel overwhelmed
Brush your teeth without toothpaste if you can’t get yourself to do a full brush; many dentists argue that toothpaste isn’t actually necessary most of the time
Don’t worry about how long you’re “supposed” to brush your teeth; if you can only brush your teeth for 30 seconds, that’s helpful too and so much better for you than not brushing at all!
Try flavored or colored toothpastes that make you more interested in brushing your teeth. For example, you can try black “charcoal” toothpastes if you’re interested in trying something that motivates you to want to brush your teeth. There are also so many different flavors of toothpaste that can help.
Use an electric toothbrush. Take away some of the physical effort and use an electric toothbrush instead to help you get the job done better. The electric toothbrush is also seen to be more effective than regular brushing!
On some of your worst days, you can use mouthwash instead!
how to shower when you’re depressed
Showering includes an entire process; getting up to heat up the water, waiting a second for it to heat, having to actually physically wash off, wash your hair, being cold and uncomfortable when stepping out of the shower, physically drying off after the shower, figuring out what you need to wear after…. its a process- a process that is completely normal to find daunting when struggling with depression. Here are some tips that can help you make this process easier!
Use products that stimulate your fav senses! You love smells? Get something that smells good. You’re a visual person? Get bathing products with a pretty/vibrant/intriguing color!!
Don’t stand, sit on the shower floor and let the water run over you to help wash off (or invest in a shower seat!!)
If you have the energy to make it more intriguing, create a relaxing “spa experience” out of the shower (lights off, candles on, happy or relaxing music, bath bombs/bath steamers, sugar scrubs)
Use 2 in 1 shampoo/conditioner bottles to cut your hair washing time in half to help save your energy
When needed, only wash areas that are more prone to sweating or are more likely to need cleaned; its okay if you don’t have the energy to wash every single aspect of your body everyday when you’re struggling
Don’t take a shower, take a bath; if standing feels too draining and you’d rather be consumed by warmth and comfort, go for a bath instead!
Use dry shampoo and body wipes only in areas prone to sweating if getting into the bath and shower are both not on the table right now.
If you’re in a relationship or have someone close willing to help, have them help you wash your hair as well as helping wash off in general if you’re comfortable! For example, they can help you scrub your back and areas that may take more effort such as your legs. If you’re not comfortable with complete nudity, throw on a bathing suit or swim trunks!! If the person helping you is your partner, you can turn the moment into a loving, special moment for the two of you.
how to take care of your skin when you’re depressed
Skincare routines are almost non-existent for most people who struggle with depression. If you’re struggling to shower, there’s no way we’re getting ourselves to do a 23-part skin care routine. Here are some simple things to try instead!
Wash your face in the shower; another task to get two birds with one stone!
If the idea of skincare routines seems daunting to you because its not fun, you can find and use products that smell or look aesthetically pleasing to find it more rewarding
Use a moisturizer that also has sunscreen in it; this is a simple way to focus on skin health for your face and protection from the sun with minimal effort
how to do your laundry when you’re depressed
Laundry is another task that takes multiple steps, a good amount of time, and good memory to accomplish. Good memory? Oh, did you forget that depression comes with memory loss, forgetfullness, and blurred thoughts? Those clothes you threw in the washer have now mildewed and you have to rewash them for the… third time? Laundry for a depressed person is a t-a-s-k, man. Not only can the laundry itself feel like a problem, but so can not having enough clothes to wear when there are no clean clothes left to wear.
When it comes to tips for doing laundry itself, set alarms as reminders to switch the laundry over
Make doing laundry…. fun!! (blast your happy jams, light a few candles, add some fun lighting, and make it feel like a party)
Have laundry days with your partner to help encourage you to get your laundry done or folded at the same time; accountability and having someone to do it with actually does make it easier!
If you’re struggling to get in your washes, you can re-wear hoodies and loose clothing around the house to help save from having to do as many washes
It also helps to stock up on the necessary clothing items that shouldn’t be reworn like underwear and socks
If your depression is impact your hygiene in your day to day life, this may be a great time to look into therapy for additional support and techniques to create positive and permanent changes in your life!
Once again, do not feel ashamed or embarrassed that your depression is making it hard to take care of yourself; you are not alone in this! I hope these hacks help in your progress, but there is always further help out there to help get you onto the right track.
