What's The Link Between Depression And Hygiene? How To Stay Healthy
Alongside anxiety disorders, depression is generally known as one of the most statistically common mental health conditions. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 5% of adults live with depression across the globe.
The condition can impact anyone—including kids, teens and adults. It has the potential to impact all parts of life—including hygiene and overall self-care.
If you find that depression affects your hygiene, there are things you can do to help yourself and experience a higher level of confidence. Below, we’re exploring lifestyle and pattern chances that can alleviate this strain, as well as the role that online therapy can play in addressing the condition.
What is the connection between hygiene and depression?
Symptoms of depression might include (but aren’t limited to):
- A “down,” low or depressed mood
- A loss of interest or enjoyment in activities
- Trouble with focus or concentration
- Low energy and fatigue
- Social isolation or withdrawal from others
- Changes in sleep (such as sleeping too much, sleeping too little or restless sleep)
- Feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness or guilt
- Changes in appetite
- Slowed physical movements or psychomotor activity
- Restlessness
- Irritability
Many people who live with depression can also experience body aches, muscle tension, GI distress and other physical symptoms that can otherwise inhibit hygiene steps.
We do want to note: Depression can range in severity, and the signs may vary from person to person, as can the level of difficulty someone has with hygiene and overall self-care. Seeking help from a healthcare provider can be a strong first step for many in developing a personalized care plan that can reduce strain around hygiene routines for many.
What does it look like when depression affects hygiene?
Before we dig into what it can look like when depression affects one’s hygiene, it can be helpful to define the term.
The definition of the word hygiene, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is “A science of the establishment and maintenance of health” or “conditions or practices (as of cleanliness) conducive to health.” Personal hygiene, then, may refer to the personal practices that we use to care for ourselves with this in mind. It can include tasks such as:
- Dental or oral hygiene. This type of hygiene can refer to brushing, flossing and attending regular dental appointments. With symptoms of depression, such as low energy and fatigue, it can be challenging to keep up an oral routine at times.
- Food quality, adequate nutrition and diet management. Alongside common depression symptoms like changes in appetite, some individuals who live with depression and other mental health conditions can have trouble completing tasks such as going to the grocery store and preparing meals.
- Bodily hygiene. This can refer to washing and brushing one’s hair, showering or bathing regularly, physical activity and more.
- A clean home or living space. Keeping up with daily chores can be challenging for individuals who live with depression at times.
While keeping up with hygiene can be a difficult task for those who live with the condition, there are many different strategies that can help to improve one’s hygiene habits, which can directly impact one’s quality of life.
For example: If you find that you’re having difficulty keeping up with housework in this season, you might investigate hiring a housekeeper or asking friends for a helping hand. If you notice that you have difficulty brushing your teeth before bed, you might try doing it at a different time of day where you feel more motivated.
While it can take time to determine what works best for your specific needs, it can be possible to do so.
Addressing depression symptoms
A recent study from JAMA Internal Medicine has found that many people who live with depression don’t seek help for their symptoms. However, it can be important to do so.
There are several different treatments available that can address symptoms of depression in many.
The treatment that works for you may depend on several different factors, however—and people might use a combination of different treatments before finding a mix that works for them.
Various types of talk therapy, like online cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), have been scientifically suggested to be effective modalities used by many to treat depression.
Additionally, medication*, lifestyle modification (i.e., getting enough sleep, limiting alcohol and employing stress management techniques) and peer support can be helpful or supplementary.
If you are struggling with substance use, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at (800) 662-4357 to receive support and resources. Support is available 24/7.
Below, we’ve listed a few other tips to try if you are looking for ways to have a higher quality of life if you’re living with depression or related effects:
*BetterHelp does not prescribe medication. Before starting, stopping or changing medications, please consult with a prescribing doctor, such as your primary care physician or a psychiatrist.
Do what you can
Sometimes, it can help to move in small steps or do what you can vs. trying to do it all. Let’s say that, for example, it feels overwhelming to stand up in the shower and engage in every single step that you want to. Instead, you can sit in the shower and do only what needs to be done.
You can also use tools that make caring for your hygiene easier if available to you— like mouthwash, flossing sticks or dry shampoo in place of a full routine. You can always change your go-to routine if you feel better or have more energy that day. However, having the option can be helpful to break through the barrier of overwhelm and take that first step forward.
Ask for help from others
Self-care doesn’t necessarily mean doing everything on your own. Sometimes, it can also mean letting another person assist you or reaching out to ask for that aid or support.
You may consider making a strategy that includes others when hygiene is difficult, such as creating a support network of your closest friends and family who can encourage you. They can also be a physical support to you if you need additional help getting the ball rolling on your next home or hygiene-related task.
Modify unhelpful thought patterns
Positive self-talk and mitigating negative feelings or beliefs about oneself can be vital to achieving a higher quality of life. For example, instead of thinking, “I am a failure,” when concerns related to hygiene and self-care arise, you might instead say, “I am learning how to navigate this better, and I deserve kindness”.
Taking care of you: How online therapy can help many manage symptoms of depression
When you take steps to care for your hygiene, it can be something to be proud of— and it can be important to be compassionate with yourself throughout the process. If you live with depression, think that you might or find that your mental health is affecting your hygiene or other areas of your life, it can be helpful to reach out to an online therapist who can help.
BetterHelp can provide the opportunity to connect with a licensed therapist at a time that works for you from the comfort of your own home—which can be helpful to those who may feel overwhelmed at the prospect of leaving home for therapeutic support.
Your BetterHelp therapist can help you develop a plan for working through your mental health issues and getting back to the routine you desire and deserve.
Online therapy is considered by many to be an effective, convenient and affordable way to get mental health support when needed. It’s also been scientifically suggested to be just as effective as in-person therapeutic intervention.
A recent meta-analysis published in the Journal of Holistic Nursing found that online therapy reduced symptoms of mental health disorders (specifically depression) across all included studies and participant populations.
This finding was an impactful affirmation of the benefit that online therapy can bring, especially for those who may feel limited by location, circumstance or financial barrier.
Takeaway
What is the link between depression and hygiene?
Although the topic hasn't been widely studied, trouble with personal hygiene appears to occur among many people with depression. For example, a person with depression may struggle to brush their teeth or wash their hands as frequently as others.
Much of the information about depression and hygiene comes from personal anecdotes rather than research studies. People struggling with depression may report feeling less motivated to shower regularly or do laundry. This could be due to fatigue making tasks feel more difficult than they usually would, or it could be another way in which people with depression lose interest in their regular activities.
What mental illness causes poor personal hygiene?
Anecdotally, many people with mental illnesses, such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and schizophrenia, forgo practicing hygiene in the way they did prior to developing a mental illness. However, the topic hasn't been widely studied. As a result, we don't yet know how well mental illness explains poor personal hygiene, or if certain mental illnesses have a stronger association with poor personal hygiene than others.
When it comes to depression and poor personal hygiene, people have made anecdotal connections between hygiene issues and multiple types of depression. For example, a person may experience changes in their personal hygiene practices when they develop major depression or bipolar depression. If someone with bipolar disorder knows that their hygiene tends to decline during a depressive episode, they could stay alert to that and use it as a sign to seek treatment when it occurs.
How often should you shower?
Experts generally don't outline exactly how often a person should take a shower. However, in the U.S., about two-thirds of adults shower daily. But, showering every day might not be necessary. In fact, some people might develop dry, irritated, or cracked skin if they shower too often. Instead, showering a few times per week is likely sufficient.
What psychological disorder is hygiene? [remove - doesn't make sense]
What effects does showering have on depression?
Some people claim that taking cold showers can improve depression symptoms. However, the effect of cold showers on depression hasn't been widely studied. Experts theorize that if cold showers help with depression, it could be by way of reducing inflammation, impacting the nervous system, or triggering the release of certain chemicals in the brain.
What are the effects of poor hygiene?
Failing to practice hygiene well may lead to a variety of illnesses, such as diarrhea, foodborne disease, and colds. Poor oral hygiene may lead to cavities or gum disease. Poor oral hygiene is also tied to heart disease, pregnancy complications, and pneumonia. Poor hygiene regarding contact lenses can lead to eye infections. For these reasons, it's very important to maintain hygiene.
Can bad oral hygiene cause depression?
Researchers have found that poor oral health and depression are related, but they are not certain about how they affect one another. Some studies suggest that oral health problems come before depression. However, other studies suggest that depression may cause oral health issues. For example, people with depression may take medication that impacts oral health, eat a diet that negatively impacts oral health, or engage in worse oral hygiene.
Why do people with depression have bad hygiene?
Researchers haven't deeply studied the connection between depression and poor hygiene. However, some suspect that, among people with depression, poor hygiene might be more likely due to fatigue or a lack of interest in usual activities. With severe fatigue, even basic hygiene tasks like brushing teeth or showering may feel like they require an immense amount of energy to complete.
People with depression may not be fully aware of how their hygiene practices have changed. Conversely, some may be aware and feel ashamed about the situation.
Does depression make you not want to clean your house?
The connection between house cleaning and depression hasn't been widely studied. However, having depression can make a person feel less interested in engaging in the everyday tasks they usually engage in. Depression can also increase a person's fatigue, which may make house cleaning feel more difficult than it usually feels.
When a house becomes particularly cluttered, such as with items strewn about on the floor, it can increase a person's fall risk. It can also become a health risk to anyone who lives in the home, including children.
Is not showering a trauma response?
Anecdotally, people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and their family members have expressed that the disorder can bring about changes related to hygiene. For example, some people with PTSD might shower less often, while others might shower more often than they did before experiencing a traumatic event. Research needs to be done on the topic, as clear connections between trauma and hygiene haven't yet been made.
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