Mental illness can prevent daily hygiene. I’ve been a victim of this, and so have so many other people. Some people have come to me in confidence and said that they can’t brush their teeth, and it’s causing major dental problems. Other people have said, in hushed tones, that they can’t do their laundry, so they don’t leave their houses. These kinds of hygiene tasks are just too hard for some people disabled with serious mental illnesses. So, let’s talk about how mental illness can prevent daily hygiene. Let’s bring this subject out of the closet and into the light.

I Met Someone Who Couldn’t Handle Daily Hygiene

When I was 18, I was living with my then-boyfriend. A friend of his landed on our doorstep one day and wanted to crash on our couch. I came to find out that his friend had schizophrenia and had left the mental health facility he was living in without permission and hitchhiked across the country to our apartment.

This was long before I knew a single thing about mental illness. I had compassion for his friend, but I can honestly say I didn’t understand schizophrenia in the slightest. Now, his friend was a pretty nice guy, although scattered and, well, weird. And one of the things that happened was that he didn’t shower. And over time, because he was sleeping on our couch, our couch started to smell like a person who didn’t shower. I didn’t know why anyone wouldn’t shower, but I did know I didn’t want my couch to smell. It was at some point after that we asked him to leave.

Today, I would understand why the friend didn’t shower. Today, I would see the importance of getting this person emergency help. Today, I would have handled it differently. But 18-year-old-me just didn’t have the knowledge.

People Don’t Understand That Mental Illness Prevents Daily Hygiene

This is how I can understand why a person would look at someone with mental illness and not understand in the slightest why the person hadn’t washed themselves, their hair, their clothes, etc. I can understand how a person without a mental illness would look at that with great confusion. After all, it doesn’t take any effect to do those things. Well, it doesn’t take any effort to do those things if you don’t have bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, major depression, and so on.

But the fact of the matter is, if your mental illness prevents daily hygiene tasks, you’re not alone.

What Daily Hygiene Might a Mental Illness Prevent?

I have huge trouble with hairwashing, but that’s me. A mental illness can prevent any daily task, but some of the hygiene tasks it might prevent are:

  • Showering/bathing
  • Teeth brushing
  • Washing of specific body parts like the face
  • Wearing clean clothes

And I’m sure there are others I haven’t thought of.

What’s important to realize is that people for whom mental illness prevents daily hygiene need our empathy and help, not our scorn. Yeah, I get it; no one wants to be around a smelly human, but there are reasons for that smell that go beyond a person’s average concerns.

How to Handle Daily Hygiene When You Have a Mental Illness

Try some of these techniques:

  • If you feel like you can’t shower because it’s too much work, try just standing under the hot water for a minute. True, you might not get sparkling clean, but it’s much easier, and it can help you physically and mentally.
  • Use antiperspirant and wipes liberally. Cleaning wipes (usually made for kids) are available at most pharmacies. You can use them and not have to rinse anything off. No water required.
  • Dry shampoo is a friend of mine. When I can’t get water to my greasy roots, I can get dry shampoo there. It takes two minutes and really does help.
  • If you absolutely can’t brush your teeth, use mouthwash with extra fluoride and rinse liberally for as long as possible. (Also, use toothpaste with extra fluoride so when you do brush, it offers extra protection.)
  • If you can’t do the laundry, ask for help. A friend may be willing to help you out with that. Serve coffee while you do it, and make it a time to catch up and chat.

If you have other tips for handling daily hygiene with a mental illness, I’d love to hear them below.

If You Know Someone with a Mental Illness Who Has Daily Hygiene Struggles

And, please, if you know someone whose mental illness prevents proper daily hygiene, offer your empathy and compassion. Consider that while hygiene is nothing to you, it’s like rolling a giant boulder uphill for a person with a serious mental illness. The effort required just isn’t the same as it is for you. Mental illness affects people in many different ways, and this is one of them. Offer to help where you can. And try to understand that most of us are working on it. It’s just really hard.