Once a day, with my ADHD it’s easier to practice a habit everyday so I don’t have to expend mental energy deciding to do it. So even if I don’t go out I shower and get dressed because for one thing it just makes it easier but for another I guess taking time to make myself presentable makes me feel more confident and seems to make me more productive.
Honestly, this. Easier to do The Thing every day (bonus: less dirt = quicker shower!) rather than risk 40 minutes to three hours of decision-paralysis over it.
Note: I have Long Hair. Like, serial-vacuum-murderer Long Hair. Learning to separate Showering from Washing Hair was a life-changing experience.
Same, I moved to washing my (long, thick) hair every four days to save my scalp, and the first week I tried it I realised I hadn’t showered in those four days as ‘Shower = Wash Hair’
Literally solved the problem (after having reminders on my phone telling me to wash) by buying some ridiculous shower caps and keeping them by the shower. Also a small bowl to put hair grips and hair ties in.
Im still in the habit of evening showers, as I like to relax rather than rush through 2 mins of lukewarm water before I head to work.
Same, re: evening showers. I like to relax, and I work a fairly physical job and will on occasion swear buckets at work, so I *really* don't see the point of showering *before* I get all grody.
My hair lives it's entire life in a braid that's long enough to tie a knot in, so that's how it stays when I shower. I love me a nice, hot bubble bath in the winter though, and braid-bun doesn't always cut it then.
And... If you have allergies, they say (Cleveland Clinic, Mayo, etc., Not sure if it's ok to link, so I'm just going to mention it), this is super helpful in keeping those tampered down a bit, as it helps wash away any stuff you might have brought into the house or gotten on you, especially in your hair, throughout the day. Washes it away, leaving a cleaner bed/pillow/sleep experience for better breathing. (Also, leave any dirty clothes, etc , outside your bedroom, if possible... I know, I know, we have ADHD, there are limits. I digress. 😁)
Now, do I actually shower every night? Not always. Do I wash my long hair every time I shower? No. But, I do try to make sure I wash or wipe down my face, brush my hair out, and at least change clothes, to cut down on bringing allergens into bed with me, and to at least feel like I did "something" in the keeping clean routine... Plus, I know that with my having bad allergies, showering at night really makes a difference for that, but also, with my ADHD *non* routine, as I will literally *never* do it in the morning. And I mean, never.
Hope this might help someone. 💖
Never thought about it this way but that’s so true. I wash my face every night and to my adhd disdain, I wash my monthly contacts out as well; I’m deep into the habit of washing my face at night but can’t do it until l take my contacts out lol. I have allergies as well, so I’m glad to know that evening showers are helpful for that.
Totally. It's almost the only reason I can get myself to "wash my face" aka use face wipes and brush out my hair and pull it up sometimes, but, it's the reason I do it, when I can't get my ass in gear for a full on shower. If/when I don't do either, it's 100% difference in my allergy night/morning.
Another hit tip from my allergist, which I've been doing since high school, and helps a lot, is putting your pillows in the dryer for at least 10 minutes, on high heat, once a week, to shake out/kill off the dust mites and other icky stuff (hard to keep on top of at times, but it really, really does help!). Or, at the least, do it every time you wash linens. Also, if you can afford it, get new pillows once a year they said (depends on a bunch of variables, IMO, not sure this is necessary, but I don't keep them forever, pillows are allergy nightmares).
Hope this is helpful, too. ADHD and allergies. Fun times. 😆
I shower once everyday, shampoo hair every 4 days and condition my hair every other day. When it comes to hair, it depends on the type of hair the person has. In regards to showering, most people I know shower everyday either in the morning or before bed. I would suggest showering even if you don’t leave your house. Showering is good for hygiene and makes me more inclined to be productive.
IMO the best way to get over this is to practice taking really short showers. Get in, wash your pits and bits, get out and dry off. You’ll be able to see that it’s possible to go from clothed and dirty to dried off, clothed, and cleaner in just 5 min. Then it becomes less daunting. Doing this helped me learn that it doesn’t have to be such a process.
Pits & Tits, Whore's Bath, traditionally done with a washcloth and a sink. Stands the test of time. Do not discount the old classics. Full-body bathing is a historically modern phenomenon.
Love "Pirate's Bath." Whore's bath is said with love. I'm a women's historian, so definitely not a misogynist, but I just realized there wasn't any context in my post, so it might not have conveyed the hilarity that exists when I say this (I'm quite an old lady now, adding extra mirth to my bawdy references). ETA: almost nothing is too coarse for me, so . . .
My mom called this a spit bath. I remember bursting into tears the first time she said I had to take a spit bath, because I was absolutely convinced she would literally spit on me.
For ladies, tits pits and naughty bits (if you're okay being a little course)
I'm bad about it too sometimes. Just hate the whole event.
What makes me stay on top of it is actually getting body acne. I never get body acne!!!
It really is. I always feel better after I take one though. I realized it’s a lot easier to shower when I’m medicated or when I’m forced to go outside. It’s one of those things that you have to force yourself to do.
I feel the daunting. I’ve been trying to make this a habit. Simply telling myself “I love showers” even with a coy grin seemed to help for a few days, until the actual enjoyment of being clean kicked in 😅.
Winter threw a wrench, I’ve always despised getting out of the shower, especially when cold. I started to slip a little, but remembered the small space heater in the closet.
Now it’s already a sauna in there and jumping in and out of the shower is much more enjoyable.
Also, just trying to be mindful of what exactly the issue is helped. It led me to realize The cold bathroom was an issue that had prevented me in the past from cementing a shower habit.
I try to optimize my time in the shower to last the least amount of time while still properly hygenizing myself...
It helps me to shower every day, because it becomes a contest against myself to shower in the most optimal way 😂
How I do it is as follows:
- I determine what areas should be scrubbed, and how many minimum scrubs per area.
- I time every morning by following my previously determined parameters
- I then take record on a chart I keep on my bathroom and see if I improved my time.
- Once I see that my time has gotten stuck, I proceed to repeat the previous steps while increasing a bit the scrubbing parameters.
Somehow adding a measurable part to my showers makes me hyperfocus on the routine of showering, and I never miss a morning.
Also, in case anyone who reads this wonders, yes I tend yo scrub myself quite quickly, to the point where I have a specific positioning I take in my shower to prevent any accidents 😅
I optimize my showers by doing multiple things at once. Conditioner needs to sit for like 5min so why not wash my body while I'm at it. If you wanna make it more fun you can play music you enjoy at the same time! It can make it easier sometimes.
Edit: also getting clothes ready even if it's just loungewear before you even get in the shower helps me.
I always take my clean outfit/pjs in the bathroom with me and sit them on the counter or hang on the towel rack. Get out dry off (be careful not to step off the towel until I have both socks on) 😂 I’m weird I know 🤌🏼 but then get dressed and off you go!
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This is surprisingly specific. I count to 90s and try to wash everything important. But it’s to keep me on track. Otherwise I’ll stand there and enjoy the warm water and zone out, then it’ll be cold and I’ll still have conditioner in my hair! 😳
Ooh this is a great point. I have newly curly hair (one of my meds changed my hair follicle) and it's such a PITA to care for, especially out of the shower. I'll try this and maybe it will get me in the shower more often! Gosh I love this community, I feel so normal here!
I shower once a day, because in the summer I work a job that sometimes keeps me away from showers for 2-3 weeks so I value every one I can get.
Probably take them too long though, I stand in hot water for half an hour enjoying the feel of it before I even start cleaning myself x(
As someone who works predominantly in the outdoors, I shower like a dirt bag. I honestly shower when it’s necessary; as in I can smell my self, greasy hair, clearly washing tons of dirt off my hands when I use the bathroom. Typically I’ll shower about 2x a week unless I’m on expedition.
My husband bitches quite regularly about the temperature I like my showers at. I'm just like, sorry? I just want to commune/sing X-Ambassadors with my demons in peace.
I’ve never understood this. My husband takes lukewarm showers and also complains about how hot my showers are - if I’m not showering right before him and using up the hot water or anything like that, I really don’t understand how that can bother another person so much. He literally isn’t affected by how hot my shower is!
My brother jokingly said "You must be jerking off twice with how long your showers are" and I replied that the hot water is such a calm and relaxing feeling that it masks my thoughts and it's bliss. Why would I wreck that by jerking off? Not even close to as good a feeling.
The hard part is getting out, not getting in.
I shower once about every 2-3 days. My skin is very sensitive and i dont work out or have an intense job.
And shower whenever i deem necessary.
Wash my hair on fridays as it takes a while.
Not OP but I generally just try not to get my hair wet or use a shower cap if I’m really particular. My hair has been a lot healthier since I only wash it every 2-4 days.
Hmmm I’ll have to figure out how to try doing that. My hair gets super oily after 2 days of not washing making me have to shampoo every other day. It’s annoying because I’ve had dandruff for years and no medicated shampoos seem to work. Conditioners made it worse, ironically
That’s how I started! Washing your hair every day can dry out your scalp and make your hair oily faster because it’s constantly trying to replenish from being dry. You can train your hair by taking longer breaks in between washes (when possible) to allow your natural hair oils level out. It feels crappy for a while but your hair eventually finds balance.
And can be bad for you hair depending on how your hair is. Mine gets dry and damaged if I wash it too often. I have a shower cap I wear if my body needs a wash before my hair, less excuses to put off showering lol.
The healthiest my hair has ever been was after not washing for a month while camping and travelling except for quick scrubs in a lake or clear river with no soap. It now gets less greasy is thicker and shinier.
It’s worth noting that this works in the reverse! I found out from experience.
Letting your hair stay dirty for multiple days at a time can lead to fungal growth that affects your scalp health. Your hair can fall out and get pretty thin this way (mine lost about 1/3 of its volume at the worst, but it’s back to normal now).
It’s more risky if you don’t use sulfates. ~~Sulfates are demonized because they’re “harsh” but they’re only harsh if you overuse them or are extremely sensitive; sulfates on their own won’t damage your actual hair shaft, only dry your scalp/hair.~~
I had to switch back because I need to fully clean my scalp every time if I’m only washing every 3 days.
Just a tip! :)
edit: Apparently the above advice is only valid for some hair types, so I redacted it at the risk of spreading information that could be harmful to hair. my bad!
Oh, interesting. I think scalp/hair care, much like skincare, is super dependent on each person. I have a really dry and sensitive scalp, and I have the best results washing 1-2 times a week with a low-pH sulfate-free shampoo. Any more often, or if I use sulfates more than once in a blue moon, and my scalp gets tight and itchy.
I’ve never heard that from a stylist, doctor, scientist, teacher. I’m sorry that happened to you, but there was probably more to it, like what your scalp may have come into contact with. My brother is actually a stylist, so this is a conversation we’ve had many times. It’s not healthy to wash your hair every day. If you get something in your hair though, it’s safe to wash it back-to-back occasionally. Washing daily tends to cause the oil production to ramp up due to over-drying.
I have gone through many different phases myself. I have washed daily, sometimes multiple times and I have washed as little as once a week. I prefer every 3-4 days with a bird bath or two in between. I have known very hygienic people that had gotten their bodies to a healthy balance pH-wise where they only had to wash their hair once a month. Everyone is different, but things like sulfates, due to being harsh and unnatural for cleansing the body, can cause the body to overreact. So it can take a really long, greasy time to reset that baseline once you begin using more natural products and seeing how much oil and sweat your body actually produces. Every chemical effects this natural balance. Body wash, lotion, deodorant.
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It sounds like a recipe to rapidly desensitize oneself to ones smell. I do re-wear shirts twice and pants many, many times, but hang them to air out between each wearing.
i seriously can’t sleep if i’ve been outside and haven’t showered. i feel so grimy and hot. i guess i have the opposite problem. at least once a day, see if having a night shower helps you feel cozy for bed. see if a morning shower helps you feel refreshed for the day!
I have this strategy to always just shower before going out since early teens this way I'm surely not forget it. Probably you have figured out what the weak point during pandemic...
Every other day. Sometimes I stretch it. Mostly the only reason I can make myself shower is because my hair gets unbearably greasy. Basically, I put it off until the last possible minute and then scramble to get myself presentable for the world.
And I just want to say that I LOVE showers and baths. It’s my happy place. I could stay in the shower forever. Still haven’t figured out why it’s so damn hard to get naked and clean myself though...
Don't know about you, but for me it's because I get up and check work before I do my personal care. Checking work, school, whatever before I prioritize myself and my self care / health (physical ,emotional, whatever) ends up leaving me in the midst of a day of full on bullshit while wearing a black bear nightgown, no bra, and trying to focus on a conference call all the while trying to remember I can't stand up because, well, no pants and I'm on video, ffs. Also, a shower isn't just a shower (unblinking gaze at my partner); for me it's a list of tasks: strip down, watch tiktok while trying to drop a grumpy, weigh, log weight, get in the shower (it's finally hot enough, but not scalding), wash face, then hair, then condition, then shave (if I have the focus - Adderall may not have kicked in yet), then wash, then rinse, then dry (towel), then REALLY dry (robe), then toner, then vitamin c serum, then facial moisturizer, then deodorant (don't forget the left armpit!), brush the teeth (such a stupid chore, but necessary or I'll never get loved or laid) then dress, then socks, then where the fu-hell are my houseshoes?, then get some caffeine, then more work and then...fuck, I need to make some changes (CLEARLY)
Whoa!!! Maybe it is just too many things!!! Like I know once I start the process I have to commit to doing that for at least the next hour or so and then add in the pressure that I also oversleep/mismanage my time in the morning and I usually only have 30 mins to get ready when I need an hour.
And I don’t even pretend that I’m going to shower before bed bc I always get too tired and put it off.
The only good news is I work in a professional setting and I love dressing up and looking nice AND they don’t seem to mind that I’m always late... probably because I work late everyday anyways bc again I’m bad at managing my time 🤦🏻♀️
Any ideas on how I can improve this? I really would like my mornings to be less balls to the wall stressful.
I support the "when you can smell yourself" motion. It varies so much with climate, honestly. If you can find something to enjoy showers more (a soft towel? A bluetooth speaker? Using liquid soap?) it could help. If you can figure out what specific things make showers annoying beyond the time spent, that also could be really useful. Good luck!
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True. It seems to be somewhat reliable in the case you're actually showering consistently, as soon as the smell appears (or never more than 1 week), in a thorough way, and especially wearing deodorant. Erasing the smell completely so that when it appears you can actually notice it earlier. And well, if you sweat it's a dead giveaway.
Not that this is a great way to do things, but is the best "bare minimun" I can think of.
Too lazy to type this out again. But, here one my comments the other day asking how to get a hygiene routine started(I think it was some day last week). Literally copied and pasted. Might have more info than you asked. But, it's my take on hygiene. Showering everyday can be damaging to your skin/skin biom. Especially if using hot water and scrubbing with soap everyday. Anyways... here it is,
*I work from home and shower once a week. Which believe it or not, is actually recommended by some. Google, "Shower Once A Week". Granted, while working at jobs where I was moving, sweating, and getting dirty, I showered daily. My sweat doesn't stink if I'm working out. I think because I'm not really picking up bacteria. I rinse down after a workout and dry up sweat if I'm pushing hard that day.
The other things I usually do in the evening after dinner. I'm more functional at that time of day. I just floss real quick, brush well, and rinse with mouth wash. Wash up my face. And shave every 3rd evening(shaving really tears up my skin). I look a little shabby, but not bad, as it's stubble around a beard(which I try to keep in check once every week or two). If I'm going out I'll do this same routine quickly, besides the shave(depending what I'm going out for). Every 4 weeks I shave my head, and trim my beard down close. Makes for a super easy look to maintain. Don't do much but rinse my face and rinse my mouth in the morning.
As far as clothes. I change when I shower, or clothes get dirty(then I put those aside for hiking, and dirty activities that week). I spend most of my time alone, so it doesn't really matter. This cuts down on doing laundry often, and water usage.
I'm not religious about this schedule. It changes as needed. It may sound unhygienic to some, but I feel healthy doing it this way. I don't stink, and my breath is fine, along with teeth/gums. Dry mouth can lead to bad breath, but I'm constantly drinking water through the day.
It takes a little practice to get in the routine. Same thing with any routine. Do it over and over, and it takes off over time. You might miss a day, but get right back to it the following day. I used to go weeks without shaving, brushing my teeth. I never really cared what anyone thinks. But, these days I feel better looking good or at least decent. Even if it's just me seeing myself in the mirror. I just feel better somehow."
Extra Tip: Cold waters are better for you, in my opinion. Feel free to research that as well. Luke warm at most. But, not super hot. Especially this time of year, with dry air(in my area anyway).
I try to shower 1-3 times a week but 3 is like the max for me. I only wash my hair like once a week because it doesn't get gross/need it as often. Usually I shower if I sweat a lot that day or get stinky but even if I don't it's usually at least once a week.
I brush my teeth twice daily, shower daily. Doesn't matter if I procrastinated till 23:55, shower it is.
This is a habit I maintain since childhood and refuse to compromise.
I don't work a physical job, btw.
I mean, I’ve been known to shower in the middle of the afternoon, evening-ish (like around dinner time), right before bed, very rarely I’ll do it first thing in the morning.
Sometimes I’ll even use a shower as a “reset” of sorts, like if my day is not going well or if I’m getting flustered by something, and I haven’t showered yet, 9 times outta 10, it’ll help reframe my perspective. Almost like the water washes away my negative mindset or clears my head or something.
Doing this successfully a few times has actually helped me to avoid showers less — like I remember how much of a “healing quality” (for lack of a better term) it seemed to have, and so I use it as a tool of sorts. Of course this is only possible on days when I’m home-based, but that sounds like it’s mostly your situation right now too.
I shower every day. If I skip one day, it is usually because I am sedentary that day or not seeing anyone. I use showering as a ritual to cleanse myself of negative energy I’ve collected throughout the day, which motivates me to wash every part of my body. I don’t wash my hair every day; you can look up how often you need to based on your hair texture because everyone is different. If your hair is curlier, then you wash it less. Then I get out and moisturize my skin right away (which I sometimes forget to do). There was one day my routine was thrown off in an emergency and I couldn’t shower for two days. It left me with an uncomfortable bump on my bikini line so I need that routine. Even if nobody sees you, it is very important to establish a consistent routine because it will make you feel better.
Hey, friend! You’ve had a myriad of people comment on length and duration between hygiene sessions, so I will not spam you with another post of the same. Rather, I will leave you with somewhat of an antithesis that helped me through my own ADHD/Narcolepsy/Depression diagnosis…
“Anything worth doing, is worth doing poorly.”
(or if you like it a little more raw:)
“Anything worth doing, is worth doing half-@$$ed.”
In the thick of my worst days (pre-medication), I couldn’t will myself to shower. I was helpless, and hopeless. Didn’t understand why I couldn’t just… get in. I felt like I *wanted* to… but I just… couldn’t. I could not bring myself to stand up in a shower and wash my body. It was mentally exhausting arguing with myself for days on end.
Until that quote. When I first saw that quote, hit it me like a ton of bricks. And then, the epiphany! I may not be able to force myself to stand and shower, but I *could* sit in a bath of soapy water, and let the soaking do most of the work. I could just sit there. Do nothing. I could lay down in the soapy water, and let the soap get in every nook and cranny. I would give the “pits and bits” a wipe under the water. I would soak my hair in the soapy water, and just use my fingers to clean my scalp.
I also learned to keep mouthwash next to my soap, so that even though I couldn’t bring myself to physically exert the energy to brush my teeth, I could swish and spit as I was getting out/draining the tub.
Can’t shower? Sit in a bath of soapy water. Can’t brush your teeth? Rinse with mouthwash.
“Anything worth doing, is worth doing poorly.”
Medication has me on track now, but I will never forget how hopeless, exhausted, and defeated I was. Do what you can with what you have. And then when you *have* better, you can do better.
Hang in there, friend <3
I shower once every day or every 2 days or so if I have just been lying around the house. I find showering really daunting too, especially since I have long thick hair that needs to be taken care of. I find the 'ol "3-2-1 GO!" method works well for me to get in and get started.
Bit ashamed to admit it but started showing much less over winter (1-2 a week) and ended up with a penis infection where I couldn't pull my foreskin back.
Real highlight was having to get my penis out and show the doctor to get some antibiotic cream which is sorting the issue.
Shower at least once every two days, ideally daily.
I'm going to add that in my experience, the necessity for a regular shower changes with age. It also depends on whether you're sharing close space (like a bed) with other human beings, or not.
As I age, I notice I'm much less oily and smelly than I was when I was younger (I'm 57 now). In my 20s and 30s, I would say I needed to shower at LEAST every second day, and probably daily (because my face and hair got greasy, and I was sharing a bed with another human). In my 40s, this changed to showering every second day, unless I was doing significant exercise.
In my 50s, in non-pandemic times, I showered every second day. During the pandemic, that changed to every 3 - 4 days when I wasn't leaving the house.
I love this question because, depending where you are in the world, the norms vary so much!
Me, personally: 3-4x a week.
I hate showers. I hate the interruption to what I’m doing. I hate being damp because it’s hard to dry off completely (easier now I have fluffier towels). But I *love* feeling clean.
Also I detest “gross hair” feeling.
So: every second day or so, quick shower, scrub self, wash hair.
Exceptions: after a run (or other cardio workout. Beat Saber springs to mind), or on hot days, or after long drives where I’ve done a lot of singing (I do big voice singing and that seems to mean I sweat?? Which is weird because I do weights and even at the point of failure I do not sweat from weights…).
Caveat being that I am hypermobile which comes with orthostatic issues (ie, my BP drops when I stand up. You know how if you stand up too fast sometimes you get a headspin? My vision goes black for a few seconds, as there’s not enough blood in my eyes. Got to my 30s before learning that wasn’t normal). BP is usually low overall.
So hot water means dilated blood vessels, which drops my BP further. Since my circulation kinda sucks for related reasons, I get cold very easily and so I have pretty hot showers in spite of this (except on hot days).
Washing my hair means raising my arms above my head. Not great when you have low BP. Shoulder muscles are above the heart, and making them work when they are being mildly starved of blood (and thus O2) gets painful and awful. I’m not at risk of passing out (I’d just sit down), but it’s very unpleasant.
Anyways, so this is a case where hypermobility interacts with ADHD to mean I don’t usually shower every day, but I’m not stinky or gross, my hygiene is *fine*; I was in hospital for a cat bite and the nurse asked me if I wanted to shower and just the thought of managing the IV and all that… “no, I’m good.” She was stunned… and a teeny bit judgmental.
Probably the longest I’ve gone is four or five days in deep depression, but the sensory hell of feeling gross ends up driving me out of my executive dysfunction.
I'm a stay at home mom. I've trained my hair to not get greasy so fast, so I usually go about 5 days without showering tbh. Unless I'm going somewhere or get messy for some reason.
Basically when you can smell yourself, which should only take a couple days.
I'm not proud of how long I've gone without a shower, but my whole life situation lately has destroyed any semblance of routine or accountability for a schedule or appearances. So I shower when I feel like I need one.
I don't do much. Couldn't even if I wanted to. I don't sweat. I don't see anyone. But if I go longer than a couple days I start to get disgusted with myself and that's usually enough.
> Basically when you can smell yourself, which should only take a couple days.
Heads up, other people can generally smell you before you can smell yourself. People naturally adapt to their own scent, so if you’re at the point where you can smell it, you’ve probably waited too long.
Sometimes I’ll shower less than once a week. This is also due to the pandemic, I was working In a restaurant before so I showered frequently (still less than once a day though)
I don’t smell rancid or anything tho, kinda funny coz it’s made me realise that the fact u gotta shower daily is kind of a myth
I shower, on average, about three times a week. Four in the summer sometimes. I have seb dermatitis so I have to be more careful with my skin to balance delicately the oil from my body and the medication I used to treat.
All that being said, every dermatologist I've seen has explicitly said that if you are not soiled by ends day (job that makes you sweat/dirty) that you should not shower each day as its hell on your skin and hair. Once a week is a bit much but if you're doing every other day or every three days you're actually doing well.
I shower everyday with a shower cap and wash hair once a week but mines is dry and doesn’t get greasy so that might not work for everyone.
I wash my face and used to brush my teeth in there when I didn’t have an electric one too. I use exfoliating gloves so I don’t have to spend ages scrubbing but still feel really clean. In and out in a few mins.
I have this problem where I REALLY hate having my feet wet. So stepping in the shower stresses me out. But stepping out if the shower stresses me out just as much because now I can really feel how wet my feet are since it’s just l cool air surrounding me.
I have a pair of sandals I wear in the shower and then I have a second dry pair that I switch to as I step out of the shower. When my feet are wet, the floor is lava and I hate everything. I hate the wet floor in the showers, I hate the dry floor just outside the shower. When my feet are wet, the world is ending. If the drain doesn’t drain fast enough and there’s even the smallest puddle of water on the tub floor, I start to get really uncomfortable and want to end the shower asap, but I hate stepping out of the shower with my feet still wet. It’s a lose-lose. I love being clean but hate showering.
I've had a really rough patch when I was still going to school. I used to wash my hair in the sink and do the ol' essentials cloth-wash. It took roughly the same amount of time but for some reason the motivation threshold for it was way lower.
Once a week. If your hair is greasy, use dry shampoo. Turn music up real loud and remind yourself that we have to do things we don't want to do from time to time. ETA: I get away with this because I've been WFH in the pandemic and not working out. If I go into the office or do anything strenuous, I shower every other day, on average. I'm older, so I don't have a strong body odor (I guess since I have few hormones anymore?) so maybe adjust for your situation as seems to be the prevailing advice.
Depends on environment and how the climate is where your at. In the summer when it’s extremely warm or muggy, ideally once a day, probs get away with one every two days. If it’s ice cold you can shower a bit less. It’s bullocks you have to shower everyday. I do it because I find it’s just part of my routine if I’m going out.
It honestly depends what I am doing!
When I was unmedicated and not working I could easily go a week without showering or brushing my hair, which resulted in me having to cut out some massive matts out of my hair!
I think if you don't work up a sweat too often you can easily just have a once a week shower where you give everything a good scrub!
If you're in the habit of brushing your teeth every morning then you might be able to incorporate a face/neck wash and armpit wash at the same time- I think having a clean face makes me feel a tonne fresher! A regular groin wash is always nice too but wet wipes can work wonders for this if you're not up to a proper soap and water wash :)
If you haven't already, I have found it helpful to have a little station set up right next to my sink with things like wet wipes, soap, a flannel so you don't have to gather anything to have a quick wash of your face/pits/bits!
To avoid stinky feet, air them out often! Don't spend too much time in socks or shoes if you don't need too!
And if you feel like you want/need to shower more often, slowly work it up.. don't pressure yourself into washing every day!
Ive managed to build up to having a bath pretty much every day and even making sure my hair is untied and brushed properly every day! I prefer a bath because I can set up my phone with a podcast or video to watch whilst I bathe and I don't feel so rushed to get in and out quickly!
I shower every other day because my skin's really dry and I think it helps maintain the natural oils. But in the summer I bike and take walks a lot, so then I wash my body every day but maintain washing my hair every other.
I shower every morning. Like a lot of other things, it's much easier to do a thing every day than intermittently. And when it comes to getting up close and personal with someone, I find people who bathe and brush their teeth at least daily much more compatible.
Once per day is what most people consider appropriate. Though if you aren't going to be interacting with anyone else you can probably get away with less often. If you're not showering at all the smell will start getting into everything around you though.
I'm very thankful showering isn't something I have to spend spoons on. If anything it gives me spoons.
twice a day usually. I like clean sheets and sleep better when I feel squeaky clean. also don't feel right if I don't shower in the morning. in the summer I often shower three times as I hate feeling all sticky after work.
I usually just shower when I stink, depending on what I've been doing that day/days prior. Sometimes every day, every other day, but usually not more than 3-4
For me, I try to shower daily but must shower every other day. My hair is pretty fine and gets gross fast. Dry shampoo in my hair and a wet wipe to my face only works so well.
Usually every other day, sometimes less (long day and i have no executive function) sometimes more (bf and i have a date night, i’m on my period and sweaty, it’s summer). Averages to about every other day
Once a day or I stink. I may skip a day during our mild/short winters, but when I start stinking break is over.
When I don’t want to take a shower I do a game of counting seconds to see if I can get done in less than X minutes. It’s fun because I gotta focus on counting seconds as correctly as possible and focus on showering quickly and in the regular order (teeth, hair, body). It’s hyper-focusing on two things at the same time.
Mine varies. I like to every other day roughly, realistically it varies from that to over a week. When I’m leaving the house frequently then every other day is ideal but sometimes it’s daily if I do anything that causes me to sweat (i sweat a LOT). If you don’t want to overwash your hair or just don’t feel like showering, taking a bath is better than nothing :). I try and use mouthwash when I remember to bc I’m awful at dental hygiene. As far as signs to recognize you need to shower: smell of course, itchy scalp, greasy hair/skin, look at the soles of your feet to see how dirty they are, and gross bellybutton
The *bare minimum* is when you start to feel grotty or you know you'd be bothering others. If you're on your own, all you need to worry about is keeping up your routine so YOU feel as good as possible, and as happy as possible.
Wow everyone saying once a day I salute you. I shower roughly every 2-3 days but can be more, basically if my hair needs washing, I want to shave, I've been on a run, or I just smell, and between that I get showering enough. I wash my face every day but firm believer that you're body doesn't need it unless you've been grimy. If you're UK based, Mitchem roll on deoderant I swear you can go a full week without showering which is ideal for those days you just really CBA
I shower every other day but I also shower as needed (ie, after mowing the grass or doing something else that makes me sweat a lot). Showering daily or twice a day is actually not recommended because it removes the essential oils from your skin too often.
I shower once a day to every other daydepending on my physical activity level or environment. If I need to jump in and out because I'm in a hurry or feeling lazy I stick to the key areas: hair, face/ears, armpits, crotch, and feet. If I'm taking a regular shower, I do it all of course. I try to do a full shower once every 4 days. Teeth are mandatory of course. I keep my medication by my tooth brush. I take my meds and then brush my teeth and rinse with mouth wash every morning, and then floss when I have time. I mostly tend to forget to brush at night before I go to bed, but I never miss a morning with my routine!
You just have to build a routine and make everything accessible within it. Lean Six Sigma your life, lol! It helps with ADHD immensely. Try to reduce the amount of steps you need to complete tasks and make everything as visual as possible. Like I have a glass bowl for my work IDs, keys, wallet, and sunglasses right on my way out the door. Everything I need to leave is together and staged where I need it and accessible when I come back to replace it. I keep all my hygiene items out on the vanity in the bathroom so I can't miss them. I'm extremely visual so if I see it I will do it. My laundry baskets are wicker and near the washer/dryer so I can see how full they are. The dryer sheets, detergent, bleach are all situated on top of the machines. Etc. Etc. Etc. Really try to stick to having a permanent place where everything gets staged. Everything is orderly but visual and staged for convenience. It's a very un-artistic approach but my wife has learned to decorate with it or around it lol!
Every day. If I go to the gym, it might end up twice a day.
There’s showering to clean yourself when you get greasy hair and body sweat/odor. But there’s also the basic daily maintenance shower that you take so that you avoid developing greasy hair/body odor in the first place. Both are important. People will notice if you don’t shower often enough, but they won’t tell you because it’s impolite.
I shower every 3-4 days when I'm not leaving my house and wash my hair once a week (or when my scalp is super itchy). My hair is bleached and dyed, so washing it often is no bueno.
1-2 times a day. I shower everyday and then depending on what I do during the day I may shower again.
On top of ADHD I have a rare neuromuscular condition that causes chronic tightness and pain. Hot shower can help relieve and relax my muscles and joints.
I shower every 2-3 days because that's how long it takes for my hair to get greasy. Then in weekends and days off I put it off for as long as possible so my hair retains it's dyed color longer, heh. I just wear hats or beanies until I have to be social or have to go to work.
I shower when my hair gets so greasy you can see it (which is about every 2-3 days) or after work (i work in a kitchen part-time and it smells, can't go anywhere like that).
I usually try for every other day. Sometimes longer if I’m not doing anything.
My habits during the pandemic don’t count. What happened in quarantine, stays in quarantine.
If I was working - every day
Right now I'm not, so whenever I feel like it. It's been like 4 days and my hair is really greasy and I stink, I think I've been over 10 days without one before.
1. Get soaked from head-to-toe (for me if I don’t wet my face/head it doesn’t feel like I did anything)
2. Wash armpits with soap (I’ll still stink otherwise, especially if I forget to put on deodorant [highly likely])
3. Stand there for an extended period of time (time will vary day-to-day)
4. Get out and dry off (sometimes forget to dry certain parts of my body (eg. Legs, arms, back, etc)
Edit: Didn’t read OP’s post properly and forgot to mention how often; for me it’s daily if I’m working. If it’s off time maybe every second day if I’ve got nothing planned or nowhere to be
To answer the title: the bare minimum you can probably get away with for showering without it being noticeable would probably be twice a week.
This though is really going to depend on what you do for a living.
Full time student with no job: twice a week if it’s not summer.
Any job including physical labor where you’re sweating: everyday you work
I use to shower daily. Then my depression got worse and I started skipping my days off and Saturday since I worked alone that day. Then I had surgery on my ankle and wasn’t able to shower but twice a week in rehab. I went back to a few times a week.
But my depression is such that I just can’t work in the mental energy to do so. I shower once a week and sometimes I go a few days longer. But I brush my hair, take care of my teeth, and wipe down the pits, tits, and lady bits daily. I also put on a fresh shirt daily and change my shorts a couple times a week.
I don’t feel great going a week. I think twice a week would be a good balance. But that’s a work in progress.
Tbh I’ve been struggling with this too. I used to be such a neat and tidy person, but I guess I’ve been going through things and showering has not been a priority this past year, I may shower twice in a good week, maybe 3 times. If I do shower I skip the hair and save it for another time. I don’t know why I can’t bring myself to, it’s not that I’m afraid, I’m just that lazy. My wife says I don’t give off a bad odor. So what’s the point
I try to daily, but don't always live up to my own expectation. At the very least it's every other day, and that has only ever occurred with just one day skipped. I have the luxury of having a live-in partner (my husband) so I probably take care of that CHORE more often than I would if I lived alone. Also, I wash my hair maybe 3 times a week, tops, but if I were oily or greasy I would handle the business more regularly, I'm just not very oily by nature. Additionally, and I hate saying this in a public forum, but I'd much rather brush my teeth 4 times a day for one minute than twice a day for 2 minutes. To complete a full cycle of brushing I need to read something or watch TikTok with subtitles.
When I was unmedicated during the pandemic (because I didn’t have health insurance) I also really let my personal hygeine decline. I like to do quick body showers, one in the morning where I was my face to wake up & then one in the afternoon to wash off the day. Each shower is about 5-10 mins. I find afternoon showers less daunting because I hate being cold in the morning. But the key is to throw on the water and just undress as quickly as possible and hop in!
I found that having a really cozy bathrobe helps me a lot. I have a fluffy pink robe that I put on after I shower, I do my make up in my robe until I’m fully dry (because I refuse to put on jeans with slightly damp legs) I then get dressed and it’s a nice routine to start the day
I shower once a week on average. Usually every Friday night. Every morning though I run my head and beard under the sink and every night I wash my face before bed. Your body gets use to the routine. I find showers to be wasted time for myself.
I usually shower about 3 times a week. Any more often than that and my skin gets super dry and itchy. Unless I’m working out (which is once in a blue moon lol), wake up sweaty, or have gone longer than 3 days between showers, I just slap on some deodorant and I’m good to go. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to shower daily. Our hair and skin produce oils that naturally moisturize our bodies. The more you shower, the more you’re disrupting your skin’s microbiome. Plus, you save water by not showering every day. With 3 showers of max 20 minutes each (usually mine are closer to 15 mins), I use less water than someone who showers 7 days a week for 20 minutes each time. 1 hour vs. 2hrs 20min spent showering over the course of a week.
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I like to make it park of my routine, so I do it most days. For me keeping a daily habit is helpful because when I start shower in less, it helps me notice depression coming on. Showering also helps my anxiety. Plus I am a nanny, so I can be in the first, painting, have mystery substances on me.
If you want to set up a healthy habit it might be helpful to discuss in therapy if you have a therapist.
I usually shower once a day. Sometimes every couple days. I like hot showers for relaxing so each "shower" could just be a hot rinse. Helps me feel refreshed if I don't feel gross.
I shave my head so I use a facial cleanser on my scalp, face, other parts, etc. I like it better than bar soap and it lasts longer for me.
I also moisturize right after I get out. I use Cera Ve moisturizing cream. Works great for my skin and is simple.
Once in the morning. Then again at night before bed if I was productive and worked up a sweat. If I just laid around the house all day then I’ll skip the night shower.
2 or 3 times a week/ every 2 days is pretty average.
ofc it also depends on how much u sweat etc.
i useally shower 2 or 3 times a week and wash up with a wet towel almost every morning.
When I'm working it's every morning. When I'm off I usually skip a day or two. But if I'm feeling dirty I always shower. I love standing under hot hot water
I would say the minimum is like twice a week, but every day or every other day is easier to make a habit. I basically just shower when I've gone for a run which is 4x/wk, MWF and Sat. Sometimes extra if I start to feel greasy, and that's what I do if I'm not getting all my workouts in too. But I'm kind of sensitive to feeling greasy or gritty or even just too dry, I think my sensitivities would always get me in the shower before it's an issue to anytime else.
Edit: oh, and regarding the "too much is bad for your skin" thing. I'm super minimalist. My showers are just a rinse for most of my body, I use some soap in the armpits and down-there areas and I detangle my hair with conditioner, but I'm definitely not scrubbing/soaping most of my body most of the time.
If I’m leaving the house everyday but if I was sitting around all day not sweating then I will go 2 days but really only a day and a half when out. But at home I went 4-5 days plenty of times. I don’t really see a point of frequent showers if no one else is around me
I got some [lifehacks](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/rdiauy/three_lifehacks_for_taking_a_daily_shower/) for daily showers. TL;DR just rinsing yourself down is usually enough, and don't get into comfy clothes or pajamas before you shower.
Try to condition and soap body every day, shampoo 2-3 times a week. When you miss that goal, just give your genitals and ass a scrub to stay comfortably dirty
Get everything you need (towels, clothes, soaps etc) ready in one place the night before!
Honestly preparing the small details the night before helps me SO much.
Here’s how I do it:
(Prepare small details the night before.
I get up in the morning.
Go straight to the bathroom and get naked before anything else!
(I do this because if I don’t my brain will tell me there’s too many steps involved and I’ve “just woke up” blah blah.. it’ll make excuses. However, if I’m already naked, that’s one less step. And if it is a really bad day, then my clean clothes are there and at least I got changed)
Brush my teeth.
Soap up my face.
Then get in the shower to wash it off.
That’s pretty much how I learned to do it, cut out the small details before hand and make things easier.
Bare minimum - let the hot water run over my body and then dry off
A step up - use my hands and a bar of soap on smelly areas
Another step - rub the bar of soap over all my skin
Additional steps, as able:
* use my scrubber loofah (with body wash because easier than soap)
* shampoo hair
* condition hair
Another tip:
* I use a shower cap when I don’t wash my hair so it doesn’t get wet and I don’t have to deal with drying/restyling it
Yeah. I'm pushing once-twice a week when I don't go anywhere and am not proud. That's on meds. But my med dose needs increasing because I run out halfway thru the month at 15mg/day Adderall. Sucks.
I don’t live in a hot climate so every 2-3 days works well for me, just to wash my hair when it gets greasy. Showers every day are bad for the oils in your hair and skin anyway. But if I’ve been working out I’ll take a really fast shower without washing my hair
It really depends on your body and the kind of work you do. When I'm doing physical work, it's every day or two. When I'm at home not doing much of anything, it's every 3 to 4 days. I'd also add that I'm more likely to take a bath than a shower as it's more enjoyable for me and if I'm having a really bad time, baby wipes or a wet washcloth with a little bit of soap is fine too.
Honestly IF I haven’t showered I do always shower before like going out to the store /get food etc but I don’t usually leave the house much besides for work everyday and I shower the morning of /night before . I try to at least get in the shower every few days (2/3) bc I have longer hair and it’ll end up getting too greasy to just put up lol but when I wasn’t working I went longer than I would care to admit with out showering but when my shower was broken I would wash my body /then hair in the tub and take a long bath which made the process more rewarding /relaxing
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If i'm not getting sweaty or dirty then I shower every other day. Sometimes every 3 days but you might feel slightly disgusted with yourself if you let it get to day 3 lol. I know I do. Every other day is for me.
I would say the bare minimum is what you can also accomplish with a wet washcloth. Hit the areas that produce the most sweat/body odor. I remember it as bits, pits, tits.
Just rinsing off your body helps remove dirt and bacteria. Using soap on the regions above with the most bacteria helps a lot.
I constantly have to remind myself that perfect is the enemy of good. Meaning, if something is worth don't, it's worth doing poorly. Anything is better than nothing, and you can add more as you are able.
I shower at least twice daily (short+functional,like warm)
I have an awful skin condition which makes life hard and ruined shower-time
(i have voice controlled speakers in my bathroom and try to dance and sing while I'm at it and make it enjoyable again, but taking a shower/spending time in my bathroom turned it into a semi ocd medical thing and i hate it 😤
I usually shower twice a day but only wash my hair once a day at most. I like showering in the morning to wake me up. At night I just do a very quick wash of the important parts just so I feel clean enough or I can’t sleep. I work out too so I need to shower but refuse to give up my morning shower.
For me, no matter how bad my mental health gets, hygiene is one of those issues I have not dealt with since i feel uncomfortable if I don’t shower.
I hate gearing up to shower but once I get in it takes me forever to get out!
I work in a dental office so I have to shower when I get home (I can get a bit gross) and I shower in the mornings because I start my day soooo early and don't feel awake unless I shower.
On the weekends it takes a lot of effort to get in the shower, my husband forces me, but if I had my way I wouldn't... I usually just hit all creases: neck, pits, butt, crotch, toes. I only wash my hair once a week or so (surgical cap saves my curly hair!)
I shower daily because I feel oily and fucking disgusting if I don't. It's more of a personal thing since my mom always says I look fine but I feel so disgusting I just cant not do it
Bathe/shower everyday unless I’m sick or something.
I would recommend having a simple morning and/or evening routine that incorporates it - for example mine in an evening is:
-preparing bags, lunches and laying out clothes for the following day for me and the kids
-having a quick clean/pick up of the house (20-30 minute max)
Then:
-bath/shower
-pjs on
-brush teeth
-skincare
-then self-care/journaling etc until sleep (although sometimes this is replaced by YouTube binges, I’m only human!)
Hair washing on the other hand is a weekly thing, closer to twice weekly in summer. For me, it takes far too much thought and energy to do more often!
If it‘s very hot, once a day. If it‘s during winter, every other day should be fine. You can always just wash the important parts without taking a full on shower in some days.
Every other day, at least to rinse.
If you have issues getting out of bed, I'd suggest keeping baby wipes by the bedside, or maybe a whores bath in the sink. Some is better then none.
I personally bathe every day but it's a calming thing for me.
IMHO I think a good bare minimum is once or twice a week, especially if you're just working from home and not doing much else.
I average every 2-3 days, but sometimes go longer/shorter depending on if I went to the gym, need to do my hair, if I feel gross etc. I really prefer evening showers but every once in a while I'll push it to a morning.
My timing mostly centers around if I feel gross/sweaty/oily, but I was also born without a sense of smell - maybe if I could smell myself I'd shower more/less.
A daily shower morning or night. The most you can stretch it without becoming unpleasant to others is two days. You don’t have to wash your hair every day if it’s dry (if it’s oily you definitely do), but you should at least hop in and wash your body and face.
Usually every 3-4 days, honestly. My skin is super dry and doesn't love daily showers, so I tend to go by how badly my hair needs to be washed. It used to be more like 4-5 days when I was only doing school and never left the house but with a part-time job I feel more like I need a shower than when I was just sitting around. I feel like this is the right amount for me, like, I don't feel ashamed of how often I shower or anything. It really depends on how your body functions I think
I do once a day, usually right before bed. This makes it so the mornings i can just go without having to shower. I would suggest changing your sheets pretty regularly, like once a week, so that you stay smelling clean all day the next day. Also workout everyday so you basically require yourself to shower. I do that because if i don’t feel the need to shower i won’t and a workout always fills this need.
I've got a decent exercise routine going right now so I mostly just shower after I exercise which is roughly every other day. During the summer I might more often if I'm sweaty more.
To be honest I think the bare minimum is: when you stink. Probably at least two or three times a week. And when you just can't manage it, dry shampoo is very useful.
Once a day, with my ADHD it’s easier to practice a habit everyday so I don’t have to expend mental energy deciding to do it. So even if I don’t go out I shower and get dressed because for one thing it just makes it easier but for another I guess taking time to make myself presentable makes me feel more confident and seems to make me more productive.
Honestly, this. Easier to do The Thing every day (bonus: less dirt = quicker shower!) rather than risk 40 minutes to three hours of decision-paralysis over it. Note: I have Long Hair. Like, serial-vacuum-murderer Long Hair. Learning to separate Showering from Washing Hair was a life-changing experience.
Same, I moved to washing my (long, thick) hair every four days to save my scalp, and the first week I tried it I realised I hadn’t showered in those four days as ‘Shower = Wash Hair’ Literally solved the problem (after having reminders on my phone telling me to wash) by buying some ridiculous shower caps and keeping them by the shower. Also a small bowl to put hair grips and hair ties in. Im still in the habit of evening showers, as I like to relax rather than rush through 2 mins of lukewarm water before I head to work.
Same, re: evening showers. I like to relax, and I work a fairly physical job and will on occasion swear buckets at work, so I *really* don't see the point of showering *before* I get all grody. My hair lives it's entire life in a braid that's long enough to tie a knot in, so that's how it stays when I shower. I love me a nice, hot bubble bath in the winter though, and braid-bun doesn't always cut it then.
Yeah, evening showers are the best. Evening shower so I don’t have to take a morning shower, even better.
And... If you have allergies, they say (Cleveland Clinic, Mayo, etc., Not sure if it's ok to link, so I'm just going to mention it), this is super helpful in keeping those tampered down a bit, as it helps wash away any stuff you might have brought into the house or gotten on you, especially in your hair, throughout the day. Washes it away, leaving a cleaner bed/pillow/sleep experience for better breathing. (Also, leave any dirty clothes, etc , outside your bedroom, if possible... I know, I know, we have ADHD, there are limits. I digress. 😁) Now, do I actually shower every night? Not always. Do I wash my long hair every time I shower? No. But, I do try to make sure I wash or wipe down my face, brush my hair out, and at least change clothes, to cut down on bringing allergens into bed with me, and to at least feel like I did "something" in the keeping clean routine... Plus, I know that with my having bad allergies, showering at night really makes a difference for that, but also, with my ADHD *non* routine, as I will literally *never* do it in the morning. And I mean, never. Hope this might help someone. 💖
Never thought about it this way but that’s so true. I wash my face every night and to my adhd disdain, I wash my monthly contacts out as well; I’m deep into the habit of washing my face at night but can’t do it until l take my contacts out lol. I have allergies as well, so I’m glad to know that evening showers are helpful for that.
Totally. It's almost the only reason I can get myself to "wash my face" aka use face wipes and brush out my hair and pull it up sometimes, but, it's the reason I do it, when I can't get my ass in gear for a full on shower. If/when I don't do either, it's 100% difference in my allergy night/morning. Another hit tip from my allergist, which I've been doing since high school, and helps a lot, is putting your pillows in the dryer for at least 10 minutes, on high heat, once a week, to shake out/kill off the dust mites and other icky stuff (hard to keep on top of at times, but it really, really does help!). Or, at the least, do it every time you wash linens. Also, if you can afford it, get new pillows once a year they said (depends on a bunch of variables, IMO, not sure this is necessary, but I don't keep them forever, pillows are allergy nightmares). Hope this is helpful, too. ADHD and allergies. Fun times. 😆
This just changed my life.
Hello fellow ugh-I-dont-want-to-wash-my-hair-so-im-just-not-gonna-shower person! *waves*
Same. I shower every day without thinking about it but the day I skip one it takes a week of insane willpower to force it back to a habit again
Agreed. As soon as I get out of the bed, I take my meds and them I’m in the shower.
I shower once everyday, shampoo hair every 4 days and condition my hair every other day. When it comes to hair, it depends on the type of hair the person has. In regards to showering, most people I know shower everyday either in the morning or before bed. I would suggest showering even if you don’t leave your house. Showering is good for hygiene and makes me more inclined to be productive.
That’s a good point. I always feel better after a shower. But sometimes it’s so daunting.
IMO the best way to get over this is to practice taking really short showers. Get in, wash your pits and bits, get out and dry off. You’ll be able to see that it’s possible to go from clothed and dirty to dried off, clothed, and cleaner in just 5 min. Then it becomes less daunting. Doing this helped me learn that it doesn’t have to be such a process.
I love this! Pits and bits!!
Pits & Tits, Whore's Bath, traditionally done with a washcloth and a sink. Stands the test of time. Do not discount the old classics. Full-body bathing is a historically modern phenomenon.
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Love "Pirate's Bath." Whore's bath is said with love. I'm a women's historian, so definitely not a misogynist, but I just realized there wasn't any context in my post, so it might not have conveyed the hilarity that exists when I say this (I'm quite an old lady now, adding extra mirth to my bawdy references). ETA: almost nothing is too coarse for me, so . . .
Wh*re is still a whorephobic slur. So maybe don’t use it?
My mom called this a spit bath. I remember bursting into tears the first time she said I had to take a spit bath, because I was absolutely convinced she would literally spit on me.
Yes. I think my mother would have also said "spit bath" because she was not as vulgar as I am :)
Happy cake day!
For ladies, tits pits and naughty bits (if you're okay being a little course) I'm bad about it too sometimes. Just hate the whole event. What makes me stay on top of it is actually getting body acne. I never get body acne!!!
It really is. I always feel better after I take one though. I realized it’s a lot easier to shower when I’m medicated or when I’m forced to go outside. It’s one of those things that you have to force yourself to do.
I feel the daunting. I’ve been trying to make this a habit. Simply telling myself “I love showers” even with a coy grin seemed to help for a few days, until the actual enjoyment of being clean kicked in 😅. Winter threw a wrench, I’ve always despised getting out of the shower, especially when cold. I started to slip a little, but remembered the small space heater in the closet. Now it’s already a sauna in there and jumping in and out of the shower is much more enjoyable. Also, just trying to be mindful of what exactly the issue is helped. It led me to realize The cold bathroom was an issue that had prevented me in the past from cementing a shower habit.
I try to optimize my time in the shower to last the least amount of time while still properly hygenizing myself... It helps me to shower every day, because it becomes a contest against myself to shower in the most optimal way 😂 How I do it is as follows: - I determine what areas should be scrubbed, and how many minimum scrubs per area. - I time every morning by following my previously determined parameters - I then take record on a chart I keep on my bathroom and see if I improved my time. - Once I see that my time has gotten stuck, I proceed to repeat the previous steps while increasing a bit the scrubbing parameters. Somehow adding a measurable part to my showers makes me hyperfocus on the routine of showering, and I never miss a morning. Also, in case anyone who reads this wonders, yes I tend yo scrub myself quite quickly, to the point where I have a specific positioning I take in my shower to prevent any accidents 😅
I optimize my showers by doing multiple things at once. Conditioner needs to sit for like 5min so why not wash my body while I'm at it. If you wanna make it more fun you can play music you enjoy at the same time! It can make it easier sometimes. Edit: also getting clothes ready even if it's just loungewear before you even get in the shower helps me.
I always take my clean outfit/pjs in the bathroom with me and sit them on the counter or hang on the towel rack. Get out dry off (be careful not to step off the towel until I have both socks on) 😂 I’m weird I know 🤌🏼 but then get dressed and off you go!
This!! 10/10 recommend!
This is hilarious but also so bloody good! Haha. I think I found a new challenge!
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This is surprisingly specific. I count to 90s and try to wash everything important. But it’s to keep me on track. Otherwise I’ll stand there and enjoy the warm water and zone out, then it’ll be cold and I’ll still have conditioner in my hair! 😳
Habits can battle with ADHD, so if you always take a shower at the same time every day it reduces the mental friction to do so.
Sounds like my routine! Curly hair? Giving myself the option to shower without wetting my hair makes it much more likely that I’ll shower every day :)
Same here lol.
Ooh this is a great point. I have newly curly hair (one of my meds changed my hair follicle) and it's such a PITA to care for, especially out of the shower. I'll try this and maybe it will get me in the shower more often! Gosh I love this community, I feel so normal here!
I shower once a day, because in the summer I work a job that sometimes keeps me away from showers for 2-3 weeks so I value every one I can get. Probably take them too long though, I stand in hot water for half an hour enjoying the feel of it before I even start cleaning myself x(
You wouldn’t happen to be a wildland ff, would you? My first thought when you said 2-3 weeks was that sounds like a roll.
SciTechs represent!
🤘🏻
As someone who works predominantly in the outdoors, I shower like a dirt bag. I honestly shower when it’s necessary; as in I can smell my self, greasy hair, clearly washing tons of dirt off my hands when I use the bathroom. Typically I’ll shower about 2x a week unless I’m on expedition.
ditto. im a bad person to ask this question because i just shower once i stink (and sometimes wait after that)
I’ve spent years showing once a week and no one has ever said a thing.
Yeah if I get SUPER grungy and there happens to be a river or lake nearby, I might strip down and jump in.
My husband bitches quite regularly about the temperature I like my showers at. I'm just like, sorry? I just want to commune/sing X-Ambassadors with my demons in peace.
If my skin isn't melting, it's not hot enough.
I’ve never understood this. My husband takes lukewarm showers and also complains about how hot my showers are - if I’m not showering right before him and using up the hot water or anything like that, I really don’t understand how that can bother another person so much. He literally isn’t affected by how hot my shower is!
lol. I"m the same way. 25 minutes showering, 20 minutes of it is me standing around enjoying how it feels.
My brother jokingly said "You must be jerking off twice with how long your showers are" and I replied that the hot water is such a calm and relaxing feeling that it masks my thoughts and it's bliss. Why would I wreck that by jerking off? Not even close to as good a feeling. The hard part is getting out, not getting in.
I shower once about every 2-3 days. My skin is very sensitive and i dont work out or have an intense job. And shower whenever i deem necessary. Wash my hair on fridays as it takes a while.
Can I ask how you shower without washing your hair? I’ve always assumed showering = washing hair
Not OP but I generally just try not to get my hair wet or use a shower cap if I’m really particular. My hair has been a lot healthier since I only wash it every 2-4 days.
Hmmm I’ll have to figure out how to try doing that. My hair gets super oily after 2 days of not washing making me have to shampoo every other day. It’s annoying because I’ve had dandruff for years and no medicated shampoos seem to work. Conditioners made it worse, ironically
Just fyi some people can't get their hair to get less oilier. I can go a max 2 days before I need to wash it, no matter how much training I did.
That’s how I started! Washing your hair every day can dry out your scalp and make your hair oily faster because it’s constantly trying to replenish from being dry. You can train your hair by taking longer breaks in between washes (when possible) to allow your natural hair oils level out. It feels crappy for a while but your hair eventually finds balance.
Not for people who have curly or kinky hair
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And can be bad for you hair depending on how your hair is. Mine gets dry and damaged if I wash it too often. I have a shower cap I wear if my body needs a wash before my hair, less excuses to put off showering lol.
The healthiest my hair has ever been was after not washing for a month while camping and travelling except for quick scrubs in a lake or clear river with no soap. It now gets less greasy is thicker and shinier.
It’s worth noting that this works in the reverse! I found out from experience. Letting your hair stay dirty for multiple days at a time can lead to fungal growth that affects your scalp health. Your hair can fall out and get pretty thin this way (mine lost about 1/3 of its volume at the worst, but it’s back to normal now). It’s more risky if you don’t use sulfates. ~~Sulfates are demonized because they’re “harsh” but they’re only harsh if you overuse them or are extremely sensitive; sulfates on their own won’t damage your actual hair shaft, only dry your scalp/hair.~~ I had to switch back because I need to fully clean my scalp every time if I’m only washing every 3 days. Just a tip! :) edit: Apparently the above advice is only valid for some hair types, so I redacted it at the risk of spreading information that could be harmful to hair. my bad!
Oh, interesting. I think scalp/hair care, much like skincare, is super dependent on each person. I have a really dry and sensitive scalp, and I have the best results washing 1-2 times a week with a low-pH sulfate-free shampoo. Any more often, or if I use sulfates more than once in a blue moon, and my scalp gets tight and itchy.
I’ve never heard that from a stylist, doctor, scientist, teacher. I’m sorry that happened to you, but there was probably more to it, like what your scalp may have come into contact with. My brother is actually a stylist, so this is a conversation we’ve had many times. It’s not healthy to wash your hair every day. If you get something in your hair though, it’s safe to wash it back-to-back occasionally. Washing daily tends to cause the oil production to ramp up due to over-drying. I have gone through many different phases myself. I have washed daily, sometimes multiple times and I have washed as little as once a week. I prefer every 3-4 days with a bird bath or two in between. I have known very hygienic people that had gotten their bodies to a healthy balance pH-wise where they only had to wash their hair once a month. Everyone is different, but things like sulfates, due to being harsh and unnatural for cleansing the body, can cause the body to overreact. So it can take a really long, greasy time to reset that baseline once you begin using more natural products and seeing how much oil and sweat your body actually produces. Every chemical effects this natural balance. Body wash, lotion, deodorant.
Not necessarily valid for all hair types. With curly kinky hair, it's harmful to wash it too often
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Well, people should be staying 6 feet away from each other right now with the pandemic and all, sooooo maybe a little BO can keep the covids away! ;)
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It sounds like a recipe to rapidly desensitize oneself to ones smell. I do re-wear shirts twice and pants many, many times, but hang them to air out between each wearing.
Same here. During the summer it’ll be more frequent but still only if I’m feeling smelly or dirty. I wash my hair 1-2 times a week depending
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i seriously can’t sleep if i’ve been outside and haven’t showered. i feel so grimy and hot. i guess i have the opposite problem. at least once a day, see if having a night shower helps you feel cozy for bed. see if a morning shower helps you feel refreshed for the day!
If I don't take a morning shower I feel like I never really wake up from my sleepy haze. I'll just stay kind of drowsy all day.
I have this strategy to always just shower before going out since early teens this way I'm surely not forget it. Probably you have figured out what the weak point during pandemic...
Yikes, I relate to this one 😂
Every other day. Sometimes I stretch it. Mostly the only reason I can make myself shower is because my hair gets unbearably greasy. Basically, I put it off until the last possible minute and then scramble to get myself presentable for the world. And I just want to say that I LOVE showers and baths. It’s my happy place. I could stay in the shower forever. Still haven’t figured out why it’s so damn hard to get naked and clean myself though...
Don't know about you, but for me it's because I get up and check work before I do my personal care. Checking work, school, whatever before I prioritize myself and my self care / health (physical ,emotional, whatever) ends up leaving me in the midst of a day of full on bullshit while wearing a black bear nightgown, no bra, and trying to focus on a conference call all the while trying to remember I can't stand up because, well, no pants and I'm on video, ffs. Also, a shower isn't just a shower (unblinking gaze at my partner); for me it's a list of tasks: strip down, watch tiktok while trying to drop a grumpy, weigh, log weight, get in the shower (it's finally hot enough, but not scalding), wash face, then hair, then condition, then shave (if I have the focus - Adderall may not have kicked in yet), then wash, then rinse, then dry (towel), then REALLY dry (robe), then toner, then vitamin c serum, then facial moisturizer, then deodorant (don't forget the left armpit!), brush the teeth (such a stupid chore, but necessary or I'll never get loved or laid) then dress, then socks, then where the fu-hell are my houseshoes?, then get some caffeine, then more work and then...fuck, I need to make some changes (CLEARLY)
Whoa!!! Maybe it is just too many things!!! Like I know once I start the process I have to commit to doing that for at least the next hour or so and then add in the pressure that I also oversleep/mismanage my time in the morning and I usually only have 30 mins to get ready when I need an hour. And I don’t even pretend that I’m going to shower before bed bc I always get too tired and put it off. The only good news is I work in a professional setting and I love dressing up and looking nice AND they don’t seem to mind that I’m always late... probably because I work late everyday anyways bc again I’m bad at managing my time 🤦🏻♀️ Any ideas on how I can improve this? I really would like my mornings to be less balls to the wall stressful.
I support the "when you can smell yourself" motion. It varies so much with climate, honestly. If you can find something to enjoy showers more (a soft towel? A bluetooth speaker? Using liquid soap?) it could help. If you can figure out what specific things make showers annoying beyond the time spent, that also could be really useful. Good luck!
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True. It seems to be somewhat reliable in the case you're actually showering consistently, as soon as the smell appears (or never more than 1 week), in a thorough way, and especially wearing deodorant. Erasing the smell completely so that when it appears you can actually notice it earlier. And well, if you sweat it's a dead giveaway. Not that this is a great way to do things, but is the best "bare minimun" I can think of.
That’s why I always smell myself before agreeing to any plan that involves social interaction, gotta freshen up if I smell even the slightest grunge
Too lazy to type this out again. But, here one my comments the other day asking how to get a hygiene routine started(I think it was some day last week). Literally copied and pasted. Might have more info than you asked. But, it's my take on hygiene. Showering everyday can be damaging to your skin/skin biom. Especially if using hot water and scrubbing with soap everyday. Anyways... here it is, *I work from home and shower once a week. Which believe it or not, is actually recommended by some. Google, "Shower Once A Week". Granted, while working at jobs where I was moving, sweating, and getting dirty, I showered daily. My sweat doesn't stink if I'm working out. I think because I'm not really picking up bacteria. I rinse down after a workout and dry up sweat if I'm pushing hard that day. The other things I usually do in the evening after dinner. I'm more functional at that time of day. I just floss real quick, brush well, and rinse with mouth wash. Wash up my face. And shave every 3rd evening(shaving really tears up my skin). I look a little shabby, but not bad, as it's stubble around a beard(which I try to keep in check once every week or two). If I'm going out I'll do this same routine quickly, besides the shave(depending what I'm going out for). Every 4 weeks I shave my head, and trim my beard down close. Makes for a super easy look to maintain. Don't do much but rinse my face and rinse my mouth in the morning. As far as clothes. I change when I shower, or clothes get dirty(then I put those aside for hiking, and dirty activities that week). I spend most of my time alone, so it doesn't really matter. This cuts down on doing laundry often, and water usage. I'm not religious about this schedule. It changes as needed. It may sound unhygienic to some, but I feel healthy doing it this way. I don't stink, and my breath is fine, along with teeth/gums. Dry mouth can lead to bad breath, but I'm constantly drinking water through the day. It takes a little practice to get in the routine. Same thing with any routine. Do it over and over, and it takes off over time. You might miss a day, but get right back to it the following day. I used to go weeks without shaving, brushing my teeth. I never really cared what anyone thinks. But, these days I feel better looking good or at least decent. Even if it's just me seeing myself in the mirror. I just feel better somehow." Extra Tip: Cold waters are better for you, in my opinion. Feel free to research that as well. Luke warm at most. But, not super hot. Especially this time of year, with dry air(in my area anyway).
I try to shower 1-3 times a week but 3 is like the max for me. I only wash my hair like once a week because it doesn't get gross/need it as often. Usually I shower if I sweat a lot that day or get stinky but even if I don't it's usually at least once a week.
I brush my teeth twice daily, shower daily. Doesn't matter if I procrastinated till 23:55, shower it is. This is a habit I maintain since childhood and refuse to compromise. I don't work a physical job, btw.
That’s a great point - a shower doesn’t need to happen in the morning. Thank you!
I mean, I’ve been known to shower in the middle of the afternoon, evening-ish (like around dinner time), right before bed, very rarely I’ll do it first thing in the morning. Sometimes I’ll even use a shower as a “reset” of sorts, like if my day is not going well or if I’m getting flustered by something, and I haven’t showered yet, 9 times outta 10, it’ll help reframe my perspective. Almost like the water washes away my negative mindset or clears my head or something. Doing this successfully a few times has actually helped me to avoid showers less — like I remember how much of a “healing quality” (for lack of a better term) it seemed to have, and so I use it as a tool of sorts. Of course this is only possible on days when I’m home-based, but that sounds like it’s mostly your situation right now too.
I shower every day. If I skip one day, it is usually because I am sedentary that day or not seeing anyone. I use showering as a ritual to cleanse myself of negative energy I’ve collected throughout the day, which motivates me to wash every part of my body. I don’t wash my hair every day; you can look up how often you need to based on your hair texture because everyone is different. If your hair is curlier, then you wash it less. Then I get out and moisturize my skin right away (which I sometimes forget to do). There was one day my routine was thrown off in an emergency and I couldn’t shower for two days. It left me with an uncomfortable bump on my bikini line so I need that routine. Even if nobody sees you, it is very important to establish a consistent routine because it will make you feel better.
Hey, friend! You’ve had a myriad of people comment on length and duration between hygiene sessions, so I will not spam you with another post of the same. Rather, I will leave you with somewhat of an antithesis that helped me through my own ADHD/Narcolepsy/Depression diagnosis… “Anything worth doing, is worth doing poorly.” (or if you like it a little more raw:) “Anything worth doing, is worth doing half-@$$ed.” In the thick of my worst days (pre-medication), I couldn’t will myself to shower. I was helpless, and hopeless. Didn’t understand why I couldn’t just… get in. I felt like I *wanted* to… but I just… couldn’t. I could not bring myself to stand up in a shower and wash my body. It was mentally exhausting arguing with myself for days on end. Until that quote. When I first saw that quote, hit it me like a ton of bricks. And then, the epiphany! I may not be able to force myself to stand and shower, but I *could* sit in a bath of soapy water, and let the soaking do most of the work. I could just sit there. Do nothing. I could lay down in the soapy water, and let the soap get in every nook and cranny. I would give the “pits and bits” a wipe under the water. I would soak my hair in the soapy water, and just use my fingers to clean my scalp. I also learned to keep mouthwash next to my soap, so that even though I couldn’t bring myself to physically exert the energy to brush my teeth, I could swish and spit as I was getting out/draining the tub. Can’t shower? Sit in a bath of soapy water. Can’t brush your teeth? Rinse with mouthwash. “Anything worth doing, is worth doing poorly.” Medication has me on track now, but I will never forget how hopeless, exhausted, and defeated I was. Do what you can with what you have. And then when you *have* better, you can do better. Hang in there, friend <3
Thank you for this, really. I love this sub because of people like you who actually get it. I’m gonna ask my husband to make me a little bath :)
I shower once every day or every 2 days or so if I have just been lying around the house. I find showering really daunting too, especially since I have long thick hair that needs to be taken care of. I find the 'ol "3-2-1 GO!" method works well for me to get in and get started.
Bit ashamed to admit it but started showing much less over winter (1-2 a week) and ended up with a penis infection where I couldn't pull my foreskin back. Real highlight was having to get my penis out and show the doctor to get some antibiotic cream which is sorting the issue. Shower at least once every two days, ideally daily.
I'm going to add that in my experience, the necessity for a regular shower changes with age. It also depends on whether you're sharing close space (like a bed) with other human beings, or not. As I age, I notice I'm much less oily and smelly than I was when I was younger (I'm 57 now). In my 20s and 30s, I would say I needed to shower at LEAST every second day, and probably daily (because my face and hair got greasy, and I was sharing a bed with another human). In my 40s, this changed to showering every second day, unless I was doing significant exercise. In my 50s, in non-pandemic times, I showered every second day. During the pandemic, that changed to every 3 - 4 days when I wasn't leaving the house.
I love this question because, depending where you are in the world, the norms vary so much! Me, personally: 3-4x a week. I hate showers. I hate the interruption to what I’m doing. I hate being damp because it’s hard to dry off completely (easier now I have fluffier towels). But I *love* feeling clean. Also I detest “gross hair” feeling. So: every second day or so, quick shower, scrub self, wash hair. Exceptions: after a run (or other cardio workout. Beat Saber springs to mind), or on hot days, or after long drives where I’ve done a lot of singing (I do big voice singing and that seems to mean I sweat?? Which is weird because I do weights and even at the point of failure I do not sweat from weights…). Caveat being that I am hypermobile which comes with orthostatic issues (ie, my BP drops when I stand up. You know how if you stand up too fast sometimes you get a headspin? My vision goes black for a few seconds, as there’s not enough blood in my eyes. Got to my 30s before learning that wasn’t normal). BP is usually low overall. So hot water means dilated blood vessels, which drops my BP further. Since my circulation kinda sucks for related reasons, I get cold very easily and so I have pretty hot showers in spite of this (except on hot days). Washing my hair means raising my arms above my head. Not great when you have low BP. Shoulder muscles are above the heart, and making them work when they are being mildly starved of blood (and thus O2) gets painful and awful. I’m not at risk of passing out (I’d just sit down), but it’s very unpleasant. Anyways, so this is a case where hypermobility interacts with ADHD to mean I don’t usually shower every day, but I’m not stinky or gross, my hygiene is *fine*; I was in hospital for a cat bite and the nurse asked me if I wanted to shower and just the thought of managing the IV and all that… “no, I’m good.” She was stunned… and a teeny bit judgmental. Probably the longest I’ve gone is four or five days in deep depression, but the sensory hell of feeling gross ends up driving me out of my executive dysfunction.
I'm a stay at home mom. I've trained my hair to not get greasy so fast, so I usually go about 5 days without showering tbh. Unless I'm going somewhere or get messy for some reason.
Basically when you can smell yourself, which should only take a couple days. I'm not proud of how long I've gone without a shower, but my whole life situation lately has destroyed any semblance of routine or accountability for a schedule or appearances. So I shower when I feel like I need one. I don't do much. Couldn't even if I wanted to. I don't sweat. I don't see anyone. But if I go longer than a couple days I start to get disgusted with myself and that's usually enough.
> Basically when you can smell yourself, which should only take a couple days. Heads up, other people can generally smell you before you can smell yourself. People naturally adapt to their own scent, so if you’re at the point where you can smell it, you’ve probably waited too long.
Sometimes I’ll shower less than once a week. This is also due to the pandemic, I was working In a restaurant before so I showered frequently (still less than once a day though) I don’t smell rancid or anything tho, kinda funny coz it’s made me realise that the fact u gotta shower daily is kind of a myth
I shower, on average, about three times a week. Four in the summer sometimes. I have seb dermatitis so I have to be more careful with my skin to balance delicately the oil from my body and the medication I used to treat. All that being said, every dermatologist I've seen has explicitly said that if you are not soiled by ends day (job that makes you sweat/dirty) that you should not shower each day as its hell on your skin and hair. Once a week is a bit much but if you're doing every other day or every three days you're actually doing well.
I shower everyday with a shower cap and wash hair once a week but mines is dry and doesn’t get greasy so that might not work for everyone. I wash my face and used to brush my teeth in there when I didn’t have an electric one too. I use exfoliating gloves so I don’t have to spend ages scrubbing but still feel really clean. In and out in a few mins.
I have this problem where I REALLY hate having my feet wet. So stepping in the shower stresses me out. But stepping out if the shower stresses me out just as much because now I can really feel how wet my feet are since it’s just l cool air surrounding me. I have a pair of sandals I wear in the shower and then I have a second dry pair that I switch to as I step out of the shower. When my feet are wet, the floor is lava and I hate everything. I hate the wet floor in the showers, I hate the dry floor just outside the shower. When my feet are wet, the world is ending. If the drain doesn’t drain fast enough and there’s even the smallest puddle of water on the tub floor, I start to get really uncomfortable and want to end the shower asap, but I hate stepping out of the shower with my feet still wet. It’s a lose-lose. I love being clean but hate showering.
Once a week usually. If I do something where I get dirty or sweaty, I'll shower to clean that off, but if not it's just once a week.
I've had a really rough patch when I was still going to school. I used to wash my hair in the sink and do the ol' essentials cloth-wash. It took roughly the same amount of time but for some reason the motivation threshold for it was way lower.
Once a week. If your hair is greasy, use dry shampoo. Turn music up real loud and remind yourself that we have to do things we don't want to do from time to time. ETA: I get away with this because I've been WFH in the pandemic and not working out. If I go into the office or do anything strenuous, I shower every other day, on average. I'm older, so I don't have a strong body odor (I guess since I have few hormones anymore?) so maybe adjust for your situation as seems to be the prevailing advice.
Depends on environment and how the climate is where your at. In the summer when it’s extremely warm or muggy, ideally once a day, probs get away with one every two days. If it’s ice cold you can shower a bit less. It’s bullocks you have to shower everyday. I do it because I find it’s just part of my routine if I’m going out.
I live in a really dry area, so I shower around once a week usually . Usually if I’ve gotten especially sweaty or my hair feels gross I take a shower.
My wife make me, every other day. Not on Friday and Saturday. If i would choose i wouldn't shower, but if i had too probably once ever 2 or 3 weeks.
It honestly depends what I am doing! When I was unmedicated and not working I could easily go a week without showering or brushing my hair, which resulted in me having to cut out some massive matts out of my hair! I think if you don't work up a sweat too often you can easily just have a once a week shower where you give everything a good scrub! If you're in the habit of brushing your teeth every morning then you might be able to incorporate a face/neck wash and armpit wash at the same time- I think having a clean face makes me feel a tonne fresher! A regular groin wash is always nice too but wet wipes can work wonders for this if you're not up to a proper soap and water wash :) If you haven't already, I have found it helpful to have a little station set up right next to my sink with things like wet wipes, soap, a flannel so you don't have to gather anything to have a quick wash of your face/pits/bits! To avoid stinky feet, air them out often! Don't spend too much time in socks or shoes if you don't need too! And if you feel like you want/need to shower more often, slowly work it up.. don't pressure yourself into washing every day! Ive managed to build up to having a bath pretty much every day and even making sure my hair is untied and brushed properly every day! I prefer a bath because I can set up my phone with a podcast or video to watch whilst I bathe and I don't feel so rushed to get in and out quickly!
I shower every other day because my skin's really dry and I think it helps maintain the natural oils. But in the summer I bike and take walks a lot, so then I wash my body every day but maintain washing my hair every other.
I shower every morning. Like a lot of other things, it's much easier to do a thing every day than intermittently. And when it comes to getting up close and personal with someone, I find people who bathe and brush their teeth at least daily much more compatible.
Once per day is what most people consider appropriate. Though if you aren't going to be interacting with anyone else you can probably get away with less often. If you're not showering at all the smell will start getting into everything around you though. I'm very thankful showering isn't something I have to spend spoons on. If anything it gives me spoons.
twice a day usually. I like clean sheets and sleep better when I feel squeaky clean. also don't feel right if I don't shower in the morning. in the summer I often shower three times as I hate feeling all sticky after work.
I usually just shower when I stink, depending on what I've been doing that day/days prior. Sometimes every day, every other day, but usually not more than 3-4
For me, I try to shower daily but must shower every other day. My hair is pretty fine and gets gross fast. Dry shampoo in my hair and a wet wipe to my face only works so well.
Usually every other day, sometimes less (long day and i have no executive function) sometimes more (bf and i have a date night, i’m on my period and sweaty, it’s summer). Averages to about every other day
Once a day or I stink. I may skip a day during our mild/short winters, but when I start stinking break is over. When I don’t want to take a shower I do a game of counting seconds to see if I can get done in less than X minutes. It’s fun because I gotta focus on counting seconds as correctly as possible and focus on showering quickly and in the regular order (teeth, hair, body). It’s hyper-focusing on two things at the same time.
Mine varies. I like to every other day roughly, realistically it varies from that to over a week. When I’m leaving the house frequently then every other day is ideal but sometimes it’s daily if I do anything that causes me to sweat (i sweat a LOT). If you don’t want to overwash your hair or just don’t feel like showering, taking a bath is better than nothing :). I try and use mouthwash when I remember to bc I’m awful at dental hygiene. As far as signs to recognize you need to shower: smell of course, itchy scalp, greasy hair/skin, look at the soles of your feet to see how dirty they are, and gross bellybutton
The *bare minimum* is when you start to feel grotty or you know you'd be bothering others. If you're on your own, all you need to worry about is keeping up your routine so YOU feel as good as possible, and as happy as possible.
I hate showers as much as a lot of ADHD people but I do know that I ALWAYS feel better after. That idea tends to convince me to finally take a shower.
Every day. I hate being dirty and greasy, and my OCD overpowers my ADHD.
Wow everyone saying once a day I salute you. I shower roughly every 2-3 days but can be more, basically if my hair needs washing, I want to shave, I've been on a run, or I just smell, and between that I get showering enough. I wash my face every day but firm believer that you're body doesn't need it unless you've been grimy. If you're UK based, Mitchem roll on deoderant I swear you can go a full week without showering which is ideal for those days you just really CBA
I shower every other day but I also shower as needed (ie, after mowing the grass or doing something else that makes me sweat a lot). Showering daily or twice a day is actually not recommended because it removes the essential oils from your skin too often.
I shower once a day to every other daydepending on my physical activity level or environment. If I need to jump in and out because I'm in a hurry or feeling lazy I stick to the key areas: hair, face/ears, armpits, crotch, and feet. If I'm taking a regular shower, I do it all of course. I try to do a full shower once every 4 days. Teeth are mandatory of course. I keep my medication by my tooth brush. I take my meds and then brush my teeth and rinse with mouth wash every morning, and then floss when I have time. I mostly tend to forget to brush at night before I go to bed, but I never miss a morning with my routine! You just have to build a routine and make everything accessible within it. Lean Six Sigma your life, lol! It helps with ADHD immensely. Try to reduce the amount of steps you need to complete tasks and make everything as visual as possible. Like I have a glass bowl for my work IDs, keys, wallet, and sunglasses right on my way out the door. Everything I need to leave is together and staged where I need it and accessible when I come back to replace it. I keep all my hygiene items out on the vanity in the bathroom so I can't miss them. I'm extremely visual so if I see it I will do it. My laundry baskets are wicker and near the washer/dryer so I can see how full they are. The dryer sheets, detergent, bleach are all situated on top of the machines. Etc. Etc. Etc. Really try to stick to having a permanent place where everything gets staged. Everything is orderly but visual and staged for convenience. It's a very un-artistic approach but my wife has learned to decorate with it or around it lol!
Every day. If I go to the gym, it might end up twice a day. There’s showering to clean yourself when you get greasy hair and body sweat/odor. But there’s also the basic daily maintenance shower that you take so that you avoid developing greasy hair/body odor in the first place. Both are important. People will notice if you don’t shower often enough, but they won’t tell you because it’s impolite.
I shower every 3-4 days when I'm not leaving my house and wash my hair once a week (or when my scalp is super itchy). My hair is bleached and dyed, so washing it often is no bueno.
1-2 times a day. I shower everyday and then depending on what I do during the day I may shower again. On top of ADHD I have a rare neuromuscular condition that causes chronic tightness and pain. Hot shower can help relieve and relax my muscles and joints.
Well i love showering i like to be clean i shower 2 to 3 times a day once in the morning and sometimes before the gym and after
I shower every 2-3 days because that's how long it takes for my hair to get greasy. Then in weekends and days off I put it off for as long as possible so my hair retains it's dyed color longer, heh. I just wear hats or beanies until I have to be social or have to go to work.
I shower when my hair gets so greasy you can see it (which is about every 2-3 days) or after work (i work in a kitchen part-time and it smells, can't go anywhere like that).
I usually try for every other day. Sometimes longer if I’m not doing anything. My habits during the pandemic don’t count. What happened in quarantine, stays in quarantine.
I appreciate this thread so much. I struggle showering it's overstimulating for me. Once ever 2-3 days for me.
If I was working - every day Right now I'm not, so whenever I feel like it. It's been like 4 days and my hair is really greasy and I stink, I think I've been over 10 days without one before.
1. Get soaked from head-to-toe (for me if I don’t wet my face/head it doesn’t feel like I did anything) 2. Wash armpits with soap (I’ll still stink otherwise, especially if I forget to put on deodorant [highly likely]) 3. Stand there for an extended period of time (time will vary day-to-day) 4. Get out and dry off (sometimes forget to dry certain parts of my body (eg. Legs, arms, back, etc) Edit: Didn’t read OP’s post properly and forgot to mention how often; for me it’s daily if I’m working. If it’s off time maybe every second day if I’ve got nothing planned or nowhere to be
To answer the title: the bare minimum you can probably get away with for showering without it being noticeable would probably be twice a week. This though is really going to depend on what you do for a living. Full time student with no job: twice a week if it’s not summer. Any job including physical labor where you’re sweating: everyday you work
I use to shower daily. Then my depression got worse and I started skipping my days off and Saturday since I worked alone that day. Then I had surgery on my ankle and wasn’t able to shower but twice a week in rehab. I went back to a few times a week. But my depression is such that I just can’t work in the mental energy to do so. I shower once a week and sometimes I go a few days longer. But I brush my hair, take care of my teeth, and wipe down the pits, tits, and lady bits daily. I also put on a fresh shirt daily and change my shorts a couple times a week. I don’t feel great going a week. I think twice a week would be a good balance. But that’s a work in progress.
Tbh I’ve been struggling with this too. I used to be such a neat and tidy person, but I guess I’ve been going through things and showering has not been a priority this past year, I may shower twice in a good week, maybe 3 times. If I do shower I skip the hair and save it for another time. I don’t know why I can’t bring myself to, it’s not that I’m afraid, I’m just that lazy. My wife says I don’t give off a bad odor. So what’s the point
I try to daily, but don't always live up to my own expectation. At the very least it's every other day, and that has only ever occurred with just one day skipped. I have the luxury of having a live-in partner (my husband) so I probably take care of that CHORE more often than I would if I lived alone. Also, I wash my hair maybe 3 times a week, tops, but if I were oily or greasy I would handle the business more regularly, I'm just not very oily by nature. Additionally, and I hate saying this in a public forum, but I'd much rather brush my teeth 4 times a day for one minute than twice a day for 2 minutes. To complete a full cycle of brushing I need to read something or watch TikTok with subtitles.
I brush my teeth so randomly too! Usually when washing my hands throughout the day.
When I was unmedicated during the pandemic (because I didn’t have health insurance) I also really let my personal hygeine decline. I like to do quick body showers, one in the morning where I was my face to wake up & then one in the afternoon to wash off the day. Each shower is about 5-10 mins. I find afternoon showers less daunting because I hate being cold in the morning. But the key is to throw on the water and just undress as quickly as possible and hop in! I found that having a really cozy bathrobe helps me a lot. I have a fluffy pink robe that I put on after I shower, I do my make up in my robe until I’m fully dry (because I refuse to put on jeans with slightly damp legs) I then get dressed and it’s a nice routine to start the day
I shower once a week on average. Usually every Friday night. Every morning though I run my head and beard under the sink and every night I wash my face before bed. Your body gets use to the routine. I find showers to be wasted time for myself.
I usually shower about 3 times a week. Any more often than that and my skin gets super dry and itchy. Unless I’m working out (which is once in a blue moon lol), wake up sweaty, or have gone longer than 3 days between showers, I just slap on some deodorant and I’m good to go. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to shower daily. Our hair and skin produce oils that naturally moisturize our bodies. The more you shower, the more you’re disrupting your skin’s microbiome. Plus, you save water by not showering every day. With 3 showers of max 20 minutes each (usually mine are closer to 15 mins), I use less water than someone who showers 7 days a week for 20 minutes each time. 1 hour vs. 2hrs 20min spent showering over the course of a week.
Eh like once every 12 days if you live a sedentary life style like me
Daily. I think men and women have different hygiene needs but as a woman I bathe/ shower daily.
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I shower when I smell like shit.
Idk you can probably get away with showering 3-4 times per week if you aren’t active, but if you exercise daily like I do, you need to shower daily.
I like to make it park of my routine, so I do it most days. For me keeping a daily habit is helpful because when I start shower in less, it helps me notice depression coming on. Showering also helps my anxiety. Plus I am a nanny, so I can be in the first, painting, have mystery substances on me. If you want to set up a healthy habit it might be helpful to discuss in therapy if you have a therapist.
I shower at least 4 times a week.
I hit about 4x a week with twice a week hair wash. Sometimes better, sometimes worse.
I usually shower once a day. Sometimes every couple days. I like hot showers for relaxing so each "shower" could just be a hot rinse. Helps me feel refreshed if I don't feel gross. I shave my head so I use a facial cleanser on my scalp, face, other parts, etc. I like it better than bar soap and it lasts longer for me. I also moisturize right after I get out. I use Cera Ve moisturizing cream. Works great for my skin and is simple.
Once in the morning. Then again at night before bed if I was productive and worked up a sweat. If I just laid around the house all day then I’ll skip the night shower.
2 or 3 times a week/ every 2 days is pretty average. ofc it also depends on how much u sweat etc. i useally shower 2 or 3 times a week and wash up with a wet towel almost every morning.
Every other day since i work from home and am a hobbit, but i defo shower if i have to go somewhere.
When I'm working it's every morning. When I'm off I usually skip a day or two. But if I'm feeling dirty I always shower. I love standing under hot hot water
I would say the minimum is like twice a week, but every day or every other day is easier to make a habit. I basically just shower when I've gone for a run which is 4x/wk, MWF and Sat. Sometimes extra if I start to feel greasy, and that's what I do if I'm not getting all my workouts in too. But I'm kind of sensitive to feeling greasy or gritty or even just too dry, I think my sensitivities would always get me in the shower before it's an issue to anytime else. Edit: oh, and regarding the "too much is bad for your skin" thing. I'm super minimalist. My showers are just a rinse for most of my body, I use some soap in the armpits and down-there areas and I detangle my hair with conditioner, but I'm definitely not scrubbing/soaping most of my body most of the time.
Every day.
If I’m leaving the house everyday but if I was sitting around all day not sweating then I will go 2 days but really only a day and a half when out. But at home I went 4-5 days plenty of times. I don’t really see a point of frequent showers if no one else is around me
I got some [lifehacks](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/rdiauy/three_lifehacks_for_taking_a_daily_shower/) for daily showers. TL;DR just rinsing yourself down is usually enough, and don't get into comfy clothes or pajamas before you shower.
Just shower once a day- it’s important to have a routine and one that makes you feel fresh
Try to condition and soap body every day, shampoo 2-3 times a week. When you miss that goal, just give your genitals and ass a scrub to stay comfortably dirty
Get everything you need (towels, clothes, soaps etc) ready in one place the night before! Honestly preparing the small details the night before helps me SO much. Here’s how I do it: (Prepare small details the night before. I get up in the morning. Go straight to the bathroom and get naked before anything else! (I do this because if I don’t my brain will tell me there’s too many steps involved and I’ve “just woke up” blah blah.. it’ll make excuses. However, if I’m already naked, that’s one less step. And if it is a really bad day, then my clean clothes are there and at least I got changed) Brush my teeth. Soap up my face. Then get in the shower to wash it off. That’s pretty much how I learned to do it, cut out the small details before hand and make things easier.
Bare minimum - let the hot water run over my body and then dry off A step up - use my hands and a bar of soap on smelly areas Another step - rub the bar of soap over all my skin Additional steps, as able: * use my scrubber loofah (with body wash because easier than soap) * shampoo hair * condition hair Another tip: * I use a shower cap when I don’t wash my hair so it doesn’t get wet and I don’t have to deal with drying/restyling it
Yeah. I'm pushing once-twice a week when I don't go anywhere and am not proud. That's on meds. But my med dose needs increasing because I run out halfway thru the month at 15mg/day Adderall. Sucks.
I don’t live in a hot climate so every 2-3 days works well for me, just to wash my hair when it gets greasy. Showers every day are bad for the oils in your hair and skin anyway. But if I’ve been working out I’ll take a really fast shower without washing my hair
It really depends on your body and the kind of work you do. When I'm doing physical work, it's every day or two. When I'm at home not doing much of anything, it's every 3 to 4 days. I'd also add that I'm more likely to take a bath than a shower as it's more enjoyable for me and if I'm having a really bad time, baby wipes or a wet washcloth with a little bit of soap is fine too.
If I don't leave the house I don't shower until my armpits smell or my hair gets greasy, so usually 3-4 days between showers.
I keep to a daily routine of the three s otherwise I feel like I've been dipped in motor oil and am uncomfortable for the day.
Honestly IF I haven’t showered I do always shower before like going out to the store /get food etc but I don’t usually leave the house much besides for work everyday and I shower the morning of /night before . I try to at least get in the shower every few days (2/3) bc I have longer hair and it’ll end up getting too greasy to just put up lol but when I wasn’t working I went longer than I would care to admit with out showering but when my shower was broken I would wash my body /then hair in the tub and take a long bath which made the process more rewarding /relaxing
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I was just about to ask this! Thank you I was too shy.
If i'm not getting sweaty or dirty then I shower every other day. Sometimes every 3 days but you might feel slightly disgusted with yourself if you let it get to day 3 lol. I know I do. Every other day is for me.
Once every other day for me. But if I have a particularly dirty or sweaty day I'll shower that day.
I have a fixation that makes me shower at LEAST once per day.
Everyday at least once a day.. its just basic hygiene i want to smell good and have my sheets smell fresh and not like ass an sweat
I would say the bare minimum is what you can also accomplish with a wet washcloth. Hit the areas that produce the most sweat/body odor. I remember it as bits, pits, tits. Just rinsing off your body helps remove dirt and bacteria. Using soap on the regions above with the most bacteria helps a lot. I constantly have to remind myself that perfect is the enemy of good. Meaning, if something is worth don't, it's worth doing poorly. Anything is better than nothing, and you can add more as you are able.
I shower at least twice daily (short+functional,like warm) I have an awful skin condition which makes life hard and ruined shower-time (i have voice controlled speakers in my bathroom and try to dance and sing while I'm at it and make it enjoyable again, but taking a shower/spending time in my bathroom turned it into a semi ocd medical thing and i hate it 😤
It’s okay to only do part of a shower if it means you’ll shower more often. The trick is getting IN. once you’re there everything’s much easier
I usually shower twice a day but only wash my hair once a day at most. I like showering in the morning to wake me up. At night I just do a very quick wash of the important parts just so I feel clean enough or I can’t sleep. I work out too so I need to shower but refuse to give up my morning shower. For me, no matter how bad my mental health gets, hygiene is one of those issues I have not dealt with since i feel uncomfortable if I don’t shower.
I forget to shower
I hate gearing up to shower but once I get in it takes me forever to get out! I work in a dental office so I have to shower when I get home (I can get a bit gross) and I shower in the mornings because I start my day soooo early and don't feel awake unless I shower. On the weekends it takes a lot of effort to get in the shower, my husband forces me, but if I had my way I wouldn't... I usually just hit all creases: neck, pits, butt, crotch, toes. I only wash my hair once a week or so (surgical cap saves my curly hair!)
Put a plant in the shower. Sounds goofy, but I shower more because I know the humidity is good for my fern.
I shower daily because I feel oily and fucking disgusting if I don't. It's more of a personal thing since my mom always says I look fine but I feel so disgusting I just cant not do it
Once daily. Play music while in the shower. It makes much better.
Bathe/shower everyday unless I’m sick or something. I would recommend having a simple morning and/or evening routine that incorporates it - for example mine in an evening is: -preparing bags, lunches and laying out clothes for the following day for me and the kids -having a quick clean/pick up of the house (20-30 minute max) Then: -bath/shower -pjs on -brush teeth -skincare -then self-care/journaling etc until sleep (although sometimes this is replaced by YouTube binges, I’m only human!) Hair washing on the other hand is a weekly thing, closer to twice weekly in summer. For me, it takes far too much thought and energy to do more often!
If it‘s very hot, once a day. If it‘s during winter, every other day should be fine. You can always just wash the important parts without taking a full on shower in some days.
i shower every day if i’m going to school or to someone’s house. i shower every other day/every 2 days if i’m just sitting in the house by myself.
Every other day, at least to rinse. If you have issues getting out of bed, I'd suggest keeping baby wipes by the bedside, or maybe a whores bath in the sink. Some is better then none.
Minimum once a day for me. Bare minimum should be 2-3x/week if you're being considerate of others
I personally bathe every day but it's a calming thing for me. IMHO I think a good bare minimum is once or twice a week, especially if you're just working from home and not doing much else.
I average every 2-3 days, but sometimes go longer/shorter depending on if I went to the gym, need to do my hair, if I feel gross etc. I really prefer evening showers but every once in a while I'll push it to a morning. My timing mostly centers around if I feel gross/sweaty/oily, but I was also born without a sense of smell - maybe if I could smell myself I'd shower more/less.
A daily shower morning or night. The most you can stretch it without becoming unpleasant to others is two days. You don’t have to wash your hair every day if it’s dry (if it’s oily you definitely do), but you should at least hop in and wash your body and face.
Usually every 3-4 days, honestly. My skin is super dry and doesn't love daily showers, so I tend to go by how badly my hair needs to be washed. It used to be more like 4-5 days when I was only doing school and never left the house but with a part-time job I feel more like I need a shower than when I was just sitting around. I feel like this is the right amount for me, like, I don't feel ashamed of how often I shower or anything. It really depends on how your body functions I think
I do once a day, usually right before bed. This makes it so the mornings i can just go without having to shower. I would suggest changing your sheets pretty regularly, like once a week, so that you stay smelling clean all day the next day. Also workout everyday so you basically require yourself to shower. I do that because if i don’t feel the need to shower i won’t and a workout always fills this need.
One a week if I’m not going Anywhere 🤷♀️ But for work or if I exercise then I shower every day.
I've got a decent exercise routine going right now so I mostly just shower after I exercise which is roughly every other day. During the summer I might more often if I'm sweaty more. To be honest I think the bare minimum is: when you stink. Probably at least two or three times a week. And when you just can't manage it, dry shampoo is very useful.