Hey everyone, I started paying close attention to my personal hygiene, and I’m noticing things are better in every matter. My self-esteem and confidence are better, and I’m in a better mood then before. I’m mentioning this, because it’s known that one of the negative symptoms is neglecting personal care. My personal habits now are:
Taking 1 - 2 baths per day
Brushing teeth, mouthwash and face wash 1 - 2 times per day
Shaving regularly
Putting moisturizer after shower cause I have dry skin
Using an Anti-antiperspirant and putting some perfume before going out
Now I’m trying to work on other goals like hitting the gym and losing weight. What else can I add to my daily routine?
And what about you? What are your personal care habits?
That’s excellent you can do this, but for me no matter how hard I try to do these things I get apathetic and unmotivated. My negative symptoms are pretty strong.
But I have improved a bit, brushing my teeth more, bathing a little more. But I haven’t notice it affecting my confidence, but then again I’m not going at noticing things like that.
Well I don’t mean to put myself or others down, but I read it’s one of the “negative” (not positive) symptoms of schizophrenia is to neglect personal care. So it’s better to focus on this point, because neglecting personal hygiene can lead to other health problems.
I’d like to reply to your post in parts and not one sentence answers.
Firstly, I’m one of the folks that do not have negative symptoms worth mentioning. I think in that regard, I am lucky because even when I was most floridly psychotic flopping around in a state hospital, I maintained good personal hygiene. I still have that phrase indoctrinated in me - “personal hygiene.” Staff would mention those words and those of us who were able to, got ourselves squared away.
Second, I knock out the majority of my hygiene first thing in the morning. Within 15 minutes of waking up, I shave, brush my teeth, and jump in the shower. That’s just my habit. When I get out of the shower, I dress (obviously), and then apply deodorant.
Finally, I haven’t gotten to the gym part yet, but I am on a fairly rigorous diet. I move around as much as I can to get the blood moving, but nothing taxing…yet. My asthma has me reeling, especially with the cold air beginning to set in, so I take it easy. What else can you add you your routine? Man, I don’t know, sounds like you’re firing on all cylinders. Pluck nose hairs? No, seriously, I think you’ve got things in high-functioning territory.
i have set a rule for myself that the longest i can go without bathing or showering is every other day and you;re right, it does enhance your confidence if you are clean…there is nothing worse for me than having to go out to get food if i am not clean…i have been dirty and it’s a horrible place to be…i still get dirty now sometimes but i’m resolute in my attempts to beat back the personal demons that stop me dealing with personal hygiene on a daily basis. so even if i can;t face the thought of a bath or shower i will wash my hair and wash my body with cleansing baby wipes so that i am clean and smell nice. i use deoderant and perfume and have started brushing twice a day instead of once…
noone has to be dirty in this day and age in a developed nation. there are ways round it such as the baby wipes and washing your hair over the bath. you can sit on the toilet with a jug of warm water and wash your private parts…if you do it this way it doesn;t all have to be done at once. sometimes if i’m feeling particularly vulnerable i will do these things spread out throughout the day…so long as they are done by the end of the day it’s ok by me. firstly and most importantly if im not doing well is my hair wash as early as possible so that i can go and get my latte and not feel disgusting in public. it makes you feel bad enough that you’re different but to be looked down upon because you are dirty is a terrible feeling. i know this because i’ve been there many times
I shave every other morning, usually shower twice a day, after my workout and before bed, floss, brush thoroughly, keep my hair a number three buzz, keep my nails trimmed, apply deodorant stick when I dress, and I also pluck hairs in between my eyebrows, and use a swab or q-tip or whatever they’re called to clean my ears. When I shower, I soap my whole body and scalp and face down then scrub and wash it off.
I also wear my shirts tucked in.
Sort of like @anon40540444, I stay in presentable condition regardless of whatever because that’s what I have in habit. I also have lesser negative symptoms.
I exercise religiously partly because it helps with my agitation and partly because I have high blood pressure and can really use the exercise. My heart is conflicted between the high blood pressure and the physical fitness. I mainly do advanced calisthenics like dead hang pull ups, dips, pistol squats, jump squats, leg raises, blah blah I was a fighter and then a powerlifter in my early adulthood, not that I am out of that phase, I’m 22.
Don’t expect to be in soldier shape, it’s one thing to be active but it’s rare for medicated individuals to have the sheer ability to exercise intensively. I say just walk for an hour every day. It’s enjoyable and natural, also unlikely to cause injury or stress on the body.
And I’m 22. That counts for a lot. I have youth on my list of things going for me.
Good on you for taking care of yourself and expressing desire to do so more intensively. It can get you pretty far in recovery to treat your body with dignity. It helps stigma for one thing- appearance does make an impression on people. It can be a positive or negative or neutral impression. You decide
Don’t worry. Once you start working out you will want to bathe.
I’m getting back into the habit of running and starting to go back to the gym after my first bout with lithium.
Mouse is right, an hour walking is a good way to start. I run (unplanned intervals, I sprint until I am either tired or the song craps out on me and I have to find a new one) for about an hour a day on a good day. I used to do three or four hours of that without blinking. The way I do it is I don’t look at scenery. I just let my mind wander. Daydreams on endorphins. You want to slay a dragon? Be Cinderella looking for her Prince Charming? You have an hour to do that now. I run up and down the same stretch of road so that I don’t have to look where I’m going. I know where every hole and ridge is because I’ve been down that particular bit of street over a million times. Sometimes you can really, really get into it and you don’t want to stop. I can’t do the three or four hours anymore (something about the meds I think) but I can still do hour, hour thirty stretches. Remember I’ve been doing this for years though so you might not be able to go a whole hour.
PLEASE stretch even if you just start walking. It’ll get you into a good habit and believe it or not most of my small time screw ups come from over confidence. “Oh, it was just a short workout.” “I don’t have time to stretch! Maybe next time!” And then I get hurt on my next run. My mother of all screw ups was that I never stretched for years and I nearly really hurt myself. If you’re going to do it budget time to stretch. If you only have an hour before you need to start getting ready just do a 45 minute workout so you can get your stretch on!
Make sure you stretch! I use this guy’s pre workout routine.
Stretch Stretch Stretch! It isn’t fun, but it’s worth it (trust me. )
From what I saw (my browser stopped working) this guy’s is better. I included the other girl’s because I don’t know where you’re going to find a wall that size.
This woman is so helpful! She’s a former ballerina
So - what motivated this change? How did you get to the point where you started doing this? What helped you get motivated to do this? I’m sure others would like to know how you think you did this…
I think your basic idea that paying more attention to hygiene boosts your confidence – is itself a motivating factor in deciding to pay more attention to it.
I am going to test out your hypothesis with more showers, haircuts, shampooing and shaving as well as more frequent hand washing for the flu season. (My oral hygiene is good alreadiy.)
For me, it increases happiness, not confidence. Also, I’m not going to be doing any beard shaving - THAT is an actual huge confidence booster for me, having my beard & mustache.
No, seriously, I think you’ve got things in high-functioning territory.
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