Problems looking after myself in Depression

betly · Joined: 05 Dec 2006 Posts: 25

I have problems looking after myself all that well when I'm depressed.

Does anyone else find this?

Usually I am very fastidious, have a shower every morning, brush teeth 3-4 times a day and have lots of nice cleansers, moisturizers, potions & make-up etc. that I like to use.

Even though my mood is getting to be a lot more 'up', all that stuff still seems like a pointless waste of time. (I am at least now managing to brush my teeth once or twice a day, unlike a few weeks ago). Washing my hair seems especially difficult.

1. Does anyone else get this?
2. Do you think I should force myself to go through the motions of my usual routine, or do you think it is OK to be a bit of a slob at the moment?

Part of me suspects that all the potions and make-up ARE in REALITY a bit of a pointless waste of time. It's just a result of lots of marketing, and I feeling like I never look good enough. When I'm depressed it's as though the extraneous fluff of life falls away and I can see what’s *really* important (how you feel not how you look)

thanks guys

joung · Joined: 05 Dec 2006 Posts: 46

I went unshaven from mid-August to the end of May, washed rarely and, quite literally, couldn't look at myself in the mirror.

When you're 'down' I don't think it uncommon that one of the first things to lapse is personal hygiene ... you want to curl up, shut the world out, can't find the motivation to get up and about, you don't care (as much) about yourself and how you look (and smell! ).

Only when I started to feel better did I get back to a routine cleanliness programmed.

I'm struggling a bit at the moment (on 40mg of Citalopram a day) and have terrible tremors, making shaving a deadly hazard. I'm at work and wear nice suits, monogrammed shirts, smart ties, expensive shoes and ostentatious cufflinks but look like a subway beggar! I'm spotty, unshaven and really don't care how I look.

I assume from your post ("lots of nice cleansers, moisturizers, potions & make-up etc.") that you're female?

It is difficult to motivate yourself to look good but why not treat yourself to a pre-Xmas pampering session at a local beautician? Get your hair done, nails etc. and I'm sure you'll feel, and look, better for it.

yorn · Joined: 05 Dec 2006 Posts: 15

Usually I don't even like the dog to see me without me having at least a little mascara on, but now make up is way down the list!

I also get very attached to particular items of clothing - this time it was a huge, pale blue, thick wool jumper that I didn't remove for weeks, night and day. I am now wearing different clothes every few days so that's good!! I appear to have had the same socks on for over a week, though.

To be honest I can't think of anything worse than going to a beautician right now but thanks for the suggestion! Maybe I will feel more like it in the future.

Hope the side effects of your meds die down soon. I'm on flextime (prozac) which I have very few problems with after the first 2 or 3 weeks.

What about getting an electrical shaver?

franti · Joined: 05 Dec 2006 Posts: 19

Hi
yes its a symptom of depression. It was as much as I could do to get out of bed and the thought of having a shower and getting dressed seemed at times to be an horrendously difficult thing to do

I think its emotional exhaustion and a symptom of depression is apathy and a total lack of motivation. It will return though as you are feeling better

allen · Joined: 05 Dec 2006 Posts: 11

You are definitely not alone in this. I only wash up every day now just becoz I have to pray (as a Moslem, I need to wash up before every prayer). But other than that I stopped taking care of my skin by not using any cleansers and stuff. Make up is another thing; I haven’t updated my make up stuff in like 2 years. I just don’t see the point. I don’t go out, so why bother worrying about make up and how my skin looks and having a new hair do (I used to change my hair style a lot b4).
I also stopped buying clothes coz I see it as a waste of money now.
But do force myself to take a shower every other day at least so as not to bother ppl who I live with.
One thing that works for me though is having a bath every 2 weeks or at least once a month. U can use scented bath gel and put candles and have a glass of wine and just chill. It feels good.