Hygiene Indifference: The Symptom We Don't Talk About

[Coventina]

Most of us have heard the saying: “Cleanliness is next to Godliness.” This old-fashioned mantra reinforces a long-held, misguided belief: that being “unclean” equates to laziness and moral ineptitude. As a result, our culture often takes an unsympathetic approach to addressing issues like poverty and homelessness; far too many of us interpret these situations as a personal failing rather than a product of structural inequality. And, significantly, our ideas about the morality of cleanliness can shape how we view mental illness.

Hygiene is one of the many symptoms that is frequently left out of the mental health conversation. This is largely because the subject is difficult to talk about — many of us feel the weight of stigma when talking about our bodies and our personal habits. However, indifference to hygiene tasks, including showering, brushing teeth, doing laundry or brushing hair, is a common symptom of mental health conditions (particularly depression).

As a health care professional and someone living with depression, I can speak to the very real manifestations of this symptom. My personal understanding of hygiene and my professional understanding of germ theory was simply not enough to beat the confines of a depressive episode. As I bathed others and taught caregivers, I, myself, struggled to take a shower. This was difficult to wrap my head around, but I have come to understand that neither a professional designation, nor “knowing better,” can shield you from mental health symptoms.

In my work in the health care profession, I have found that difficulty with hygiene tasks can be an early warning sign of mental illness. I have seen how bipolar disorder can present in its early stages in the form of changed feelings about daily hygiene practices. This symptom can seemingly come “out of nowhere.” When bipolar depression or mania are looming, symptoms can come in like a roaring tiger — or they can sneak up gently and go unnoticed until you find yourself in the pit of the deepest valley.

https://www.nami.org/complimentary-health-approaches/hygiene-indifference-the-symptom-we-dont-talk-about/

[Arne]

1. I cannot post from personal experience,

but every word from you is important and true.

[mopinko]

2. it's so isolating, too.

i cd never keep up when my kids were small. i never invited neighbors in. my kids invited friends. those from chaotic homes felt at home, and 1 kid from a very tidy home was happy to have a break from that. but i was always embarrassed.
for a few yrs after my divorce i had a cleaning lady. she wasnt actually that good, but at least she kept the clutter down. it was nice to have an open door.
cant afford that any more, but take some pleasure in cleaning these days, knowing it will stay done at least for a while.

but showering and clean clothes- yes. mostly it’s physical exhaustion. but i do look like a homeless person on many days.
i sort of have a pet theory on this, tho. apes smell. badly. but it’s how the troop stays together. always wondered if ppl dont send out an sos in the form of letting their smell get strong.
a symptom i guess. but is it a way of asking for help?