Depression and neglecting the body

[Bamboozle]

Hello, people.

In the past month I’ve realized how much I’ve neglected taking care of my body. I have an acne problem and have never had much success in get rid of it…but I’m trying again.

I get at least two showers a day and I have a ritual. I shower, clean the area with astringent and apply acne meds. It isn’t completely gone but there has been a very noticeable difference. Most of what is red are scars…I have much less acne at the moment.

I’m taking better care of my hair, too. I never used conditioner before, but now my hair is soft.

I also put lotion on my skin. It feels and smells better.

Tonight I added more to the ritual. Now I’m going after my mouth. I’m notorious for not flossing…but that changed tonight. First I flossed, then brushed my teeth (gums…roof of mouth) and my tounge (I bought a separate brush for that), wiped my tonsils with cotton swabs and finally rinsed with non-alcoholic mouth wash. My mouth hasn’t felt this clean in years. It took at least 10 minutes, but it was worth it. I’m going to do this at least twice a day.

The only thing I have left to tackle are my feet…they’re kind of bad. They don’t stink…but I have a problem with dry skin. I’ll add that to the mix after a while….I’ll have to hunt for some good lotion and a foot scrub.

What’s the point of all of this (if you’re still reading…I know, it’s boring)?

I didn’t take care of myself because of the depression and addiction. Many things went to the wayside. Now that I’m feeling better and taking care of my mental health it’s time to take care of some of the details.

I still have a ways to go. I have food issues and I’m smoking.

I’m staying sane by working on one thing at a time and this brings about change.

Does anyone else find it easier to take care of these things when you are feeling better?

[Cleansing]

Funny thing is that I saw this thread, but felt depressed and didn't feel like responding. I then took a nap cause i wasn't feeling so good. So am I depressed?

I mean, I feel very low in energy, I wanna sleep all the time, and I'm def. neglecting the body. I used to excercxise everday, sometimes twice a day, now I haven't excercised in over 2 weeks. My acne is being addressed (I go to the dermatologist), but many nights, I just don't care enough to wash my face and put on my medication. I also don't brush my teeth more than once a day. Feels too much like a chore.


The weird thing is that I feel okay. Emotionally, Im smiling alot, laughing alot. It's just the physical part that's lacking like no energy, no movement towards good hygeine, some pains headaches and back pains, no desire to workout/excercise.


But I feel a change coming through. Im hoping that tomorrow I can wake up no later than 8am, and do some excercise. Do a nice run, then some calisthetics when I get home.

I want to make sure I get my face washed twice a day, maybe three times a day.

It time for me to become more active because truthfully im not all that depressed. I just get low, blue moments during the day, it's nothing too strong.

Im actually very excited about this, because I feel like these are all feasible, rather small changes i can make that will make me look better, and so feel better.

I just hoped I don't psych myself out like "oh no, I have to make so many changes tomorrow". "Excercising takes too much time and is boring." I know that if I wake up too late, I'll feel like I can't excercise, and that my transformation will be incomplete even if I do take care of the hygenic stuff.

Basically, I agree that it's easier to take care of things as you feel better. Which is why depression can be a viscious cycle. I'ts like (1) You feel bad for no reason, and stop caring about stuff (2) You're not treating yourself well, because you don't care (3) now you're feeling bad because you're not treating yourself well, (4) and you stop caring because you feel so bad. It repeats.

It's like in the beginning, you didn't know why you were so apathetic and sad. But now you're giving yourself a reason to be that way. You have to force yourself to break the cycle, and it can be very hard.

[Zencat]

Your title "Depression and neglecting the body" jumped right out to me. Aww when I was in one of my worst depressive episodes, things like taking a shower every 3 or 4 days seemed to be just to much to do.

Wearing the same ole dirty pants and shirt day after day...ewwww...even spraying my garments with Lysol...just to get by.

Major depression is nothing to joke about.

At one point in my depression it had me bed ridden, miserable and nonfunctional. Oh how I got by day to day during that time was unspeakable. Just nasty how I was living.

Then one day after reading and reading and talking to others that wanted to help me, I started to do small things for myself...like taking a shower even when every fiber in my body resisted to the very idea. I went outside on my front door porch...even if it was to sit in the sunlight for 10 minuets. I hated it but did it. But piece by piece I took on more challenges...slowly yes...but I did them, Wash a few garments, do a few dishes, change my bedding, dust a bit...little by little...I plodded on.

I started to maintain a regiment of the things I started to do and added a little more to it as the weeks and months went by. I sticked with medication that didn't seem to work at first but as I worked to improve my condition...the med's seemed to work better.

Strange...the med's worked better, as I worked to make better changes in my life with depression. Later I went through small med adjustments over a considerable amount of time. Along with continuing to maintain my daily routine of stuff to do.

I consider myself extremely blessed and one of the very few that have made it out of a condition that would have dying in bed with no hope what so ever.

[deerwalk]

I understand Bam. I have had those times as well, when it is too much to drag myself out of bed and move enough to get showered and dressed. I find exercise to be helpful. It can't be just anything though, I have found only long walks or a bit of aerobic exercise to alleviate depression... I love to bike but for whatever reason that does absolutely nothing for me as far as depression. I recently splurged on a bit of nice mango lotion I have wanted for ages! Smell therapy I have always had a bit of a disconnect from myself physically. sounds like you are on the right track, keep treating yourself with kindness!

[Freedom1990]

You can count me in on the 'not taking care of myself' club when I've been extremely depressed.

I would get to the point I'd have the same pair of sweats on for 2-3 days and not shower.

People often don't understand how debilitating depression can be.

These days I am feeling much better, especially since I landed a job. I am slowly acquiring some nice dress clothes for work, taking the time to style my hair. and wearing perfume!

[Bamboozle]

Originally Posted by Freedom1990

I am slowly acquiring some nice dress clothes for work, taking the time to style my hair. and wearing perfume!

I need to buy some nicer clothes...probably in a couple of months. I'm trying to lose more weight first and if I can't I'll buy the clothes anyways.




Thanks for the replies, folks.

[ClayTheScribe]

Originally Posted by Bamboozle

I need to buy some nicer clothes...probably in a couple of months. I'm trying to lose more weight first and if I can't I'll buy the clothes anyways.




Thanks for the replies, folks.

I definitely hear you about taking better care of yourself when you feel better. I simply have to brush my teeth and rinse my mouth out with mouthwash once a day or my teeth feel all slimy and gritty, and if I don't rinse my mouth and gargle I get a sore throat.

Have you tried Retina-A cream? I find that helps control my acne a lot. If it gets too bad, you should find a dermatologist and see if you can go on Accutane. Only thing with that is you can't get pregnant, but I don't think that'd be a concern for a lesbian ;-P That drug completely obliterated my acne when I was a teen. The acne just started coming back once I started exercising and I didn't wash my face as soon as I was done, so make sure to do that. Also try to cut back on sweets and greasy and fatty foods (easier said than done, especially when you work at a fast food joint).

I also have really dry skin (especially in dry climate Colorado). The best lotion I've found so far is Cetaphil cream, they should carry it at your local grocery store. It does wonders for my skin. I would also start using either moisturizing soap like Dove for sensitive skin or something similar in a body wash, whichever you prefer. That'll help with your sensitive skin a lot.

I too have to buy nicer clothes but wanted to wait until I could lose weight and/or make enough money.

Continued success!

[Trippstar]

I never used to wash/bath for about a week at a time all I done was drink and sleep in bed cuz I was so down. Now I am sober washing everyday feel alot better still get episodes of depression, like now thats why I was looking thru the mental health forum.

[Mariposa18]

I"m notorious for neglecting myself when I'm depressed. I'm working on it though! Went to the Doctors and Dentist the past few months, got check ups, cleanings, wisdom teeth pulled, everything in order. Now I'm working on my weight. Funny thing is even the Doc told me I'm in perfect health, so really losing weight at this point is simply for my vanity, kwim?

I feel you Bam, I really do! Don't you feel better taking care of yourself? I know I do!!!! Sometimes it feels like a huge chore, but it helps immensely!

[Freedom1990]

Originally Posted by Bamboozle

I need to buy some nicer clothes...probably in a couple of months. I'm trying to lose more weight first and if I can't I'll buy the clothes anyways.

You know what? I'm currently 20 pounds overweight. I bought the clothes anyway, and now slowly but surely the weight is coming off a pound at a time. I can take my dress pants to a local seamstress and she can alter them when I've lost enough weight.

[hauntedbyjmb]

Hey Everyone,
You guys are so right on about not taking care of the body when Depressed. I try to do the "Daily maint stuff" and sometimes it is just more than I can make myself do. One of my Peeps, I am D.I.D. also is a washing freak so she showers and washes hands multi times a day. I have a 5 year old Peep that wets the bed so my bed covers are washed often. But I have days I will not clean my place and it gets messy.
My dry skin is a problem and the face is so oily that I have to keep it washed every few days. I tend to loose things too, so my friend who is a Nurse buys me tooth brushes so I can have one if I loose mine.
I am a little gloomy today. I hope everyone else is having a good day.
A & The Peeps!

[steamvessel]

I've noticed with depression that you really don't realize how depressed you were really until you start to get out of your depression. This is no laughing matter, but whenever I start to get out of a depression I kind of start to laugh because everything that I was dealing with previously seems so silly, I can't believe that I was making things as hard as they were. It's kind of like a switch goes on in my brain and I can finally see clearly, then I sink back down. I don't get it, but yes depression is a living hell and quite dehabilitating.

[steamvessel]

Originally Posted by Cleansing

The weird thing is that I feel okay. Emotionally, Im smiling alot, laughing alot. It's just the physical part that's lacking like no energy, no movement towards good hygeine, some pains headaches and back pains, no desire to workout/excercise.

.

This sounds like a depression I am very familiar with. I remember being really depressed when I was younger and there was nothing subtle about it, my body ached, I was panicky, and just out of my mind. Now I get kind of how you described above, I am actually now starting to get out of a recent depressive episode and can tell you what you are describing is major depression, whether you are feeling the pain or not, you are depressed. Those things that you don't feel like doing are things you should like doing. It's this insidious type depression that eats me alive and doesn't force me to deal with anything, and always leads to a bigger black hole where I get really depressed and want to drink. Just wanted to share my experience with that feeling.

[discontentmiser]

wow,

I know what you mean about not realizing how depressed you are until later.

I know I need to call someone or go to an al-anon meeting when I realize I haven't washed my hair in over 3 days.
Even now, when I'm not so depressed, I climb into the shower and it's like my body is screaming "noooo! not the shower! keep warm and dry (and smelly)! It can wait another day!"

I liked how, in the first post, it mentioned actually using conditioner.. yeah, that stuff... oops, I forgot
I have to share a bathroom with 3 other teens and somehow, and somehow my brother chooses what we buy to stock the shower...

When I feel icky I try to make myself look pretty, so if people compliment my clothes, etc. I know I'm having a bad day and trying to hide it.

self care... I really should get around to doing that