I take Lexapro, Lamictal, Abilify, yet have Problem Taking Showers

@nscappa There are times I feel like you do, that getting into the shower and all it involves, is simply too much to deal with. I use a peppermint liquid castile soap, and will do a "bucket bath", hitting the most important areas. The smell of the peppermint itself is a mood brightener, it seems.

Another thing we can use when the idea of a shower overwhelming, is something that caregivers and campers use. It is a soap impregnated cloth used with a little water, and simply used all over the body. There is no need to wash off the cleaning agent. I keep a package of them on hand for those challenging days. And I sent a package with my husband to use when he was camping off-grid for three weeks. He even used it as a shampoo! Here is the product I use: Scrubzz-Disposable-Rinse-Bathing-Wipes

Do you think something like this might help?
Ginger

Thank you so much for the information. What would I look under?

Thank you so much for the information. What would I look under?

Aww, you are so sweet. Here is what just happened to me which really threw me. I don't know if it's proper to discuss things that aren't related to this thread but I think this one is. The other day I was really overwhelmed thinking about the money for Lola and if I would have enough left over to buy food. I know. Well, after I left my message for my "best friend of 50 years" and didn't get a call back (considering how I was feeling) I just went on with my day and anxiety. After that I spoke with a friend who I hadn't spoken with in about 8 years which took about 1-1/2 hours. During that call I got a call from my "best friend" which I could not answer nor one from my niece. Trying to make this short, I did not get back to her that day. She called me the next day and was very upset because I didn't get back to her the same day because I made her worry so I apologized many times but she was still make a big thing of it so after a while we decided to let it go and had a great conversation and we decided that we were good and ended on a good note. Next day at 9:22 am (when she emailed me) she told me that when she was concerned I said that I thought she was overreacting a bit but she didn't like that all and told me that she was sick of listening to my problems and that they brought her down when she is happy and that I should see a therapist and that she could not take it anymore. I was shocked by this. I wrote her two more emails and in the last one I told her that I would not call her until she apologized for the nasty email. Her next email said "don't call me anymore". How about that! I have listened to her for hours about her problems and never complained and I am a good listener. I must add that Helen is a recovering alcoholic and I have always believed her when she said that she hasn't had a drink is 16 years. The only time she acts like (mean) is when she is drinking. I just don't know but this is it for me, I will not be spoken to like after being such a good friend to her. It takes a lot for me to end a friendship but I don't deserve to be treated like that. Sorry for the length of this but I know you will understand. I hope I haven't overdone it. Nancy : )

I have to post this because the site will not allow me to edit answers after it’s been posted for a bit. I wish they could give me enough time to correct grammatical errors but I wanted to add something to my post.
I didn’t want you to think that I was minimizing your furbaby’s need for a vet. I apologize if I offended you that wasn’t my intention. Regarding showers. Just one thing that makes me skittish about taking a shower is I use a cane to get around. Although there are plenty of grab bars the problem is the floor is new and made with very slippery tiles.
I end up putting towels on the floor.

Well, I just threw that question into the Google Machine. Which is how I found your thread lol. What I had put in there was at times I do not bathe for months at a time…

(my fiancé and I have had a discussion several times about how not one day have I ever smelled bad) WTH?! Not that I’m complaining nor is my fiancé, LMAO
😜

How do I force myself to do so. The best that I came across in the five minutes i went through until I found yours, was to break the task, bathing, down into smaller, more tangible steps… (Bite size steps, I like to say lol) Saying that breaking it down into bite-size steps would help to allow you of accomplishing your daily bathing routine.

The reason that that plan really makes sense for me, is because the main reason am I unable to get myself to bathe is because, just the idea of me getting myself into the shower, cleaning myself, washing my hair, rinsing my hair, conditioning, my hair, rinsing conditioner for my hair, shaving my legs, drying off, blow drying my naturally long curly hair (that sometimes takes 12 to 14 hours to dry naturally h
ugh 😑) and putting make up on and then finding clothes that I like is hugely, enormous and over-f’’n-welming. Just thinking about it sends me into a deeper depression. Ugh 😑

And for me at least, it really sucks for me because my fiancé whom I’ve been with for seven years now, lives with me, and when we first got together, I had bathed daily and too made myself all pretty from head2toe every single day. Wow just typing that out. Made me realize how much he really probably hates this about my depression also. LMAO 😜

Now I’m going to read through the comments in your thread and see what everyone told you. Hopefully you found yourself a solution that works for you. And too, hopefully I will find at least one here that will work for myself.

Best of all to you & stay
safe out there 🥰
Wendy Mae

P.S. Yes, I had to edit my comment, and the reason for my doing so is because I have carpal tunnel syndrome. So mostly while on me phone I will use voice to text.

Giving my really strong southern accent that I have, if I forget to check what it says for me, at least half of it is wrong. So I’m pretty happy that I did read it through. Because would have sounded like a second-grader otherwise 😉

Perhaps next time I will remember to check it before I push send. And that right there is I’ll have to say about that. Now I’m going to try and re-create comments on your thread. Lol 😂

I know how it feels. I have had intermittent periods, weeks or months, when it was almost impossible for me to take a shower. It's gotten better recently because I decided I was just going to FORCE myself to get into that spray. I know it sounds "crazy" (can I use that word here?) that we can't take a shower, but that is the reality of the situation. I may be better because of my drugs; I take clonazepam and Wellbutrin, and things got better once I GOT OFF of Ritalin. I wish you all the best in dealing with this; it is very difficult.