How to Keep Up Hygiene Practices When Mental Health Takes a Hit
When hygiene can be affected by mental health
You are not alone. According to medicalnews.net, “People who are living with certain conditions, such as a psychotic disorder, severe depression, or drug or alcohol use disorder, may find it very difficult to keep up a personal hygiene routine.”
We list a few ways to address and continue personal hygiene practices while living with mental illness.
Spoons theory
Christine Miserandino of butyoudontlooksick.com and BYDLS Facebook community explains that in 2003 she was dining with a friend curious about life with lupus. Christine gathered all the spoons off the tables. She then described how every day starts with a set number of spoons. Spoons represented energy. As her friend listed off the daily tasks done throughout the day, Christine took away spoons. Doing so, she’d also go into the stamina required to do those tasks. It articulated her experience with lupus concretely, and her friend could understand.
Now that you know what spoon theory is, find ways to incorporate it every day. It’s especially helpful when feeling overwhelmed about getting things done. Try it now! First, take a self-inventory. Then run down your list of responsibilities to be completed today or in the next hour. Assess your mental, emotional, physical energy, and translate that into your spoons. How many do you have? How are you going to use them? If you only have enough for mouthwash and a can of beans for breakfast, honor that. More on this later.
Therapy
If you’re having trouble expressing what you’re going through with your family or friends, having someone you can talk to can be helpful. A mental health practitioner can support you. If you’re comfortable with your therapist, speak with them about your change in hygiene practices. They may be able to come up with ways to manage your mental health issues. Tools may include a treatment plan, awareness of your progression, and mindfulness techniques.
Mindfulness
A study by Godfrin and Cornelis Van Heeringen found in addition to treatment, “mindfulness-based cognitive therapy … showed a significant reduction in both short and longer-term depressive mood and better mood states and quality of the life.” Mindfulness aids in connecting with your body. There are different mindfulness techniques. All you need is your body. Practices include focusing on breath, body scanning, and watching your thoughts.
After taking a few minutes to practice mindfulness, you may gain awareness of what your needs are in the moment. Do you need to eat? Call someone? Maybe you need quiet time. Getting clarity at the moment can empower you to do more for yourself.
Set very very very tiny goals
As we learned in spoons theory, it helps to break down your daily activities. Try creating micro-goals. For example, instead of “brush teeth,” create a smaller chunk. Aim for 30 seconds, or gargling with mouthwash for 15 seconds. The idea is that you’re meeting yourself where you are. If you’re not able to brush your teeth like before, show yourself compassion for where you are today, and do what you can.
Make goals you can accomplish. The goal is to continue self-care, not perfection. If you’re able to gargle for 5 seconds instead of 15, count it as 5 seconds of care, which is better than none.
Reward
Don’t forget to reward yourself! After you’ve completed a task, recognize what you’ve been able to accomplish. You could reward with an activity you enjoy, food, or time with a friend or affectionate pet. Another could be repeating an affirmation. Think of ways to show yourself gratitude.
Accept where you are (don’t be hard on yourself)
This may be the most important of all. It’s hard to adjust. The reactions of “I should be able to do this” weigh like a ton of bricks. However, keeping yourself down by reminding yourself of all the things you can’t do, won’t help you in the long run. Keep yourself to the moment. Recognize that you can work with what you’re able to do now. This may look different from before, and while frustrating, accept yourself. You’re doing the best you can.
Sources:
- Godfrin, Karen A., and Cornelis Van Heeringen. “The effects of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on recurrence of depressive episodes, mental health and quality of life: A randomized controlled study.” Behaviour research and therapy 48.8 (2010): 738–746.
- https://butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/personal-hygiene
- Photo by Christian Mackie on Unsplash
- Photo by Jane Palash on Unsplash
- Photo by Lance Grandahl on Unsplash
