In our regular weekly spot where we talk about mental health, a few words on the difficult subject of hygiene.
There are some topics relating to disability and health that are seen as taboo or embarrassing. But they are legitimate issues and need to be addressed, if for no other reason than to tell someone that they are not alone.
One of the main ones is hygiene.
When a person dealing with ongoing mental or physical health conditions feels too ill or overwhelmed, they are known to put their hygiene on the back burner. Days, or longer, spent without washing. Wearing the same outfit day-in and day-out without doing laundry, or sometimes not even getting dressed. Brushing their teeth gets forgotten. Hair is either tangled or simply pulled into the easiest style to avoid much effort.
And, yes – these can lead to difficult situations in which they can become visibly dishevelled or are accompanied by a less-than-pleasing odour.
I know because I have been there.
To really show solidarity, I will reveal some awkward truths about myself: I can go days or even a week without a bath or shower, I consider myself to be highly motivated if I brush my teeth once a day, my hair is often brushed back into a simple ponytail, and I rarely dress unless I am going out.
I am a lot better at caring for myself than I used to be, but there is still a long way to go.
There are a few ways I try to keep it from becoming too severe. For example, I always put my main clothes through a wash cycle once a week, and I do dress when I am going out or am expecting someone. Therefore, I am always confident in the fact I am always wearing clean clothes.
I will never leave my home without having washed myself thoroughly. On the days I am unable to stand in a shower, I will sit in a bath. On the days I can’t handle a bath, I spend a few minutes in a quick shower using one soap to clean my entire body. That also means my hair is freshly washed and styled into a neater ponytail or bun. I also ensure my teeth are freshly brushed and my breath minty fresh.
To further aid my confidence in how I am perceived, I also am always in possession of a bottle of perfume, a packet of mints, some tissues, and hand sanitiser to allow me to ‘top up’ that feeling of being clean while I am out.
But, there were days when that wasn’t the case and I truly had been known to leave the home in rumpled clothes I had worn for days, unwashed, greasy hair, teeth unbrushed, and the scent unappealing. I know other people are dealing with that, also.
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The fact is that nobody wakes up as perfectly put together as they do in the movies, and not everyone has daily routines involving skin care, make up, hair styling, and clothes changes reminiscent of a shopping montage in front of the mirror. It takes time. It takes effort.
And it takes a strength that not everyone has.
If you are struggling, you are still valid and it is perfectly okay to seek ‘hacks’ to make it easier.
If you know someone is struggling, please pick one of two options. Either offer support or keep shtum.
Poor hygiene is a sad fact of life for a lot of people, and often an indicator of a deeper issue. Let’s try to be more understanding of others, and most importantly be forgiving of ourselves.
We’re all just doing the best we can.
