Bathing

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Does anyone else here struggle with washing themselves? Showers/baths etc. I find them really difficult and I'm not sure if it's a quirk or possibly something to do with ASD. I'm fine when I'm in the water, but I struggle with getting out and being wet and not able to completely dry myself to the standard I like. I can't stand the sensation of being wet. I don't mind getting wet in the rain but being naked and wet really bothers me sensory wise. I'm the same when I'm washing my hands, they have to be completely dry or I get agitated.

I'm not on the spectrum but I do have ADHD. Which makes showering quite interesting. I find that the warm water hitting my body is very relaxing. So when I'm taking a shower I tend to drift off into daydreams a lot. Therefore, I sometimes forget to wash myself.

I hate the transition from being in bath to getting out, or washing my hair, getting out of bed, or sometimes in it. I hate using mental energy for things like cleaning myself.

That's so funny. I have the exact same problem. My skin feels weird and vulnerable after being wet. I love being in the shower though. It's worse in the winter, when stepping out of the shower feels cold. I don't perseverate on getting dry. But I'm just uncomfortable enough with the transistion to avoid starting the process if I can. I really have to push myself to bath often enough. Which actually, I really need to do tonight, come to think of it.

Before I step out of the shower after it is off, I use my hands to skim off all the water off my skin that I can, then I use a towel and a space heater to dry off once I get out of the shower.

I don't like not being completely dry either. Being not completely dry, body or hands agitates me as well.

Noca posted a similar observation a few months ago here.

I see Noca replied to this thread as well. And I thought I was the only one that did the hand skimming thing! I call it " Squeegeeing" and I do it because I am checking for soap residue because even the hypoallergenic soap itches if I do not rinse it off properly. As for the topic at hand, my dad was in the Navy so I grew up around tropical climates with lots of rain and the ocean. That may be why I do not seem to have an aversion to water or being wet. It may also be because I only shower 3-4 times a week. I have read many articles that say showering every day leeches the natural oils from your skin, which help protect it and keep it moist and healthy. I do have very sensitive skin though and I need hypoallergenic soap.

The age old story with me is it's impossible to get me in the shower and then impossible to get me out, due to the sensory transitions. I do enjoy the feeling of warm/hot water in the shower, but don't like the initial getting wet. Also because of my bad dyspraxia, I have a hard time with getting in and out the tub and drying myself. A lot of times my dad or cousin will have to help me with getting in and out and drying off like I was a little kid still, which of course is one more thing not to like about the process.

I too hate the transition between wet and dry. The feeling and temperature variation is just torture. Being sweaty also bothers me immensely, for the same reason.

I'm glad it's not just me. I find it hard to get into the shower, then hard to get out and at the moment I'm quite depressed too so the motivation isn't there. It's been two weeks since I last washed and I really need to but it's so daunting.

This is something I struggle with too, I don't like being wet, especially on the face. I actually don't remember the last time I had a bath, it must be a week ago.

Picture this post with cartoon flies and stink fumes emanating from it.

Showers are an interesting topic to me.
I have a routine of washing every part seperately and if I get distracted and don't do it in order I have to start from scratch. I dislike being cold between showering and dressing.
And some mornings my mind decides "nope, not happening today." I try to talk myself into it but lose the battle, it's confusing how desperate the struggle is to aviod doing simple stuff.
Then I spend the day worring that everyone at work knows I didn't shower and put on waaaay too much perfume (even tho I put on clean clothes).

If people are giving you weird looks when you don't shower, its probably because of the way too much perfume. I'm very sensitive to smells and it will often trigger shutdown or migraine when someone comes into my office with a lot of perfume on. A lot of people are allergic to perfume and will get sneezing and a stuffy nose. A surprising number of people get migraines when they smell it. So, when you put on a lot of perfume, you could be physically hurting people, just by passing them on the street! No wonder they don't want to be around you a lot. Just deodorant and clean clothing should take care of it if you don't bath on any given day. I think you'll find that people respond to you much better if you keep to this.

I've always had an issue getting into or out of a shower or bath. Ive always put it down to being a soap dodger , never realised it could be a sensory issue.

I also hate getting out of the shower. I hate that cold, wet feeling. I dry myself off as fast as I can. I also don't like being naked at all, so that doesn't help.

and about bathing at the sea? you guys dislike it too? in my case, im lazy to take my clothes of and take my clothes on. I just hate cold shower, it always has to be a warm shower.

I also don't like the transition of getting out of the shower. I suddenly get really cold. I also really hate being nude. Unfortunately, I get really greasy hair, so I have to wash my hair and shower every day.